April 4, 2025 • 6 mins
Click here to text me your thoughts about the show!
Rohit shares his journey of identity, humour, and self-discovery—from realizing he had an accent to finding a renewed sense of purpose in Canada. We touch on the unexpected lessons that come from cultural shifts, the spirit of service sparked abroad, and lighthearted reflections on lions, teleportation, and public transit etiquette. Through it all, Rohit speaks straight from the heart, reminding us of the power of embracing change while staying rooted.
Follow the host and the podcast on Social Media channels below:
- My Thick Accent on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mythickaccent/
- My Thick Accent on Threads - https://www.threads.net/@mythickaccent?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- MyThickAccent.com - https://www.mythickaccent.com/
- Gurasis's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamgurasis/
- Gurasis's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamgurasis/
__________________________________________
To contact Rohit:
- Rohit's LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit04dhawan?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3B9WJIx8QpSlC1c9CHHOBuLA%3D%3D
- Rohit's Topmate | https://topmate.io/rohit_dhawan10
Want to share your story? Or know someone I should invite next on the show? DM us or write to us at Hello@mythickaccent.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Gurasis (00:02):
so now we're in the final segment of the podcast.
I call it beneath the accent.
I'm going to ask a couple ofquestions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence, or how several
you feel like.
The idea is just know a littlebit more about you.
So the first question is whatadvice would you give to your
younger self, and at what age?
Rohit (00:21):
yeah.
So I will say try as manydifferent things as you can
before deciding on what yourprofession will look like or
what your option will look like.
I will like to give this adviceto myself at around between 15
to 18 years.
Gurasis (00:38):
Okay, and what would you like to say to your
60-year-old self?
Rohit (00:42):
I hope by the time I get there I've made at least
difference in somebody's life tobe more meaningful.
Gurasis (00:49):
Tell me about a moment when you experienced a
significant cultural differencethat surprised you.
Rohit (00:55):
Has to be.
When I went to Pune fromChandigarh, I actually felt the
bout of freedom for the firsttime in life, right.
And when I said freedom, itmeans freedom to make your own
financial decisions, freedom tomake your own clothing decisions
, fooding decision, where youstay, how out you stay out of
the hostel.
(01:16):
So a lot of freedom and which Ithink really helped me shape my
future.
Gurasis (01:21):
Do you have any funny stories related to your
misunderstanding around theaccent or English?
Rohit (01:27):
Yeah, you know what?
It's funny that you asked that?
Because when we are growing upin India, right For us the word
accent usually means people witha Western accent, right.
So when I was growing up,accent for me meant anybody
(01:49):
speaking in a pretty accent froma North American side of the
world.
That was accent for me when Igot my first job and I was just
sitting with a few friend ofmine for a lunch and somebody
said Rohit, I really like youraccent and I was like do?
I have an accent.
So that was my first awakeningof yes, I do have an accent okay
(02:16):
, we all have that accent,absolutely.
Gurasis (02:19):
Um, what's your favorite cultural festival or
celebration in canada and how doyou celebrate it?
Rohit (02:26):
ah, I have to default it to christmas, right?
Uh, because I do like thefestivities around it, right?
And that's also usually thetime when my wife and I give
ourselves the guilt pass to skipon our healthy eating routine,
to eat into anything andeverything that we want.
So I would say that's prettyinteresting.
Gurasis (02:47):
What's something that you ate for the first time in
Canada.
Rohit (02:51):
From a Canadian perspective, I was very tempted
to try what we call poutine,right?
Yeah, so that's the first.
Gurasis (03:03):
And did you like it.
I've had better version offries would say so, so yeah okay
, if you had to describeyourself as any creature, what
would it be and why?
Rohit (03:18):
it's a weird one, but I would say, uh, a lion okay and
why at times I just like to justwatch around and act like the
king, knowing all doing all sortof things right.
So that's my way to spoilmyself.
