February 11, 2025 • 23 mins
Click here to text me your thoughts about the show!
What happens when a simple comment on an accent becomes the catalyst for a podcast that captures the essence of the immigrant journey? Join us as we unravel this story and more in our latest episode of "My Thick Accent."
Through candid conversations, we shed light on the trials and triumphs of international students and immigrants, exploring the crucial role of self-confidence and resilience. Discover what fuels our mission to give voice to diverse experiences and how an offhand remark led to a vibrant platform celebrating identity and culture. Our "Know Your Host" segment provides deeper insight into the values driving our storytelling, as we share personal anecdotes and the philosophy that makes a podcast guest truly memorable.
Our guest, Sindhu, takes us on a heartfelt exploration of the immigrant experience in Canada, sharing cultural reflections and memorable firsts. From navigating the conservative Canadian banking system to savouring homemade dosas and delighting in poutine, they offer a unique perspective enriched with humour and warmth. We discuss the importance of community and the strength found in friendship, all while celebrating the lighter moments that bring joy amidst challenges. As we reflect on the podcast's evolving journey, we express gratitude for the diversity of voices that have contributed to our success, ensuring our listeners leave inspired by the power of storytelling.
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 Sindhu:
- Sindhu's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sindhu-mahadevan/
- Sindhu's Newsletter - https://open.substack.com/pub/sindhum?r=1tgb3n&utm_medium=ios
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.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
okay, so now, before we get into the final segment, I
have included this new segmentin this season.
I called it know your host,where I give my guests an
opportunity to ask me anyquestions you might have.
So go for it oh, I love that.
I want to know what you thinkmakes a good podcast guest, for
(00:24):
your podcast specifically, youknow one thing I have said since
I started this podcast that forme, there is no perfect guest
and there is, like, no perfectstory.
I feel like every story isunique to themselves and there
is always something or the otherthing that you can learn from
everybody.
I know I remember in thebeginning of my journey uh,
(00:46):
fortunately, some people whoreached out to me wanted to be
part of the podcast and comethere as a guest.
They have asked me that uh, wehope that you consider us, and
I've told them.
They said we don't know,there's something extraordinary
about my story that you'd liketo highlight, and I've told them
the same thing every story isextraordinary in their own way
(01:07):
and I am nobody to define thatyour story is perfect or you are
a perfect guest for me.
No, because, for example, if youhave a certain lesson or you
have, like, a certain experience, maybe it might not be
beneficial to me or it might notrelate with me, but I'm sure
there is somebody.
You know the people I'm sayingmillions, let's just say I'm
(01:30):
manifesting that, the millionsof people who are listening to
this podcast.
It there might be like oneperson who might resonate with
that and might learn from it.
So I think short answer to yourquestion is for me, no.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Every story is unique in it themselves and there is
no perfect answer to it you know, when you reached out to me, I
was very curious about how yougot to create this podcast.
Every podcast has a story,right?
There's a reason people do thismuch work to put out these
(02:05):
kinds of stories.
What was the story behind mythick accent?
Speaker 1 (02:11):
well, you know one thing which I have mentioned a
couple of times on the podcastalso I was working in this
market research company and Iwas interviewing somebody over
the phone and this man inbetween the conversation said
that oh my god, you have such athick Indian accent.
And to which I replied sir, youalso have a thick Canadian
accent.
So for some reason that, justbecause you know that's what we
(02:37):
have, it was just one of thosedays I'm not in my element, I'm
just tired, I'm hungry and youknow.
And when he said that to me, Isaid, sir, you also have a thick
canadian accent, and he justgiggled, just like you, and he
hung up.
So for some reason, that namejust stayed with me.
Not that I wanted to start apodcast, but you know, a few
months after that, I was startedspeaking to people on the phone
(02:59):
who were international students, the people basically
interviewing people on behalf ofthe ontario's ministry of
education, the people who haverecently graduated.
We're speaking to them andeverybody's and I think
everybody I was speaking to Iwas a 90 percent of them was at
least cribbing about theirprogram and not being able to
find a job, and I was actuallyin similar situation at that
(03:22):
time.
That's why I was doing thatcall center job, because I had
nothing else to do and I was notgetting any response from
anybody.
So at one point I was like, ok,these guys need help, and so do
I.
So instead of, like me,reinventing the wheel, let's
just collaborate with thisincredible people just like
yourself who are ready to lend ahelping hand to individuals and
(03:45):
, like you said, you know, reachout to people or talk to your
future self.
