My second home-America.
where half of my identity comes from.....


I first came to America for a short seven month visit to my Grandparents when I was three years old. It was during the winter and I was in Minneapolis one of the coldest parts of United states. I saw the snow for the first time then.

At the time I only new Marathi which is my first language. My parents made a big effort only to speak English with me so I could learn. And guess what! Within the next seven months I was quite fluent in speaking English as a three year old. But one thing that happened when I went back home (India) was that I had forgotten my first language. It was quite strange for me. But within two months I got it all back...everything!

I made another short trip with parents when I was about 11 years old. But the third one was not just a trip. I came to the United States in 1994 to go to High school in Minneapolis.

I enrolled there for my Junior year in Highschool. I spent two years in Minneapolis. Faced one of the worst winters in 1995. And I applied to Swarthmore college.

What do I do here at Swat? ????

So, this is where I am now studying sociology and anthropology with a concentration in film and media studies....

I have done many things at Swat (besides studying). My sophomore year I was the Co-president of Deshi(The south Asian Organization) with my dear friend Reena Vaidya[who is in Oxford right now.:)]. Last year I was the Outreach chair of SAO ( the Swarthmore Asian Organization).

I have made many friends here, who are a big part of my life now. I wouldn't know how I could survive Swarthmore if it wasn't for them.

"So , which one do you like better, India or America?" Often , people ask me this question. I say I like both. The way I live in India and the way I live here in the US is just so different. How can you even compare them? I love the best parts of each and I would love to change the worst parts of each. I have my loved ones in each country. Yes, I love both of my homes..because they are unique and have loved me in their own way.