A Cultural Encounter :: Personal Narrative Papers

A Cultural Encounter I met this "different person" at the periodical section of the Good Library of State College. After asking the person for my article that I had requested I ask his name, he answers with his Indian accent, "Ajai Ahulalia." I say, "What?s that?" "Ajai Sanhi," he responds back. "What?" I say, being embarrassed because I cannot understand his name. "Ajai Ahulalia" he tries for the third time. "Oh Ajai," finally I understand. I ask, "Were do you live?" "Yoder First" he answers, then I fell a fool again, "Really, me too." What has happened to Ajai?s life when he lived in India and now here in the U.S.? Ajai lived in the same floor as I did but I did not notice him. I knew that there were some Indians on my floor but I had a hard time knowing Americans names, since I grew up in Israel, so I could not even pronounce Indian names. For example, the name BJ, what is BJ for? It stands for Bijayendra, how about Rishi, and Kashif? At least now after a year I know their names and can pronounce them correctly. Since then I have joined Ajai, Business double major of State College, for an Indian meal at Chicago, which was five guys into this little car of Ajai?s going to Chicago for Indian meal then a walk on the beach. I have joined their conversations even when I just understand ratarata lara a shara and put some more of this ai;u,mnbaiuet;lkmv; into the conversation. Currently I would see Ajai as a person that can be found mostly in the computer lab making money, since I would say he is a money machine or known as the varsitybooks.com. Maybe he can make our bookstore go bankrupt or at leas t force the prices down. Ajai has not been always the person described. According to friends Ajai has changed his physical looks since the first time he came to State College; an Indian with very long hair, and a beard, but now with short hair and no beard. These physical characteristics were part of his Sikh religion. To be a Sikh it is not necessary to have long hair, a beard and wear traditional forms according to him. The needs of such differences are just to distinguish a Sikh from others. Ajai has dropped his costumes of his religion for the lack of time to maintain his hair and beard and the need to keep explaining why he is different from others.