Karachi vs. Kansas: Daunting differences

Faryal (F): This year, I’m studying abroad in London. One of the biggest surprises I had when I got here was how many South Asian faces I saw. That may sound a little strange, but I’m from a pretty homogenous area. Kansas is pretty white and all the South Asians kind of just know each other. Seeing people around town who look like me and my family is not super common. Even Boston, which is definitely more diverse than home, tends to be pretty white and homogenous in terms of race and religion.

Natasha (N): See, for me, the idea of homogeneity is completely different. Growing up in Karachi, I found that I experienced being “different” based on non-identity related circumstances, primarily the fact that my parents were divorced. This was just something quite unfathomable for most of my peers, who were always confused when they’d come to my house or when only one of my hands were held on school trips. It’s interesting how much our physical location and environment influence what others and isolates us.

F: I knew that coming here, there would be a relatively large number of South Asians. Some even argue that because of so much immigration, the British national food should be chicken tikka masala. It still caught me off guard. Large percentages of women wear their hijabs proudly, and normal restaurants have their halal certification on display up front. You’ll even see street signs pointing to the nearest mosque. I'm just not used to these things.

N: Yeah, moving to the United States was a challenge because American society is so heavily structured and organized around whether you are in the minority or majority. Then, depending on where you are and the community that surrounds you, your being different just gets amplified. I sometimes shock myself at how excited I get if I see one piece of media with a South Asian person or culture accurately represented. I have to say, even the rise of someone like Kim Kardashian, dark-haired and tan, can be comforting sometimes. It makes such a difference seeing images of people with features that resemble yours and don’t amplify your “otherness.” I think this is sort of what really pushed us to write this column. If anyone who reads it feels a spark of commonality, or has a “Yesss, I feel that” moment, then it’s worth it for me.

F: It’s hard to notice this if you’re in the majority, but when you’re in the minority, it’s all you can think about sometimes. It’s all about where you are and what identities are most salient to you at that time.