Exactly I.
I also wanted at some point,somebody like me who would have
these conversations, have thiskind of podcast from which I can
learn, because there wasnothing like this when I came to
canada five years ago.
So maybe I'm creating this formy past gurus, somebody in the
(04:08):
future, the new people who arecoming to Canada.
I just want to lend a helpinghand if they can listen to these
stories and feel that, hey, weare not alone in this.
If your experience is notvalidated, you are not alone.
If you're not getting aresponse from anybody, you are
not alone.
And if they question your alone, and if they question your
identity, or if they questionyour accent, or if they question
(04:28):
that why is english so good,you are not alone it.
We all have been through that.
And if he or she can reallydodge that and tackle that and
have the blinders towards allthese discrimination and hate
comments, you can too.
So that's why my whole purposeis to tell people that, hey, if
he or she can do it, you can doit as well.
(04:48):
All knowledge, just a littlebit of time, a little bit of
consistency and patience, forsure, yeah amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I I really like, uh, that, that rebuttal that you had
the presence of mind to give.
I think a lot of people whenthey hear that they feel so
defensive, you know, theysuddenly become very, they seize
up, they feel like they're notputting their best foot forward
and it can make you verydefensive.
And you know, one of theinteresting things that I've
(05:18):
seen I don't know if you'venoticed this and I'd be curious
to see what your experience hasbeen For us people in our
generation growing up, when wewere told that we didn't speak
great English or something likethat, we were defensive.
But I think the generation nowis not like that.
(05:39):
There are a lot more no, no,we're not going to hear that
from you and by you.
They're a lot more no, no,we're not going to hear that
from you.
And and by you.
They're not as um, asworshiping of the west as as we,
I think, were.
We looked at them with so muchawe not worshiping, but awe um
and now it's not like that asmuch anymore.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
There's more self-confidence in in that
generation of today than we hadat their age yeah, I think that
I think one reason of that couldalso be the exposure and the
right examples, because backthen we would have like limited
examples that we see on thetelevision, for example, you
know, maybe in the films andmovies.
But I think now, because ofsocial media, you find a lot of
(06:25):
uh familiar, uh people and a lotof like familiar, uh people
with like familiar thoughts andidentity, so to say, and you
relate to that a little bit ofmore and you then you feel that,
okay, I'm not alone into thisand there's nothing wrong with
me if I speak this way or Idress this way or I act this way
.
There's nothing wrong with me.
So I think that's why they havemore confidence in themselves.
(06:47):
I would say maybe that could bethe reason.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah yeah, it's a very interesting point.
I do notice this, uh, when Itravel back uh home these days
that, yeah, their their attitudetowards um speaking English, or
their personal confidence hashas increased, which is which is
interesting, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
This is very enjoyable.
Thank you, any, any otherquestion you have.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Um, I have lots of questions.
You shouldn't do this to me.
I will ask you lots ofquestions, just one more, just
one more is allowed.
Just one more what has beenyour experience living in
Montreal, the immigrantexperience living in Montreal
specifically?
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Okay, well, definitely.
I think initially it was hardbecause everything is in French.
But the good thing is, peoplewithin the city are pretty much
bilingual.
It's just that to accesscertain uh, governmental
institutions it's very hard togo, but go through the system
(07:52):
because usually it's in frenchand also because of the new
policies that they are coming up, that has made things a little
bit of a little bit hard.
But I would say by now, sinceit's been like five, six years,
I have got used to certainthings.
For example, I know the, therestaurants I'm gonna go to,
because even the menus are inFrench, right, most of them.
(08:13):
I know that, what I want, Ihave my go-to order and
everything.
But as an an immigrant, I wouldsay, yes, definitely.
You have like less familiarfaces.
Like comparing it to Toronto,for example, I recently visited
Toronto and I had this oneexperience and somebody was
asking me how are you feeling inToronto?
And I told them there is somesort of warmth within the city
(08:37):
and that's solely because of thepresence of our community and
by that I mean the indian,punjabi community as well
particularly and and just beinghaving that ability to go to
these certain networking eventsand interacting with these
people.
I really feel I wish I wouldhave had that maybe four years
ago.
Or I wish the people who arecurrently in Montreal
(09:00):
international students inMontreal they would have had
that.
That is something that wasmissing throughout my five, six
years, and because of that Ihave not been able to have
enough Indian friends.
