2018 #MinneAsianStories: Hello, Neighbor

Minnesota is my home now

By Kamala Puram, Edina

I came to Minneapolis as a young bride on June 30, 1980 from Hyderabad, India full of hope and aspirations to be successful. We came with very little money and the belief that I can accomplish anything if I work hard and stayed focused.

Fortunately for us, we were able to achieve the American dream and had very successful careers. We raised two loving boys who had the opportunity to get their undergraduate degree from MIT and their MD/PhD from Harvard.

Even though initially I was reluctant to move to USA, I was happy that we made the right choice. America is truly a melting pot with so many opportunities to fulfill one’s dreams. I am glad that we moved to the Midwest instead of the East Coast or West Coast. It was perfect for us. People here in the Midwest are really friendly and nice. They were really welcoming and made us feel at home.

When we came to Minnesota in 1980, there were only 5,000 Asian Indians compared to over 50,000 Asian Indians living here now. We had to get used to cooking Indian food with what was available and we would also make trips to Chicago to buy Indian spices and groceries. I used to miss authentic Indian food, and wanted to try Mexican food since we were told that it is as spicy as Indian food. However, I did not like it at all. Over a period of time, we did get used to different types of food and now we really enjoy Mexican and Italian food.

My immersion to American culture was through television. I used to watch CBS News by Walter Cronkite regularly so that I could get used to the accent. I watched soap operas and would turn on the television at a set time to find out how the drama would unfold. This was addictive.

When I came in June, the local Minnesotans would talk to me about the Fall colors and how cold it will get during winter. I used to brush it off as I had not seen the Fall colors nor did I ever experience extreme cold before. Come October, when the leaves started changing colors, it was so mesmerizing. I would just stand on the street and admire the Fall colors. I could not get enough of it. Winter was not as thrilling as Fall. I had to get the right shoes, gloves, and a winter coat as I started going to school. I had to learn to walk carefully, slightly bending forward and taking baby steps so that I would not fall. Even though I did not like the cold, I did enjoy the snow. It was so pretty and beautiful.

Minnesota has become our home now and feel fortunate that we have many friends who were born and brought up in Minnesota. They have always been with us and guided us as we assimilated into this country.

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