Gurasis (03:35):
Okay, if you could have one superpower, what would it
be?
Rohit (03:39):
My superpower would be if I can just teleport myself to
any place.
I'm a big fan of exploringdifferent destinations.
I absolutely do not liketraveling, but I still love
going to a lot of differentplaces, so teleporting to the
places I like would be nice.
Gurasis (03:57):
If you could create this one law that everybody has
to follow, what would it be?
Rohit (04:02):
Probably one thing that really annoys me don't shout in
public places so like whenyou're in transit.
That should be a law.
When you're in transit, so likewhen you're in transit, that
should be a law.
When you're in transit, likewhen you're transit, people like
speaking on phones really,really loudly.
That annoys me.
Gurasis (04:18):
Yeah, I experienced that just a few days ago.
So yeah, I can understand.
So describe Canada in one wordor a sentence.
Rohit (04:28):
Canada right now is home, away from home.
I think I'm very, very lucky Ichose this decision and this
country sort of accepted me.
I get to enjoy this country.
In a way, I also like itbecause at times I think the
type of outreach that I'm tryingto do in terms of reaching out
to my community, helping people,I am not sure if I would be
(04:52):
doing the same thing if I wasback home.
So I'm really glad to Canadafor helping me ignite that
spirit.
Gurasis (04:59):
If, rohit, you could leave me with one piece of
advice, what would it be?
Rohit (05:02):
Keep doing what you're doing.
I think you have such anamazing message in this podcast
on how to overcome barriers andmake something so much
meaningful that impacts people.
This is amazing and soinspiring.
So just keep doing what you'redoing.
Gurasis (05:24):
Thank you, thank you for that and, finally, how would
you describe your experience ofbeing on this podcast?
Rohit (05:31):
for that.
And finally, how would youdescribe your experience of
being on this podcast?
I just love it.
I think the element that I lovethe most is the free flow
conversation right, and, as yousaid, we went pretty unfiltered,
I think I I felt really, reallyat peace, sharing what I felt
from my heart, and I did nothave to think twice to either
wordsmith what I was seeing.
(05:52):
Whatever you heard was rightfrom the heart, through my
feelings.
So thanks for giving thatenvironment yeah, no, no, thank
you.
Gurasis (06:02):
Thank you for saying that.
I appreciate that.
I'm very, very glad to hearthat and very glad to have you
thank.
Thank you so much, rohit, forbeing on the podcast and adding
value to my listeners.
Thanks a lot.
Rohit (06:13):
Thank you for having me.
I'm truly humbled for theopportunity.
so now we're in the final segment of the podcast.
I call it beneath the accent.
I'm going to ask a couple ofquestions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence, or how several
you feel like.
The idea is just know a littlebit more about you.
So the first question is whatadvice would you give to your
younger self, and at what age?
Rohit (00:21):
yeah.
So I will say try as manydifferent things as you can
before deciding on what yourprofession will look like or
what your option will look like.
I will like to give this adviceto myself at around between 15
to 18 years.
Gurasis (00:38):
Okay, and what would you like to say to your
60-year-old self?
Rohit (00:42):
I hope by the time I get there I've made at least
difference in somebody's life tobe more meaningful.
Gurasis (00:49):
Tell me about a moment when you experienced a
significant cultural differencethat surprised you.
Rohit (00:55):
Has to be.
When I went to Pune fromChandigarh, I actually felt the
bout of freedom for the firsttime in life, right.
And when I said freedom, itmeans freedom to make your own
financial decisions, freedom tomake your own clothing decisions
, fooding decision, where youstay, how out you stay out of
the hostel.
(01:16):
So a lot of freedom and which Ithink really helped me shape my
future.
Gurasis (01:21):
Do you have any funny stories related to your
misunderstanding around theaccent or English?
Rohit (01:27):
Yeah, you know what?
It's funny that you asked that?
Because when we are growing upin India, right For us the word
accent usually means people witha Western accent, right.
