Mahi Patel

05/09/2023

English 11-CC

The Realization

Earlier that day…

“Honey, we have a potluck to go to so get your traditional clothes ready for tonight.” told

the mother to her daughter.

“I don’t want to come if I have to wear traditional clothing, it is so embarrassing and

uncomfortable” said the daughter.

“Everyone one will be wearing their traditional clothing and you will be the only one that

will not, do you want that?

“Wouldn’t it be better if I don’t come”

“Your friend will be there,” said the mother.

Mother always compares me with her because she is everything that I am not, she is

someone who all the neighborhood aunties love including my mother. She would think that

expressing her culture at school is something that is necessary. She would attend all the poojas

and holidays while I would hangout with my friends. When we were younger, there were only

us two and everyone used to coddle her and if she did something wrong, people would ignore it

and say that it is impossible for her to do that, but she never did anything wrong in the first place.

I on the other hand was a very naughty child when I was younger, being yelled at by everyone

and not being the favorite even in my family. Because of her, now I have to attend so there is no

gossip behind my own family.

Later that night…

“Why do I have to come, is it really necessary for everyone to come, there must be so

many Indians anyways, so why do we have to go”

“This is something that will be fun and something that you will remember forever. You

will learn more about other cultures as well as our own culture. You should be grateful that our

community does these things. Now behave and see what others have brought.”

“Fine”

As they entered, they were greeted by everyone, but the girl looked more annoyed as she

traveled and saw what others were doing. She was looking around to find somewhere but she

caught the attention of her.

“Hey, isn’t this nice, where we get to see different cultures and families bond over food,

that is something special, I mean who doesn’t love good food, right.

The girl just nodded in annonce trying to find somewhere that she could escape. As she

found a place in the living room, she encountered her friends from school. She was embarrassed

considering that she was wearing traditional clothing. Before she could run away, one of her

friends saw her and asked her to join, but as the girl felt embarrassed she ran away. As time had

passed, she became hungry.

As she looked at all the stalls, a grandmother had asked her what she would like to have,

but the girl refused, causing the grandmother to tell her to take it. The girl ate the spicy ramen

and the grandmother had explained the culture and how her family enjoys ramen. The

grandmother had told her about how when she was younger, her family would enjoy ramen while

talking with each other on just random topics. This really intrigued the girl and she went to the

other stalls learning about the different cultures and creation connections that the food had shown
her. She traveled to these countries after eating these foods with her imagination and learned the

uniqueness and the culture that was there. As she went to these stalls she was connected with her

own culture and wanted to see her parents.

She went to her parent’s stall and thanked them for forcing her to come, and she became

proud of her culture.