Also, I just connected morewith my local people or the
other the immigrant and otherimmigrants who just immigrated
to montreal.
So, yeah, I would say, but allin all, it's been a learning
(09:23):
experience.
I am actually glad also I cameto this part of canada because
this, this city, is beautiful.
Uh, there's a lot of umdiversity in its own self, uh,
which is which also kind ofgives you a different
perspective of things which youmight not see in Toronto.
I would say.
So, yeah, all in all, I wouldsay it's a very enriching
(09:45):
experience.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Yeah fascinating, fascinating, I really.
I'm very interested in learningabout the experience of people
who came to Canada and, you know, settled only here, because a
lot of the people that I knowwere in the US and people in the
US talk a lot about theirimmigrant experience because of
(10:09):
everything that they go through.
In fact, there's this, there'sthis trajectory.
Every party, it goes exactlythe same.
You meet, you talk about notimmigration related topics to
distract yourself, then you eatand then you talk about how your
visa situation is going andthen it goes downhill from there
.
Then it ends up in how how itall sucks.
(10:33):
That's the trajectory of everyimmigrant gathering in the US.
If you've been there for morethan about six to eight years,
there's a flow, right, but herein Canada, I find that's not as
much the case.
I think up until now, at least,the PR journey has not been
(10:54):
terrible.
It's getting harder, of course,but yeah, it's getting harder
of course, uh, but yeah, it's.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
It's certainly uh different.
Now, since we are in the finalsegment of the podcast I call it
beneath the accent because weare knowing each other beneath
the accent I'm gonna ask acouple of questions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence or howsoever you
feel like.
The idea is just to know moreabout you, so ready.
So first the classic questionwhat advice would you give to
(11:24):
Sindhu, who is in the initialmonths of landing in Canada?
Speaker 2 (11:28):
It is going to take longer than you think to find
your feet here, but it's okay,you'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Okay, and what advice would you give to your younger
self, and at what age?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
nothing.
I think it's fine.
Young people should just dotheir thing I like that.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Okay, describe a moment when you experienced a
significant cultural differencethat surprised you, whether in
the US or in Canada.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
I think I was surprised at how bad Canadians
are at salesmanship okay,compared to the Americans, oh,
okay really terrible in a funnyway okay.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Do you have any instance to share?
Speaker 2 (12:17):
yeah, like, for example, the banking industry.
They act like your mom, likeyou can't have a credit card
more than $5,000 when you arrive, because what if you can't pay
it In the US?
It's like here, go, and if youcan't pay it, we'll catch you
with 23% interest later.
It's a much more risk takingeconomy in the US compared to
(12:40):
Canada.
Canada is very conservative andcareful and there's a lot of
guardrails right.
The US is a lot freer.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Okay, very interesting.
Okay, what's this one dish fromyour home country that always
brings you comfort and nostalgia?
Dosas, homemade.
Okay, what's this one dish fromyour home country that always
brings you?
Comfort and nostalgia Dosa,homemade.
Okay, do you have any funnystory related to
misunderstanding around theaccent or the English?
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Yeah, so I once had a question about my taxes in the
US.
I once had a question about mytaxes in the US and I called the
IRS hotline for it, and thisperson on the other side had
this strange accent I can't evenplace what accent that was and
(13:33):
I was baffled that they wouldchoose somebody with an
unintelligible accent to talkabout a topic that is difficult
to understand even in the mostyou know understandable accent.
And after he and I, I think hecouldn't understand what I was
saying either.
After going a little bit backand forth, we just hung up like,
okay, this is not working, sookay what's your favorite
(14:05):
cultural festival or celebrationin canada and how do you
usually celebrate it?
do you mean a canadian eventexactly?
Honestly, I haven't partaken ina lot of canadian events yet.
I want to, but I've notactually had the chance.
The thing I want to do is go toottawa on the first of july, on
(14:27):
canada day.
I've heard it's veryinteresting and lively, so I do
want to do that okay,interesting.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Another festival I've always heard about people
talking is on the podcast isThanksgiving.
They said that is somethingthat they have adopted and they
have really celebrated in theirfamily.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Oh, how nice.
That's a good idea.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Share a quick tip for fellow immigrants trying to
adjust in a new country reallyopen up.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
You chose to come here because you wanted exposure
.
You wanted to be in a countrythat is not your own.
Embrace it.
If you wanted to live exactlylike how you lived there, you
could have done it there formuch lower rent and, absolutely,
you know, with a lot of helpraising your children and doing
your dishes and your clothes andeverything.
