S1 Ep26: Dare to Repair!
Contrary to the offerings of a superior standard of living and convenience of life, sometimes in the west, getting access to some basics like repairs for the smallest to the most complex of equipments is almost impossible to find. If you have missed the access to cheap repairs in the west and eventually emerged as a jugaadu genuis yourself, than this episode is for you! Check out more episodes...
9m Jun 06, 2018
9m
S1 Ep25: Being Brown & The Impact of Racism
Last February, the fatal attack Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Kansas sent shivers up the spine of every desi in the west. This was one of the many racial attacks on brown menĀ  in the past few years. Whether it is because we work on volatile temporary visas or it is because we have non violent attitudes, desis for the longest time have not addressed how big an issue racism is in the land of the Americ...
10m May 23, 2018
10m
S1 Ep24: Mothers Day For Our Desi Moms
Seeing their children fly thousands of miles away from them and moving abroad is probably one of the most difficult things our mothers have to go through when we move out of our homes. This episode is dedicated to all the desi mothers who go above and beyond themselves to help us settle down in our lives abroad and answer every query and question we have , at any hour of the day or night. Even ...
10m May 17, 2018
10m
S1 Ep23: Celebrating Cultural Differences
"Its not the differences that divide us, but it is the ability to celebrate those differences" This week's podcast is an ode to the culturally rich and diverse traditions that us desis belong to and how this rich tradition makes us open minded to new experiencing and absorbing new cultures in the world. Being in the west for over 5 years now, it is only us immigrants that put in all the effort...
8m May 09, 2018
8m
S1 Ep22: Nothing Called "Curry Powder" In India
It amazes me how some things that are considered quintessentially Indian in the west, are almost impossible to find in India. In the migration that took place over generations and in the slow transition from east to west, somewhere our cuisine transitioned to the concept of "curry in a hurry". In this episode I share some of my musings about what exactly is true Indian cuisine in the west, or i...
6m May 02, 2018
6m
S1 Ep21: Immigrants Are Fighters
If you've heard stories from immigrants who left their home countries a few decades ago, the one thing they all have in common are tales of how they all started with less than 20 dollars when they landed at the airport and how they built their lives from scratch. This podcast is an ode to the immigrants who made it then and the immigrants who are trying to make it today. The struggles might be ...
8m Apr 18, 2018
8m
S1 Ep20: Mangoes! As Exotic as It Gets
Whether it is the Maaza ad with Katrina having her "moment" with mangoes, or it is frooti being the drink of choice for all kids, we as a country are obsessed with mangoes. Now a days, even though Indian stories abroad have started carrying the Indian variety of mangoes, there is really no experience like the mango season back home. This episode is an ode to my love for this king of fruits. Ch...
7m Apr 11, 2018
7m
Turmeric Tea Latte or Downward Dog anyone?
Whether it is yoga or ayurveda, indian cultural influences in the west have gone way beyond a fad and are starting to become a way of life for people. As the so called flag bearers to our culture, are we prepared to represent all these concepts? Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life away from India. You can write to me at cul...
9m Apr 04, 2018
9m
S1 Ep18: Love for All Things Imported
For every kid born in the 80s and 90s, somethings formed a quintessential part of our childhood and teenage. Whether it was Tang drink post school or it was Nivea cold cream during the winters. Whats common among them all? They all happened to be imported, just like almost every commercial product that us desis were obsessed with. Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share storie...
6m Mar 22, 2018
6m
S1 Ep17: Long Distance NRI Fiance
Long courtships between engagements and weddings are becoming more and more common as people are choosing to get married to NRIs and move between countries for after marriage. Even though long distance relationships are a lot easier thanks to technology, they are still cases where the physical distance is thousands of miles. In this episode, I take a slightly humorous and ironical look at long ...
7m Mar 14, 2018
7m
S1 Ep14: Things World Can Learn From India
Among a lot of things that the world can learn from India other than the rich culture is how we Indians use the scarcely available resources wisely. No, we don't have an abundance of resources and the supply is never high enough for the demand. But we all co-exist. In this episode, I talk about the some common practices followed in our desi households which, if the world adapts, could prove so ...
8m Mar 07, 2018
8m
S1 Ep15: Dont Worry Mom!!
Going abroad and making a life is difficult on us but it is even more difficult for our loved ones who don't have any control or say on our lives and decisions. In todays episode I share some stories about how winters are especially harsh on the elders back home and how they can get really consumed by their worry for us. Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my e...
5m Mar 01, 2018
5m
S1 Ep14: Beginner's Guide to First Week Abroad
Finally having the dream realized, one lands abroad - in a new city, probably a whole new country; thousands of miles away from home. We are usually prepared for all the practical aspects of resettling but what about the things that we weren't really prepared for? Moving away from the home country also means moving away from friends, family and all things that we hold close to our heart. How th...
