How Bengali!
‘Hey Ushni, want to eat your favorite fishy?’
No! God, help me.
‘Ushni, how about some rasgullas? You must love them!” I do. And, trust me when I write that being Bengali is not the reason.
Throughout my school days, I have been plagued with these incessant questions about my food habits and lifestyle. As if being a teenager wasn’t enough, I have had to deal with the added stereotypes of being a Bengali. It’s actually rather simple. I belong to West Bengal, a state located in the eastern part of India. The people of this state, Bengalis, are quite famously known for their dietary habits, attire, language and boisterous personalities. The close proximity of the region to water bodies makes the diet of the people prominently based on seafood and fish. Not surprisingly, every Bengali household consumes fish almost daily. Another crucial part of Bengali diet is desserts and for my …show more content…
And while I felt ‘normal’ for a while, the quirkiness caught up to me. I missed stealing the rasgulla under my mom’s nose and watching my favorite detective movies. I missed laughing loudly at upscale restaurants and letting everyone know that indeed a Bengali family was present. And so the next time, my mother asked me if I wanted to try some fish, I gladly accepted.
As I sit writing my application, I believe that this Bengali-ness has been an important factor in shaping who I am today. The love of music and culture that has permeated into my being, ingenuity to study and learn and of course, my undeniable sweet tooth is something that stems from my identity as a Bengali. And, while most of the time, I hate the stereotypes that come with it; I rather enjoy the quirkiness that I have inherited. And therefore on the last day of school, as my friend drew a fish on my forehead, I proudly paraded around as the ‘Bengali Fishy’. How
‘Hey Ushni, want to eat your favorite fishy?’
No! God, help me.
‘Ushni, how about some rasgullas? You must love them!” I do. And, trust me when I write that being Bengali is not the reason.
Throughout my school days, I have been plagued with these incessant questions about my food habits and lifestyle. As if being a teenager wasn’t enough, I have had to deal with the added stereotypes of being a Bengali. It’s actually rather simple. I belong to West Bengal, a state located in the eastern part of India. The people of this state, Bengalis, are quite famously known for their dietary habits, attire, language and boisterous personalities. The close proximity of the region to water bodies makes the diet of the people prominently based on seafood and fish. Not surprisingly, every Bengali household consumes fish almost daily. Another crucial part of Bengali diet is desserts and for my …show more content…
And while I felt ‘normal’ for a while, the quirkiness caught up to me. I missed stealing the rasgulla under my mom’s nose and watching my favorite detective movies. I missed laughing loudly at upscale restaurants and letting everyone know that indeed a Bengali family was present. And so the next time, my mother asked me if I wanted to try some fish, I gladly accepted.
As I sit writing my application, I believe that this Bengali-ness has been an important factor in shaping who I am today. The love of music and culture that has permeated into my being, ingenuity to study and learn and of course, my undeniable sweet tooth is something that stems from my identity as a Bengali. And, while most of the time, I hate the stereotypes that come with it; I rather enjoy the quirkiness that I have inherited. And therefore on the last day of school, as my friend drew a fish on my forehead, I proudly paraded around as the ‘Bengali Fishy’. How