Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Between Masala Dosa and Mac & Cheese
Growing up as a child of Indian immigrants often feels like having a foot in two vibrant but separate worlds. One foot is firmly planted in our mothers’ fragrant kitchens, where the crackling of cumin seeds in hot oil signals the start of dinner, and the other in the cafeteria where we unwrap our “foreign” lunches while eating sandwiches with our friends. We are Third Culture Kids – children who grow up in a culture different from their parents, creating our own unique blend of both worlds
Dancing Between Two Worlds
For many of us, our daily lives are a beautiful choreography of cultural fusion. We start our mornings with family puja, and then rush to school wearing the latest trending sneakers. We binge watch Bollywood movies on weekend afternoons and move on to Netflix series by evening. Our phones toggle between messaging friends in English and typing in Romanized Hindi to our cousins in India. This duality goes beyond just our daily routine. During the festive season, we are experts at explaining to our non-Indian friends why we are fasting on Karwa Chauth or why our hands are adorned with intricate mehandi designs. Come December, we become just as comfortable decorating the Christmas tree and participating in Secret Santa at school.
The Kitchen: Where Cultures Truly Blend
Perhaps this blend is most evident in our relationship with food. Many of us grew up watching our mothers add turmeric to mac and cheese or curry leaves to a grilled cheese sandwich for health benefits. We have mastered the art of making roti pizzas and masala pastas, and created our own dishes that reflect our dual identities. Our lunch boxes tell stories of belonging to two worlds – sometimes it’s leftover rajma rice, sometimes it’s a chicken sandwich sprinkled with chaat masala. These fusion creations aren’t just about food; they reflect our ability to take the best of both cultures and create something unique.
Language: Lost and Found
One of the biggest challenges many of us face is maintaining our mother tongue. While our parents converse fluently in their regional languages, many of us struggle with limited vocabulary, often understanding more than we can speak. Family WhatsApp groups become linguistic obstacle courses where we navigate between English, Hindi and our regional language, often responding in English to messages written in Gujarati or Telugu or Tamil. Still, this linguistic journey has its own charm. We have created our own dictionary of hybrid phrases that perfectly reflect our experiences – like being “thora different” or feeling “totally filmy”. Our conversations are filled with words from multiple languages, creating a dialect that only other third culture kids can truly understand.
Bridging Generational Gaps
Perhaps the most delicate balance we strike is that of embracing the progressive ideals of our adoptive home while respecting the traditional values of our parents. Family discussions often become careful negotiations – whether it’s about dating, career choices or lifestyle decisions. We become cultural translators, helping our parents understand our world while trying to preserve the values they hold dear.
The Digital Bridge
Technology has revolutionized the way we maintain our cultural ties. Social media and video calls have made it easier to stay connected with family in India, attend festivals virtually, and even learn classical arts online. Instagram and YouTube channels dedicated to Indian diaspora content help us feel less lonely in our unique experiences.
Creating Our Own Identity
What makes Third Culture Kids special is not just our ability to switch between cultures, but also our skill at creating something new. We are not just Indians, and we are not just Americans (or British, Canadians, Australians…) – we are a whole new category. Our identity is like a carefully crafted recipe, taking the most delicious elements from each culture to create something uniquely delicious.
Looking Forward
As we raise the next generation, many of us are thinking about how to carry forward this rich cultural heritage. We want our children to be confident global citizens as well as proud of their Indian roots. The challenge now is not just to maintain our cultural balance, but to teach future generations how to embrace and celebrate their multicultural identities.
Being a third culture kid isn’t always easy, but it has given us a unique way of looking at the world. We are bridge builders, cultural ambassadors and creators of new traditions. Our story is one of adaptation, resilience and creativity – proving that it is possible to not just exist but thrive between cultures.
As we navigate our dual identities, we are not just surviving between two worlds – we are creating our own world, where masala dosa and mac and cheese can comfortably be eaten on the same plate.
What’s your experience as a Third Culture Kid? Share your stories in the comments below about how you balance your cultural identities and create your own unique traditions