8m Feb 21, 2018
8m
S1 Ep13: Time To Fly
The last week before we are set to leave our home town is unique in many ways. One feels a variety of emotions ranging from excitement to fear and sorrow. It is an interesting time since dreams await us and we leave behind a part of our soul in our home towns. In this episode, I share my experiences with the last week before one is about to move to a new city or a new country. Check out more e...
8m Feb 13, 2018
8m
S1 Ep12: Parenting Across Cultures
This episode looks at challenges that a parent and child both face as they immigrate from their home countries to the west. In this episode, Trisha Sakhuja, CEO of Brown Girl Magazine, joins Culture Chaos in a phone interview and shares memories and stories from her childhood. Trisha helps us shed light on how parents and children both need to find a common ground in holding on to their culture...
12m Feb 07, 2018
12m
S1 Ep11: The Dream Job Abroad
"American Dream" and "London Calling" are just some of the phrases we hear in popular culture when someone describes their career goals. Bollywood, TV and some real life success stories tell us that professional life abroad is the ticket one needs to realize ones career goals. But what is professional life in countries like US, UK or Europe really like? In this podcast, I talk about the profess...
9m Jan 31, 2018
9m
S1 Ep10: When You're " Fresh Off The Boat"
The first week of moving out of India and stepping foot in US is one that is often full of strange realizations and rookie mistakes. You realize that from the food to fixtures in your house, from the cars on roads to human interactions with people on streets, everything works in a system which is almost the opposite of what you were used to. In this episode, I discuss my experience of realizing...
9m Jan 24, 2018
9m
S1 Ep9: Are NRIs Allowed To Be Patriotic?
NRIs or non residential Indians are often hated on in their home countries for several reasons. Getting trolled online or during a conversation, for commenting on an occurrence back home is becoming more common by the day. With this podcast, I question this hostility towards people going and exploring opportunities in different countries and why we cannot be united as a country on basic logical...
8m Jan 16, 2018
8m
S1 Ep8: Home Sweet Home
Those trips back to our home countries are not only a sensory overload but they are an overload for our tastebuds and for our heart and soul. In this episode of culture chaos, I reminisce about those annual trips back home, the feeling of hearing the honking horns and breathing the air of our homes. I share my experiences about times spent with family and the royal treatment given to us by our ...
10m Jan 09, 2018
10m
S1 Ep7: That Christmas Holiday Experience
As immigrants and expats, the experience of spending the first holiday season in a new country, especially in the west can be overwhelming in many ways. In this podcast episode, I describe my journey with the holiday season, with my first Christmas and how it is now one my favorite times of the year. This episode is also a special Thank you to my listeners who have requested to me to share some...
9m Dec 30, 2017
9m
S1 Ep6: Indian Obsession with English Language
In countries outside India, english is not really a high browed snobbery as it is at home. I find the obsession of us Indians with english language and accents stupid and in this episode, I am trying to talk about the pointlessness of this obsession. In polishing the spoken language and trying hard to replicate accents, we are slowly losing out on the core of communication and also on the herit...
10m Dec 22, 2017
10m
S1 Ep5: Bound by a Visa
Visa is often a major reason for concern for someone who moves to another country. The nature of this visa stamp is such that we cannot travel as we want. We are often bound to the timelines and the long waiting lists that these visas have. In awaiting these documentations, we are often tied from making trips back to our home countries and these restrictions can get really life altering for som...
10m Dec 15, 2017
10m
S1 Ep4: Food and our Identities
Being a foodie, I rediscovered my love for Indian cuisine after I moved out of my home town. Homesickness and confusions associated with adapting to a new culture made me realize how essential those familiar flavours and aromas from my Indian kitchen were, to my sense of being. In this episode, I talk about my journey with food and try to reach out to some misconceptions about immigrants and th...
11m Dec 08, 2017
11m
S1 Ep3: Social Media & Our Lives
Social Media, some say has made the world smaller, reduced distances and connected people over large geographical locations and timezones. I love it for the access it gives me and and the possibility of keeping in touch with my friends and family who are all living in different parts of the world. But has social media taken up more space in our lives than we can control?
10m Dec 01, 2017
10m
S1 Ep2: Arranged marriage is not Scary!
Arranged marriage is often shrugged off as an ancient and backward practice which intimidates a lot of people. In this podcast, I talk about my marriage which started as an arranged marriage and what it means to me. Check out this podcast about why I don't find arranged marriages scary! Music: Courtesy of Indian Diplomacy Channel video Bismillah and Benaras via Youtube.
9m Nov 25, 2017
9m
S1 Ep1: Impressions of Media
Impressions in media is the first podcast from my podcast series called Culture Chaos. In this episode, I talk about my experiences of reality of life in the US vs the impression bollywood had created in my mind. I also question some of the sterotypes hollywood and bollywood both are used to working with.
8m Nov 09, 2017
8m