My Journey to India
- Jasmine Dorr
- Dec 15, 2018
- 2 min read
On our last trip we visited Vietnam, but if we travel two thousand miles east we’ll reach a country called India. One of my closest friend’s parents are from India. She explained to me that her dad decided to come to America in 1996. He was 26 years old and he came to work for a company under the H1 work visa. In 1998, her dad went back to India to marry her mother. My friend and her family visit India often. In India it is almost always hot and dry, but that never stops people from shopping. In villages, men walk around selling fruits and veggies on a cart. There are also street markets and malls. She said that her favorite thing to buy is definitely jewelry. A major difference between India and America is that India is always extremely social and interactive with each other. Other than shopping, she love spending time with her grandparents and many cousins. When visiting, she stays at her grandparents’ house. She tells me that her grandmother is very religious and she goes to the temples often. While visiting India, my friend was able to celebrate her 15th birthday. She threw a party inviting extended families and friends. As a dessert, she ordered Jalebi. Jalebi is batter that has been deep-fried then dipped in a sugary syrup. It is a very popular dessert. To prepare for her birthday party, Henna Tattoos were drawn on her hands. They are a big part of culture and it is worn for almost every celebration and festival. When going to these type of events and to the temple, it is also appropriate to wear lehengas dresses and a bindi. Other popular events include India’s religious festivals. On November 7th,
my friend celebrated Diwali. Diwali is known as the Festival of Light, so candles are lit and dances are performed. It is also very important to go to temple. Another popular festival celebrated is Holi, the festival of colors. This is celebrated in the months of March and April. I had such a good time learning more about one of my friends and I hope everyone’s hearts were opened a little more after learning about another culture. See you on our next trip!