My name is Pranitha Prabhu and I intend to be a biology major with a pre-med concentration. I chose Macaulay Honors College because it is situated at the very heart of New York City. When I was applying to different schools, I was sure that I wanted to a school that is located in a suburban area just to experience what it is like living closer to nature. However, when it came down to signing enrollment agreements, I knew that I was a city girl at heart. I like that there is always something interesting to do in the city, whether it is attending a Broadway show or going to an art exhibit. Macaulay Honors College was the only school that I would be able to go to without taking out student loans. Because I intend on attending medical school in four years, keeping loans low was essential. I also love the diversity of nations, cultures, and personalities that New York City offers. All these things were factored in when I decided to go to Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn College and it is a decision I am extremely happy I made.
I do not know too much about Brooklyn and its demographics but I look forward to learning about the community in this class. Entering this class with such little knowledge means that there is so much for me to learn. I love that the city is so diverse but I have to admit that I never really thought about the demographics of New York City. This class will force me to think about the movement of people and why they may move to or from certain areas.
I was not born in the United States. I came to America when I was five years old. My father came here first, and once he got a job, my mother, brother and I joined him. The move brought on major changes for all of us. I was placed back in kindergarten even though I was enrolled first grade when I went to school in India. Moreover, I was placed in the ESL class even though I was perfectly comfortable speaking, reading and writing in English. For this reason, I had a very hard time making friends in school for the first few months because very few of the children were as comfortable with English as I was and I felt left out as they all communicating in Spanish. For my parents, a new place meant new values and a distance of thousands of miles between the closest extended family members. Being the first family to make it in America meant that my parents did not have financial support from their parents or siblings like many other families had. Rather, my dad was sending money every month to our family in India. Looking back, I admire my parents for the bold step they took relocating to America.
My parents brought us to America in search of better opportunities. In that aspect, the promises have been kept. My father slowly climbed the ladder of success. He went from a computer consultant to a director with several people reporting to him, in less than a decade. My mother took a few years away from work to take care of my brother and I, but was able to rejoin the workforce. Some of her credits would not transfer because she had been out of work for too long. So, she took a refresher course, offered by the city for free, for adults looking to get a job. After training in basic computer skills, she also gained knowledge on things like interviewing skills. She now enjoys working for the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. I personally enjoy all the experiences I have had at such a young age. In India, school is given the only priorities. I like that in America, extracurricular activities are equally important. Especially in the city, there are so many internships and volunteer opportunities for young people to try out. I can go to any college and pursue any career I choose, which is more than I can say for so many other young people in the world.
I live near Jackson heights, where there is a large Indian population. My parents chose to move here for that very reason. Practicing out religion and continuing cultural traditions has been easy. We have a network of about twenty families who live near us who are from the same community in India as we are. We get together at least once a month for a religious ritual or just for a dinner party. With these families, we communicate in our mother tongue of Konkani, ensuring that our native language stays alive. In June, there will be a convention for our community where we will meet other families from all over the northeast area who. New York City with its large population has made it easy for our family to find others India who we can connect with and keep our heritage alive from thousands of miles away. Living near Jackson Heights also means that we can get different foods from India and that we get to keep our culinary culture alive. We always go to our temple in Flushing, Queens so that place is also important to my family. It is essential for us to stay spiritually connected from so many miles away.
Coming to America was the best decision my parents have taken. Although the move was rough in the beginning, we have come live a very happy life in the States. I have been exposed to different cultures and opportunities that I would not have experienced if I had still lived in India. We visit India frequently but I consider America home.
The first picture is of me opening presents during my favorite time in the city, Christmas time!
The second picture is of the neighborhood that helped my family and I keep our Indian heritage alive with relative ease, Jackson Heights.
