Not too long along, I found the above image on Reddit and I realized that I have experienced all stages of “The Cultural Journey.” As Dr. Wallace in our October 23rd meetup explained that race is a construct, much like a building, it is made by people. American culture promotes individualism so much yet I felt judged every time I went out in my cultural attire. As a confused teenager, I did not know which culture was mine. My parents wanted me to learn English so badly that they forgot to teach me my native language. I am not familiar with some of the words or the written language of my native language, Punjabi. Through all the stages, all I wanted to feel was a sense of belonging whether it was in school, a club, or with a friend. However, I was different and I am different and that’s okay. It’s high time we remember that we all are human beings! Now, I embrace my culture. I live for its music, clothes, food, and much more. I like being different. Believe it or not, I am learning every day something new about my ancestry or my culture so I can pass it on to the next generation. I want to share the vast knowledge I have with others. There’s a lot of new things that I have to spend time to understand and that’s fine because learning is a process. I want to tell my story and I want to hear stories. To end this blog, I want to ask: What stage are you on your cultural journey?

two of me

isn’t it is a beautiful thing to be 

diverse 

to be able to explore, 

not one but

two different countries 

that makes me

whole & complete 

– Akampreet Kaur

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