Seeking Roots

 Geetanjali Mittal

Minneapolis, Minnesota | Indian

Immigrating to a new country isn’t easy. We are all connected to the roots of countries, nations,  and places, where we have spent the impressionable days of our lives. And getting married in a pardes (foreign country) as my parents put it, didn’t exactly win instant approval. Yet, here I am! In pardes, part of a wonderful family, which since my arrival, has added two beautiful, loving children.

Minnesota, the North Star state, with winters that are cold beyond reason, welcomed me five years ago, on a sun-chilled day in November. Ten days later, I was in downtown Minneapolis, getting married in a civil ceremony. That evening, wearing my traditional Indian dress (lots of sequins!), my husband and I went to Trader Joe’s on Excelsior Blvd. The lady at the checkout counter praised my dress and I told her it was our wedding day. She asked us to wait and came back a couple of minutes later with a beautiful bouquet! I was so touched by this expression of happiness in our union. It is the best memory of my first two weeks in Minneapolis.

I’ve been here for five years now, yet I feel like an outsider. Most of the time, it’s the way I am being seen. Without asking me my nationality or race, most greet me with an “Hola!” It’s not that I’m offended at being called Hispanic. I’m simply disappointed no one bothers to ask. They don’t know better, yet they carry on with their assumptions. I see it as lacking respect for the differences we have. It took me a while to figure out how to respond so it is less upsetting to me. Now, I just say “Namaste” and move on.

Another struggle I have is when people ask, “You are from India, so how do you speak such good English?” Frankly, it angers me and I try to rectify such views by explaining India is not just what movies like Slumdog Millionaire present it to be. It is more than that. Much more. It is a nation that has seen the end of civilization when others were not even born. A nation that thwarted countless invaders, fought back, yet has accepted and created new cultures and languages from these attacks. It is a rich amalgamation of religions, languages, cultures, and philosophies.

As an immigrant, I need to accept both worlds. The world of my past has made me what I am and my present world is molding me into a new person with its distinct experiences. I love both and I respect both. As human beings, we are all trying to find our roots in one way or the other, immigrants more so. Metaphorically and in reality. People like me find a way to grow, all we need is the faith that they lie within!

#MinneAsianStories Series