It's hard to be a coconut

Sat Sri Akal, Nasmate, Hello, Bonjour!

Well just thought I would keep my first post simple and to the point. I am of South Asian decent (father from Jammu, mother from Delhi - which makes me supposedly Hindu-Punjabi). Only in the past 3-4 years have a recognized this heritage and have done some soul searching to see what it means. Luckily for my friends and I it has been a rewarding experience as I have been now fully addicted to promoting and selling my South Asian heritage - that includes our culture, food, habits, festivals, weddings, dating/marriage drama, 'flims', religion, politics, people, etc.

However, I have a secret which those of you who know me well know. I am not from India - just a wannabe... that's right I was born and raised in the lil ol town of Winnipeg, Manitoba. My parents, when I was growing up, tried to make me understand my heritage and roots. But of course being a minority and young I didn't want to know my past as I really wanted to learn more about video games, girls and hockey!

As a result I'm a bad mix of both cultures. I mean I know everything about both but I am not both. See when I go out and watch hockey games or go to the pub to drink beers I have so much fun - I feel as if I am Canadian, but I am not fully it feels. Other the other pole, when I go back to back to India or meet fellow South Asians I feel as if I am one of them (in mannerisms, thoughts etc), but I am not fully it feels. This condition I would like to term as a coconut = my outer appearance is not only hairy and brown but also my mannerisms; however, deep down I feel that I am also quite Caucasion.

Well that is the thought I would like to leave with, and hopefully through more soul-searching I can actually become a true South Asian Canadian - instead of a wannabe of both worlds.