So when I was growing up,accent for me meant anybody
(01:49):
speaking in a pretty accent froma North American side of the
world.
That was accent for me when Igot my first job and I was just
sitting with a few friend ofmine for a lunch and somebody
said Rohit, I really like youraccent and I was like do?
I have an accent.
So that was my first awakeningof yes, I do have an accent okay
(02:16):
, we all have that accent,absolutely.
Gurasis (02:19):
Um, what's your favorite cultural festival or
celebration in canada and how doyou celebrate it?
Rohit (02:26):
ah, I have to default it to christmas, right?
Uh, because I do like thefestivities around it, right?
And that's also usually thetime when my wife and I give
ourselves the guilt pass to skipon our healthy eating routine,
to eat into anything andeverything that we want.
So I would say that's prettyinteresting.
Gurasis (02:47):
What's something that you ate for the first time in
Canada.
Rohit (02:51):
From a Canadian perspective, I was very tempted
to try what we call poutine,right?
Yeah, so that's the first.
Gurasis (03:03):
And did you like it.
I've had better version offries would say so, so yeah okay
, if you had to describeyourself as any creature, what
would it be and why?
Rohit (03:18):
it's a weird one, but I would say, uh, a lion okay and
why at times I just like to justwatch around and act like the
king, knowing all doing all sortof things right.
So that's my way to spoilmyself.
Gurasis (03:35):
Okay, if you could have one superpower, what would it
be?
Rohit (03:39):
My superpower would be if I can just teleport myself to
any place.
I'm a big fan of exploringdifferent destinations.
I absolutely do not liketraveling, but I still love
going to a lot of differentplaces, so teleporting to the
places I like would be nice.
Gurasis (03:57):
If you could create this one law that everybody has
to follow, what would it be?
Rohit (04:02):
Probably one thing that really annoys me don't shout in
public places so like whenyou're in transit.
That should be a law.
When you're in transit, so likewhen you're in transit, that
should be a law.
When you're in transit, likewhen you're transit, people like
speaking on phones really,really loudly.
That annoys me.
Gurasis (04:18):
Yeah, I experienced that just a few days ago.
So yeah, I can understand.
So describe Canada in one wordor a sentence.
Rohit (04:28):
Canada right now is home, away from home.
I think I'm very, very lucky Ichose this decision and this
country sort of accepted me.
I get to enjoy this country.
In a way, I also like itbecause at times I think the
type of outreach that I'm tryingto do in terms of reaching out
to my community, helping people,I am not sure if I would be
(04:52):
doing the same thing if I wasback home.
So I'm really glad to Canadafor helping me ignite that
spirit.
Gurasis (04:59):
If, rohit, you could leave me with one piece of
advice, what would it be?
Rohit (05:02):
Keep doing what you're doing.
I think you have such anamazing message in this podcast
on how to overcome barriers andmake something so much
meaningful that impacts people.
This is amazing and soinspiring.
So just keep doing what you'redoing.
Gurasis (05:24):
Thank you, thank you for that and, finally, how would
you describe your experience ofbeing on this podcast?
Rohit (05:31):
for that.
And finally, how would youdescribe your experience of
being on this podcast?
I just love it.
I think the element that I lovethe most is the free flow
conversation right, and, as yousaid, we went pretty unfiltered,
I think I I felt really, reallyat peace, sharing what I felt
from my heart, and I did nothave to think twice to either
wordsmith what I was seeing.
(05:52):
Whatever you heard was rightfrom the heart, through my
feelings.
So thanks for giving thatenvironment yeah, no, no, thank
you.
Gurasis (06:02):
Thank you for saying that.
I appreciate that.
I'm very, very glad to hearthat and very glad to have you
thank.
Thank you so much, rohit, forbeing on the podcast and adding
value to my listeners.
Thanks a lot.
Rohit (06:13):
Thank you for having me.
I'm truly humbled for theopportunity.
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.