Cultural Personal Essay Contest: Samannvi Reddycherla Wins for Templeton Middle School

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The following essay was the winning entry from all Templeton Middle School submissions to this year’s Cultural Personal Essay Contest, sponsored by the Hamilton Heritage Club.

Samannvi Reddycherla

“ Goodbye. I love you ! ” I yelled to my parents and little brother. The airport was bustling with a sea of people coming in all directions. The lines at the baggage check in and security stretched on and seemed to be never ending. The airport was filled with the scent of fast food and cleaning products. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. When the lady at the baggage check-in finished reviewing my papers I got my boarding pass and headed straight for my gate to board the plane with my flight attendant accompanying me. Nervously I sat down in my seat and stared out the window. I took a deep breath and awaited the journey in front of me.

When I was around ten years old I had the opportunity to go to India by myself.  It was an experience that changed the way I saw myself and the world. Growing up as an Indian-American I felt like I was caught between two cultures. For most of my life I was used to the American way of life and values but my trip to India was like a turning point that showed me a whole new world and expanded my understanding of my own identity. 

Before that trip I had always felt like I was living between two worlds. At home I spoke to my parents in our native language (Telugu), ate traditional Indian food, and participated in religious and cultural activities like celebrating festivals and going to the temple. Outside and at school I was surrounded by western culture and I blended in with my friends speaking English and doing things the average american teen girl would do, get starbucks, have sleepovers, and paint our nails. With dark skin and black hair I felt out of place in a predominantly white school.  I used to feel like I wasn’t part of either culture and was just drifting in between. But when I flew to India I was surrounded by many sounds, smells, and cultures of my motherland and it changed my point of view. 

Flying to India alone at such a young age was both amazing and scary. When I landed in my grandmother's hometown everything felt so different. Life in India was so focused on relationships and togetherness while in America the pace of life was so much faster and individualistic. The bustling streets, the beautiful markets, and the chaotic noise of the city was something I had to get used to from living in the suburbs for so long. I met most of my extended family and got to spend a lot of time with them and understood what life was like there in india. I was immersed in really rich culture and was surrounded by people who looked like me, ate the same food, and practiced the same traditions that I did at home. 

To this day I don’t think that anyone can pronounce my name on the first try but instead of feeling like my identity isn’t worthy of the effort it took to get it right I realized that correcting people-while it was sometimes tiring-was a way of showing who I was and asserting my identity. I now no longer feel shy about saying, “ Actually it's pronounced like this,” even if it takes a couple tries. Over time I’ve learned to embrace my name and even if it's mispronounced, I realized that my name is mine and it's a reflection of my heritage and who I am.  

Returning to the U.S after my trip was an eye opening experience. I gained a deeper sense of pride. One of the largest lessons I learned from this trip was that I could navigate between both worlds. I began to accept who I was and navigate through the complexities of my own identity, knowing that I can honour my Indian roots and contribute to the American society I’m part of.