So please embrace life beyondjust what you would have lived
(15:24):
in your country yeah, definitely, definitely the best advice.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Okay, tell us about your first friend that you made
in Canada and how did you meetthem?
Speaker 2 (15:35):
this is an interesting story.
So, um, I met them through ameetup and they have a very
retiring personality.
He's very self-conscious, veryquiet, but when you talk to them
they really open up once theyknow you.
And then we decided togetherboth of us enjoy writing.
(15:55):
So we joined another meetupwhich was a writer's, you know,
kind of collective.
You get together on certainnights of the week and and write
um and gradually I got to knowthem well and it was incredible
that through a meetup you couldhave a relationship that is
(16:16):
actually meaningful and andinteresting and deep.
So that was my first realfriendship in Canada.
Should a moment when being animmigrant made you feel
exceptionally proud oraccomplished, I think there was
this colleague that I had, andthis was at a time where
(16:38):
immigration was difficult.
I was still working, In fact theworst was yet to come but I
didn't know at that time and shewas quite close to me, so I
used to share a lot with her.
And she once said you shouldreally write a book about all
these experiences.
And I said oh my God, you don'tknow how common this is.
(16:59):
There's nothing remotelyremarkable about what I'm
telling you, it's just thatmaybe nobody else has told you
this is so common.
And she said well, not to meand not to so many Americans, I
don't think you realize howexceptional it is what you folks
go through and how youpersevere through it.
(17:20):
And in that moment I think Ilooked at everything that we
experienced through Americaneyes and through native eyes,
and I was really proud in thatmoment for the journey that so
many of us undertake, and wenormalize it to an extent that
(17:40):
we find it utterly unremarkable,but it is remarkable?
Speaker 1 (17:45):
yeah, absolutely, indeed it is, and that's why
this podcast exists to celebratethese stories.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah, totally it's.
We should remind ourselves tocelebrate it once in a while
yeah, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Is this something that you ate for the first time
in canada?
Speaker 2 (18:05):
poutine and I did not like it you're not the only one
.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Many people say that I think it's just.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Yeah, maybe it's not for me okay.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
If you had to describe yourself as any animal
or any creature, what would itbe and why?
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Oh, definitely a dog.
I have a hundred percent dogpersonality.
I think, okay, I think I'm veryattuned to the people that are
immediately around me.
It impacts me a lot if they'renot doing well and, yeah, very
much a dog personality.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Okay, if you could have any superpower, what would
it be?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Wow, that's a great question.
I haven't thought about it.
There are so many low-hangingfruit just everywhere across the
world in government policy.
This has to be the most boringanswer any of your guests have
given you.
I I realize that I would fixthose just really low-hanging
(19:10):
fruit.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
That would make so many lives better well, it might
be boring, but it'd be very,very beneficial yes so please go
for it yes, let's do it if youhad to create this one law that
everybody has to follow, whatwould it be?
Speaker 2 (19:26):
just not getting too offended by everything all the
time.
You have got to understand andgive space for other people to
express themselves.
There is a loss when people arethinking too hard about what
(19:46):
they're saying.
Not online.
I'm not suggesting thateverybody should just say
hateful, terrible things, butthere are certain niche ideas
that may sound wacky but I thinkthey should be expressed,
because a lot of ideas beforetheir time sound just bananas,
but they there should still beroom for it to be expressed.
(20:10):
Yeah, absolutely.
I love that to describe.
I love that it is so hard todefine what it is to be a
(20:31):
Canadian and what is Canada likeculturally.
It's so fuzzy and thatfuzziness, I think, is what
makes it uniquely inclusive.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Wow, I love that.
You know, it's amazing how,every time, I get such a
mind-boggling answer every time,because this is, if you really
think about it, it's true whatyou said, it's so true.
And somebody who said on thepodcast that it's like a quilt
with different patches on it andeach patch defines a certain
(21:05):
culture that they bring alongwith it.
That's also mind-boggling inits own way.
So I'm just always amazed howguests come up with their own
eye, with their own, you know,whatever they have witnessed
throughout their journey and howthey define it.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
So I love that it's a very nice question.
It's a very nice question.
I'm sure a lot of thought wentinto it.
It's a very nice question.
It's a very nice question.
I'm sure a lot of thought wentinto it.
It's a very nice question.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
So, finally, if you could leave me with one piece of
advice, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I think you put so much thought into the structure
of your podcast and everything.
