Halloween

Halloween is almost here and everybody;young or old are looking forwarded to the day. Americans take part in Halloween by trick or treating or just having parties, where as Halloween for other countries like Romania : revolves around "Dracula". Every country depending on their culture and lifestyle celebrate their holidays in different methods and ways. Some countries don't even have holidays like Halloween or understand why other countries have them. My friend's grandparents came from India few days ago and when they went shopping here, they were very surprised at all the Halloween decorations. When my friend tried to explain to them the concept of Halloween and dressing up as monsters/other characters; they couldn't understand why we would do such a thing. Indians being a spiritual and very superstitious would have never made an holiday like this because of their culture. We have holidays were the demons' were destroyed by God but never a day dedicated to the monsteres/ghosts/etc alone. This event made me realize how a person's culture and lifestyle influences their holidays and their methods to celebrate certain things.

Colleges.

Future. We all worry about it. Today, while checking my mail, I saw a letter from a college informing us about all their new programs,activities,etc. Even though I won't graduate until 2 years later, my parents are already starting to worry about it. We as Americans plan ahead. We try to prepare for the future and not waste any time. I am only in 10th grade but I am already receiving letters from colleges all over the country. This proves how time & controlling our "future" really influences our lives as Americans.

What we are!

Yesterday, after the pep rally, my friends and I went to mall and we were just looking through everything. By the time we finished buying everything we needed, I started to realize how materialistic we are. I noticed how some us brought so many things we didn’t even need. sNot only that but I also realized how strict we are on time. We all kept checking our watches, and stayed only until a certain point in each store and we managed to fit everything we needed to do in the certain time schedule. When one of my friend’s mom was late to pick her up, she was freaking out on how much time is being wasted and how she had things to do. As Americans, we are, we out knowing time oriented, and a little materialistic if not a lot.

You have a cellphone?

n today’s world, many people find it shocking that a person doesn’t have a cell phone, I find it shocking that they do. A few days ago, I went to the Indian Fest at the Bob Carpenter’s Stadium in UD, and there I met this little girl. She was around 7-9 and I was worried when I couldn't find her mom. I didn’t have my cell phone with me and I couldn’t call her mom. I was explaining this to her when she suddenly says that I could use her phone to call her mom. I was shocked. I mean, how would you feel when a 7 year old tells you that you can use her phone? At first, I did not believe that it was her phone, but rather it was her sisters’. After meeting up with her mom, I found out that the phone was really hers! It wasn’t an emergency phone, but rather a normal everyday use phone. I was in confusion, I mean I had to BEG, pled, pay, and work for my phone and this 7 year old just got hers. I didn’t not have a phone until 9th grade! Not only that, but she also has numbers of her friends in her phone! Her mom told me that sometimes they call/text each other. Wow, is our culture so technologically advanced that even kids as young as 7 have a phone? I then started to realize how much of big influence technology is becoming to the newer generations. Everyone has a small device of technology that they carry around with themselves wherever they go. Whether it is a phone or an Ipod, we can all defiantly say that technology has now become a part of our lives.

Humans & Pets: Is the love too much?

Today, when I was reading a magazine I came across a very interesting article called, “I divorced by husband to be with my pet.” As crazy as it sounds, it was a true story about a woman who had a German Shepherd and when her husband wanted to sell it; she divorced him. His reasoning was logical. Since the recession, the couple was having a hard time providing food for themselves and for the dog. So, one day the husband thought it would be a good idea to give the dog to their family friend, who they’ve knew for years. His wife on the other hand completely disagreed. What is even more interesting is that, the couple was married for 5 years, and they just got the dog 4 months ago. It was sad knowing that the wife chose her dog of 4 months, over her husband of 5 years. After reading this, I started to realize that most Americans value pets a lot more than many other cultures around the world. Many societies don’t own pets, and even if they do, it is usually a dog. As Americans on the other hand, we own MANY various types of pets. We range from simple household animals such as dogs to owning birds, mice and even snakes! When I first came to America in 2003, I had to leave my dog behind, and it was a heartbreaking time for me. After getting an opportunity to go over a friend’s house, I was excited since not only was she was my first friend, but also because I knew she had many pets. Therefore, when my friend invited me over to her house to play with her “pets,” I naturally expected her to have two dogs and not what I saw! She had three parakeets, eight fishes, two dogs, one bunny, and a cat. I thought I was in a very different world! I never saw anyone having bunnies, fishes, parakeets, and especially cats when I was in India! (Mainly cats, because cats were known to be “bad luck” or “evil” in the Indian culture). After seeing all the various types of pets, I started to realize how much the American culture values animals! They treat them as their own family whereas most pets in other countries are treated more as a responsibility then as family! I mean we even have their personal beds, clothing, and hospitals for them.


However, even though we treat animals with such care, I also feel as things sometimes get a bit out of hand...

Read this quote for example:

In the United States, 63 percent of households include a pet (up 7 percent since 1988), and pet lovers spent $38.5 billion on their pets in 2006 (up from $21 billion a decade earlier). Americans now spend several billion dollars more on dog and cat food than they do on baby food.

In San Francisco, pet owners – "pet guardians" according to city ordinance – outnumber children nearly 2 to 1


Wow! I mean having pets isn’t a bad thing! I love animals, but sometimes I wonder if things are getting out of hand. Sure pets can be a good thing, their used as aid for the blind, therapy for the lonely, and even as company for elders. I also think things are getting chaotic when pets start to outnumber children, when married couples split up because of their pet. In addition, when people spend more money on pet supplies then they do on their needs.

