© the other press ¢ Opinions An Indian Perspective on Canadian Life Marvinder David Lam Contributor There are times when I feel as though I belong nowhere. I feel that I am too Indian to be a Canadian, and yet too Canadian to be an Indian. I am one of the few who have lived on this side of the world for 18 of the 26 years of my life, and in that time, lived in seven cities across Canada and in the US. Although I am an Indo-Canadian, I’m not Punjabi like most Indians in British Columbia, nor am I Sikh. Rather, I am a Muslim of an under-represented region of India. Despite my transient lifestyle over the last two decades, I don’t consider myself a wanderer, as | would happily surrender my travels for an anchor in one city. Nor, still, am I an outcast of society, living at the fringe. In fact, I consider myself quite well adjust- ed, and have many friends. Surprisingly, I seem to get along with almost everyone except the really cliquey people. But from my perspective, this vast land of mixed cultures and languages is like that bar on the first Star Wars movie, on planet Tatooine, where every alien species converged to share one common goal— getting drunk. Beyond that, they may share nothing in common. Life as an immigrant is quite different from what most people think. So much of what we know today comes from familial exposure. Little things like words, expressions, even lifestyle and standard of living choices, are only known to us because we grew up with them everyday. Food is a very prominent feature of culture. Even today, I find myself going to a restau- rant and not knowing what a food item is or how it’s eaten. Most recently, it was “scallops,” which I grew up thinking was a word for a curvy arch-like pattern on a dress. Shopping for groceries is also very interest- ing. I know how to cook quite a few dishes, but not how to buy the ingredients, since I have no idea what anything is called in English. I often go to my Indian friend’s house to probe them about what something is called in English, only to find that they don’t know either. When I go grocery shopping with my “Canadian” friends, who believe I am_ reasonably intelligent, I tend to leave them shaking their heads in disbelief as to how clueless I am with groceries. Because I moved to Canada at the young age of eight, language hasn't been a problem for me. My par- ents, however, are another story. My mom still doesn’t believe me that the word “mad” is another way to say angry or upset—every time I tell her not to get mad at something, she thinks that I’m implying her to be crazy, which in turn makes her even more upset. For the life of me, I can’t remember not to use that word with her, since it’s so common. While this is not so serious, you can imagine how family life can be adversely affected when half the family speaks one lan- guage, and the other half speaks another. Then, there is the name-game. How many different ways can a name be pronounced? In my case, it’s one more than I can possibly imagine. I know what you're thinking: Marvinder isn’t that hard a name. Well, youre right, except that its only my pen name. Essentially, it's Marvin combined with Inder. My real name, on the other hand is much harder to pro- nounce, and it doesn’t split up quite so neatly into a shorter, more benign form, like “Marv.” Consider this: most Canadians don’t have to teach every person they meet at school, restaurants, and parties, how to say their name. Luckily, most adults have been very respectful of my name, so any mutilation is purely accidental. But, as a child, I found that kids weren't so kind. They were quite deliberate in their butchery. Lately, however, the uniqueness of my name has been quite a blessing. I just went to a party last weekend where my name became the topic of conversation. After all, it was different. The Pauls and Mikes were mixed up and forgotten. My name was the only one everyone rembembered. And I didn’t mind the extra attention. This little snapshot of my life, I’m sure, doesn’t reflect the experiences of every immigrant to this country. Many have it much harder than me, while others have it easy. To some, coming to Canada is a huge vacation, while to others it’s the most challeng- ing decision they'll have to live with. Just remember, as long as Canada is such a beautiful country and such a great place to live, every shade of complexion will find its way here, and each will have its own story, as unique as mine. October 15, 2003 Paparazzi Kim Meier OP Photographer Name: Elizabeth Name: Jen Name: Mandy Age: Undeclared Age: 19 Age: 21 What are you tak- What are you What are you ing at DC? Business taking at DC? taking at DC? What's in your CD Business Admin Business player? Dakona What's in your CD player? Soundgarden )) Management What’s in your 1 CD player? Stag Mix ee Page 8 http://www.otherpress.ca