Honestly, I was reallysurprised at how much background
work you're done.
Reading through the sub stackand the article and everything
you're done, reading through thesub stack and the article and
everything, honestly I can'tthink of anything.
The only thing that I would sayto anybody hosting a podcast is
(21:52):
to make it as free, flowing aspossible while still following a
structure.
It's very tricky to do right.
Where digressions are yourfriend, embrace digressions,
it's.
That's where the realconversation is okay, perfect.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Thank you for your kind words.
So, finally, how would youdescribe your experience of
being on the podcast?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
then we first spoke just to get to know one another.
I really enjoyed theperspective that you shared of
why you wanted these stories tobe told and just the idea that
you wanted a diversity of voices.
I saw a lot of overlap betweenthe way we thought about these
things and the podcast hastotally over delivered on on
(22:38):
that.
I really enjoyed it.
The fun elements are reallyenjoyable, so great idea with
doing that in in season two andI'm very fortunate to have been
part of this season.
Really enjoyed the the funparts, uh for sure perfect,
awesome.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Very glad to hear that.
So, on that note, thank you.
Thank you for being on thepodcast and adding value to my
listeners.
Thank you, thank you.
okay, so now, before we get into the final segment, I
have included this new segmentin this season.
I called it know your host,where I give my guests an
opportunity to ask me anyquestions you might have.
So go for it oh, I love that.
I want to know what you thinkmakes a good podcast guest, for
(00:24):
your podcast specifically, youknow one thing I have said since
I started this podcast that forme, there is no perfect guest
and there is, like, no perfectstory.
I feel like every story isunique to themselves and there
is always something or the otherthing that you can learn from
everybody.
I know I remember in thebeginning of my journey uh,
(00:46):
fortunately, some people whoreached out to me wanted to be
part of the podcast and comethere as a guest.
They have asked me that uh, wehope that you consider us, and
I've told them.
They said we don't know,there's something extraordinary
about my story that you'd liketo highlight, and I've told them
the same thing every story isextraordinary in their own way
(01:07):
and I am nobody to define thatyour story is perfect or you are
a perfect guest for me.
No, because, for example, if youhave a certain lesson or you
have, like, a certain experience, maybe it might not be
beneficial to me or it might notrelate with me, but I'm sure
there is somebody.
You know the people I'm sayingmillions, let's just say I'm
(01:30):
manifesting that, the millionsof people who are listening to
this podcast.
It there might be like oneperson who might resonate with
that and might learn from it.
So I think short answer to yourquestion is for me, no.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Every story is unique in it themselves and there is
no perfect answer to it you know, when you reached out to me, I
was very curious about how yougot to create this podcast.
Every podcast has a story,right?
There's a reason people do thismuch work to put out these
(02:05):
kinds of stories.
What was the story behind mythick accent?
Speaker 1 (02:11):
well, you know one thing which I have mentioned a
couple of times on the podcastalso I was working in this
market research company and Iwas interviewing somebody over
the phone and this man inbetween the conversation said
that oh my god, you have such athick Indian accent.
And to which I replied sir, youalso have a thick Canadian
accent.
So for some reason that, justbecause you know that's what we
(02:37):
have, it was just one of thosedays I'm not in my element, I'm
just tired, I'm hungry and youknow.
And when he said that to me, Isaid, sir, you also have a thick
canadian accent, and he justgiggled, just like you, and he
hung up.
So for some reason, that namejust stayed with me.
Not that I wanted to start apodcast, but you know, a few
months after that, I was startedspeaking to people on the phone
(02:59):
who were international students, the people basically
interviewing people on behalf ofthe ontario's ministry of
education, the people who haverecently graduated.
We're speaking to them andeverybody's and I think
everybody I was speaking to Iwas a 90 percent of them was at
least cribbing about theirprogram and not being able to
find a job, and I was actuallyin similar situation at that
(03:22):
time.
That's why I was doing thatcall center job, because I had
nothing else to do and I was notgetting any response from
anybody.
So at one point I was like, ok,these guys need help, and so do
I.
So instead of, like me,reinventing the wheel, let's
just collaborate with thisincredible people just like
yourself who are ready to lend ahelping hand to individuals and
(03:45):
, like you said, you know, reachout to people or talk to your
future self.
Exactly I.
I also wanted at some point,somebody like me who would have
these conversations, have thiskind of podcast from which I can
learn, because there wasnothing like this when I came to
canada five years ago.