For example: In 2006, her family pet, a golden retriever, accidentally strangled a 6-year-old girl to death because her family didn’t see the dog as a threat than it really was.

Sometimes, I feel as if we love our pets so much, that we don’t see the hidden dangers that lay around them.

Am I saying that having pets is bad? No, of course not! I love pets! Although, I am saying that we have to look at the statistics once in a while, and think if we are going a little overboard when we start having to choose between pets over humans.

Arranged Marriage...or Love Marriage?

* No bias or offense intended*

Today, My mom and I were watching an Indian movie where the actors fell “in love”, and were experiencing some problems with their family. We were happily watching the movie until my sister said one thing, “ Those parents are so mean, why don't they just leave them alone. Stupid arranged marriages”. When she said that one sentence, I knew things were going to go chaotic. My mom turned to her and gave her a 2 hour lecture about how love marriage is stupid and how arranged marriages are more traditional. Well, first of all, let me make my opinion a little clearer. What I say is that, in today's world in India, more people are getting love married, and even though I think they should have their right to marry whoever they want, I don’t think they should get carried away.

Look at this dictionary definition of ARRANGED MARRIAGES:

Arranged marriage starts from a fundamentally evil premise - that any parent or relative has the moral and legal right to force someone to marry against his or will, or to prevent him or her from marrying for love.

Oh come on, what century are you living in? Its totally not like that. In these days, when the guy/girl tells their parents that they are ready to get married and are willing to think about arranged marriages is when its called, “ arranged marriage”. The guy and the girl get to chose and are NOT forced to marry some random guy that they met 3 days ago.

I believe, that today, in India, an arranged marriage probably has a greater chance of being successful than a love marriage, and there are statistics to prove this. In India there is a lower divorce rate then there is in the USA. It might be because America is unrestricted and the women here are more free to do whatever they want but it wasn’t until I came to the US did I ever hear the word “divorce”, and when I heard of it, I was pretty surprised. Not only that, but divorce is also a Taboo in Indian culture. What every Indian women says is that no matter what happens, you can not leave your husband, or your family.

Unless it is one of those SUPER RARE cases, where the guy and the girl are super educated, and their families have a great reputation, are arranged marriages approved. (Education is the only loop hole any lovers in India can find. Unless both of them are amazingly educated, and their families have a good reputation is there any chance of their marriage being approved by their families).


In India, its all about reputation. That is one of the main reasons why Indian families are so strict. They care about their reputation. That’s why love marriages are such a taboo in India, its because of the gossips that spread from it. Not only does it spread gossip, but it also affects the guy/girl's chance of finding a good person to be arranged with. Arranged marriages have become such a big part of Indian lives that there are even websites that are based on it too. The websites are intended to help you find your “groom” or “bride” depending on what your preferences are. I am not saying that I am against arranged marriages, but I am not agreeing with it either. So I usually let the person decide on what their opinion on arrange marriages are, and that is the main reason why I did this blog. It is to clear up the confusion that many people have on this controversial subject of "arranged marriage".

My Not so Great Weekend.

When people ask “How your weekend was?”, they usually expect a normal response like: “It was okay”, but when people started to ask me, I really don't think they expected my answer. On Saturday, exactly at 4:00 pm my house caught on fire. How? Well, let me just say, I have not so bright neighbors who decided to leave their stove on and walk out. So let me just tell you how it all started. I was home alone and in my bedroom watching a movie, when I smelled something burning. I looked out of my bedroom balcony (which by the way was on the 3rd story) and saw smoke coming out of my neighbors window. At first I thought they burnt some food and what not, but later the smell got worse. After 10 mins or so, I was on my way to neighbors to check if everything was alright, and just when I opened my bedroom door, it was all smoke. I live in a town house, so in a way my neighbors’ house and mine are connected. It was pitch black and the smoke had already engulfed my house. I ran back inside my bedroom and into the balcony . People started to scream and the firefighters came. I tried to find my phone which I later remembered was left downstairs on the kitchen table. Some people even suggested for me to jump! I mean did they think I was Spider man or something?! I was on the 3rd story and jumping from it would defiantly mean that I was going to break more then one bone . Just as I thought all hope was lost, a firefighter came and told me to get on the ladder he was putting up. I first hesitated, I mean your expecting a person who is scared of heights, to climb over her balcony fence and onto a ladder that seems not trust worthy to hold my weight? I don't think so. But in the end I didn't have a choice. So I somehow made my way down the ladder and back to safety. Luckily after 2 hours of standing in the cold with nothing but pajamas and no shoes on, everything was over and no one was hurt. But the worst part was yet to com. The most terrorizing part of the whole experience was not the fire but it was explaining to my parents what happened to our house when they came home from work. A few minutes later after everyone left, my parents finally came home or what WAS their home to be welcomed by a beautiful mess. Luckily, my house wasn't damaged as much I thought it would be, and only a part of the ceiling broke off but even after explaining , I really don't think my parents are ever going to leave me home alone......ever, even though it was not my fault! So how does this all relate to culture ? As, Mrs.Lober said, culture is all around us. Later that night, I started to think about India and what would happen if this fire occurred there. The firefighters probably would have come after the whole thing was over or even if they came at the peak of fire, it would have taken them hours to put it out. I started to realize how much the American culture values safety of the people, and time. They get things done fast and don't waste any precious time. They also value the peoples life and make sure that no one is hurt.