Stories and significant changes
Jai Patel: Building Bridges
My World Youth exchange has been an incredibly valuable cultural learning experience which has taught me not only a lot about Sri Lankan culture , but also about my own Indian culture and heritage. As an Indian girl growing up in a predominantly white environment with very little Indian influence, I often resented my parent's Asian values, attitudes and behaviour, deeming them to be out of date, irrelevant and oppressive.
However, after living in a developing country and having experienced and observed the lifestyles and realities lived by the people, I have come to understand and appreciate why parents are how they are.
Having witnessed the lack of infrastructure, development and basic facilities, I now understand why Asian parents place such a great emphasis on their children entering into the professions; something I had always resented in rebelled against. In addition to Sri Lanka actually needing skilled professionals such as doctors, engineers, computer specialists and management consultants, these careers also often offer the only feasible way out of a life of hardship and under privilege. Many Sri Lankan students do not have the luxury to choose their own careers, pursue their interests of studying arts or humanities, since their economy is not developed enough to absorb them. Such choices would most probably lead to unemployment and an inability to provide for themselves. Having observed the hard and humble life lived by some Sri Lankans, I understand why, for many Asian parents, their greatest dream is for their children to enter into the professional classes and to have a better life.
Similarly, even practical cultural consideration such as eating with the right hand, which I had always considered to be arbitrary and irrelevant, took on a new dimension and importance when I had to live without toilet paper!
I feel that after this experience, I have a much better insight and understanding of the issues facing developing countries as well as the background and condition from which and in which my parents grew up. I feel very grateful that my parents have made great sacrifices, such as leaving the families and countries they loved to immigrate to an alien country in order to provide their children with greater opportunity and brighter futures.