CRUISE TO CRUZ
Every culture is valuable for that particular population. Indian culture is incredibly complex and of astounding proportion. But beneath it, is a scientific foundation, a scientific process towards human liberation, almost like manufacturing an enlightened human being. It’ rich tradition and heritage, the uniqueness of the well-practiced unity in diversity, the concept of universal prayer bridging all differences, makes me stand a tall and proud Indian.
I was born in the temple town of Kerala and grew up in a picturesque Kollam, the land of backwaters. In India, the pearls of wisdom are prescribed and passed on generation to generation, through that basic integral part of every human; “Family”. Here, we believe in simple concepts such as ‘A family that prays together stays together and a family that eats together stays together.’ It is the most important institution of our country. Strong, stable, resilient and enduring families are a commonplace here. I hail from one such family that inculcated in me ethical values, morals and the understanding of India’ rich culture. Being brought up thus, my parents groomed me to develop beauty of character and saw to it that I received all that they had to impart. However, their outlook to the world at large, opened up interesting vistas in my life.
I travelled wide with them. Such wholesomeness they included to my upbringing. This exposure sowed the seeds in me; ‘The dream to across the seas to amass knowledge’. I desired to pursue my higher education at the Unites States. At first I pictured this only as a wild dream, one that may never take wings. For you see, in our culture, girls are brought up to be rather conservative. It is an accepted norm to tie the knot with a man chosen by the family; the whole concept of arranged marriage. I feared this for myself. I feared my dreams maybe lost. However, I gathered the courage to share with my parents this ‘wild dream mine’. To my astonishment, this idea was first received with much welcome. The relief was huge. I was delighted and grateful!
Then on was a flurry of activities; the application work, the SAT preps, the hunt for university of my dream and so on. Couple of months into the process, I receive an acceptance email from UCSC. I was literally on cloud nine. And boom, that’ exactly when things took a new curve on home front. My family was gripped by fears of exposing me to a completely new scene and culture. They were unsure if I could take this huge step in life already; from their protective cocoon to a complete stand alone. Relatives voiced strong opinions. They commented I was too young, I am a girl, It’ too early to go abroad! At that point, I wanted to do something to get rid of this stigma of being a girl child. But there was nothing I could actually do then. My parents were worried beyond imagination. Not to make them sad, I sat applying to colleges in India.
I was losing grip of my dream. Till finally one day I sat up right! Why would I want to do away with my aspirations? Life works best for the confident lot.
The subject I have chosen for my undergrad studies being economics, I realized UCSC would help me develop critical thinking skills and gain experimental learning which I may not gain if I chose to be in India. Economics is a vital component of liberal arts and a necessity for a person like me, interested in areas of business, welfare reform and international trade. Hence, the girl child, me‚Ķdecided to hold on to her heart’ desire with renewed steadfastness. My parents observed my earnestness and with utmost trust and love, gave me the gentle prod to pursue my goal. My baby steps were turning into huge strides. My high school teachers supported my desire by providing guidance and assistance at every turn to enable me to take off.
Now It was my turn to be confounded by fears. I feared of the adjustments ahead of me, feared of being left out, feared of being teased for my Indian accent, feared of being able find friends. I was in total dilemma. But once again, my inner voice kept pushing me to be sanguine. . Though I knew this one decision in my life would not just benefit me, but also bring about a change in my family, and the society as a whole, I was still nervous and unsure. But YES, I was brave enough to take the leap and here I am today, a lofty prideful slug.
My first few months here have been amazing. I was able to overcome all my mindless dreads. I realized how respectful, amiable and compassionate the people around me are. I discerned that the culture I was brought up in, and the one here are poles apart, but both are interwoven with wonderful respect and deep understanding of each other. It was quite a culture shock at first, but in no time, I learnt to accept and admire the life here. Little did I know that I was going to fall in love with this place. But this for sure, is not going to change who I am. The ethical values ingrained in me, of the eternal law and Truth and importance of being an absolute upholder of righteousness will forever remain unshakable.
I aspire to embark to India after my studies and commence a non-profit organization focusing on education. This is not just going to boost the social welfare, but also help people realize the importance of holding a degree and the respect it would earn them. I had a dream and also a family that was financially stable to help me chase my goal. But in India there are innumerable children who cannot afford schooling, who don’t even dare to dream of higher studies. And that’ what I ought to change. This huge leap in my life holds a lot of in-depth essence. My stint at UCSC will not be a mere degree, but a passport to liberation and women empowerment in my country, a message to all those who tried being a rain on my parade, a ray of hope to all girls in India to never stop dreaming, aspiring and striving to have a better life, a life of their choice.