Almani

Bharath Almani

Podcast
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BIOGRAPHICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Biographical Almani grew up in the Southern part of India in Gingagong, where he left a lot of his family. He came to America because his dad wanted him and his whole family to have a much better life. His dad also wanted him to have a true childhood and not have to worry so much about school or competition. His dad thought that he would get a better education in America rather than India. ** Geographical ** Almani moved here with his mom, dad, and sister. He still celebrates his Indian and/or Hindu traditions and holidays (But some of these holidays are hard to pronounce). He eats a lot of Indian food at his house to. Probably to keep customs, and also to make it feel like home (When they first came here if they are still living in the house they bought here). =Creative Writing= =India to America=

By: Ryan
==Bharath was born in India. He was really happy about moving. His dad said he wanted him to have better childhood and have fun, and also not have worry about school so much since the schools were really competetive. He lived with his aunts, uncles, and cousins for six months. Then his dad came home, so him and his mom moved in, got a great house.==

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
Your Name:Ryan Your Interviewee's Name:Bharath Interview Transcription (Revised)

Rohrbach: What country did you come from? Almani: I came from the southern part of India in Gingagong Rohrbach: What was it like moving from your country? Almani: Since I was a little kid while I was moving at six. I don’t really remember much but, I remember that it was really hectic and confusing. When I was goin’ through the process, like when I was getting my papers signed. Everything was really scary cause everything around me was movin’ really fast. Once I got to the airport I got really excited. While I was getting on the plane my mom told me that we were goin’ to see dad; goin’ to a new country, and was goin’ to speak another language. It was really exciting but, also scary. Rohrbach: Why did you have to move? Almani: I had a choice to move, but my dad wanted me to have a better education and childhood. Cause India is competitive and he wanted me to be able to play around and have fun. He also wanted me to have an enjoyable life and a good future. Rohrbach: What did you like about this country? Almani: Well when I first came here I didn’t really like it at all. I didn’t understand the language. I didn’t understand why women smoked or why other people did the things they did. But afterwards I got kinda used to it. I like the fact that kids had a matter of opinion. When I was growin’ up in India, what I remembered was that the grown-ups never really paid attention to what I said and I kind of had to follow everything they told me. But over here, you can be creative, and I really like that. Rohrbach: What kind of job are you looking to do? Almani: I would like to be a neurosurgeon, cause I always wanted to be a doctor when I was a kid, but last year when my grandfather died cause of a neurological disease and none of the doctors knew what to do about it. So I was kinda emotional, and I felt triggered that I should have a reason. So when I grow up I could save other people with neurological diseases. Rohrbach: If you could would you go back to India? Almani: I would go just to visit. It’s just that I wouldn’t go back permanently, cause I had my childhood here. When I grow up I’ll go back just to live there for three years. Rohrbach: Did you leave any family behind? Almani: Ya, I left a lot of my family behind. I left all my grandparents and since I have a lot of cousins I probably left ~200 cousins behind. Rohrbach: Did you meet any family here? Almani: I did, for the first six months I had lived here. I landed in Chicago, Illinois. I lived with my cousins; my great aunt and uncle for six months. They helped my dad get from India to America. So they helped my mom, sister, and me to America. I also live with some of my other cousins. Rohrbach: Do you still do any of your customs from India? Almani: I do, we have some traditions that we do at home. We do certain things that normal Americans wouldn’t do. Just because it’s our Indian tradition. We celebrate called Kiawah. During festivals we wear our Indian clothes. Almani: I am Hindu. Rohrbach:Do you celebrate any American holidays? Almani: I don’t celebrate any American holidays.

ANALYSIS An immigrant is someone that moved from one country or state to another state or country. That also came here for the “American” dream. It has been said that if you do what you’re and don’t make a “fit” about it that you will blend right in the American culture/community. Bharath took a while to understand most of things we Americans do (almost every day). One is “why would women smoke?” But the longer Bharath lived here the more he understood. He still celebrates his Indian traditions and customs.