So maybe I'm creating this formy past gurus, somebody in the
(04:08):
future, the new people who arecoming to Canada.
I just want to lend a helpinghand if they can listen to these
stories and feel that, hey, weare not alone in this.
If your experience is notvalidated, you are not alone.
If you're not getting aresponse from anybody, you are
not alone.
And if they question your alone, and if they question your
identity, or if they questionyour accent, or if they question
(04:28):
that why is english so good,you are not alone it.
We all have been through that.
And if he or she can reallydodge that and tackle that and
have the blinders towards allthese discrimination and hate
comments, you can too.
So that's why my whole purposeis to tell people that, hey, if
he or she can do it, you can doit as well.
(04:48):
All knowledge, just a littlebit of time, a little bit of
consistency and patience, forsure, yeah amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I I really like, uh, that, that rebuttal that you had
the presence of mind to give.
I think a lot of people whenthey hear that they feel so
defensive, you know, theysuddenly become very, they seize
up, they feel like they're notputting their best foot forward
and it can make you verydefensive.
And you know, one of theinteresting things that I've
(05:18):
seen I don't know if you'venoticed this and I'd be curious
to see what your experience hasbeen For us people in our
generation growing up, when wewere told that we didn't speak
great English or something likethat, we were defensive.
But I think the generation nowis not like that.
(05:39):
There are a lot more no, no,we're not going to hear that
from you and by you.
They're a lot more no, no,we're not going to hear that
from you.
And and by you.
They're not as um, asworshiping of the west as as we,
I think, were.
We looked at them with so muchawe not worshiping, but awe um
and now it's not like that asmuch anymore.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
There's more self-confidence in in that
generation of today than we hadat their age yeah, I think that
I think one reason of that couldalso be the exposure and the
right examples, because backthen we would have like limited
examples that we see on thetelevision, for example, you
know, maybe in the films andmovies.
But I think now, because ofsocial media, you find a lot of
(06:25):
uh familiar, uh people and a lotof like familiar, uh people
with like familiar thoughts andidentity, so to say, and you
relate to that a little bit ofmore and you then you feel that,
okay, I'm not alone into thisand there's nothing wrong with
me if I speak this way or Idress this way or I act this way
.
There's nothing wrong with me.
So I think that's why they havemore confidence in themselves.
(06:47):
I would say maybe that could bethe reason.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah yeah, it's a very interesting point.
I do notice this, uh, when Itravel back uh home these days
that, yeah, their their attitudetowards um speaking English, or
their personal confidence hashas increased, which is which is
interesting, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
This is very enjoyable.
Thank you, any, any otherquestion you have.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Um, I have lots of questions.
You shouldn't do this to me.
I will ask you lots ofquestions, just one more, just
one more is allowed.
Just one more what has beenyour experience living in
Montreal, the immigrantexperience living in Montreal
specifically?
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Okay, well, definitely.
I think initially it was hardbecause everything is in French.
But the good thing is, peoplewithin the city are pretty much
bilingual.
It's just that to accesscertain uh, governmental
institutions it's very hard togo, but go through the system
(07:52):
because usually it's in frenchand also because of the new
policies that they are coming up, that has made things a little
bit of a little bit hard.
But I would say by now, sinceit's been like five, six years,
I have got used to certainthings.
For example, I know the, therestaurants I'm gonna go to,
because even the menus are inFrench, right, most of them.
(08:13):
I know that, what I want, Ihave my go-to order and
everything.
But as an an immigrant, I wouldsay, yes, definitely.
You have like less familiarfaces.
Like comparing it to Toronto,for example, I recently visited
Toronto and I had this oneexperience and somebody was
asking me how are you feeling inToronto?
And I told them there is somesort of warmth within the city
(08:37):
and that's solely because of thepresence of our community and
by that I mean the indian,punjabi community as well
particularly and and just beinghaving that ability to go to
these certain networking eventsand interacting with these
people.
I really feel I wish I wouldhave had that maybe four years
ago.
Or I wish the people who arecurrently in Montreal
(09:00):
international students inMontreal they would have had
that.
That is something that wasmissing throughout my five, six
years, and because of that Ihave not been able to have
enough Indian friends.
Also, I just connected morewith my local people or the
other the immigrant and otherimmigrants who just immigrated
to montreal.
So, yeah, I would say, but allin all, it's been a learning
(09:23):
experience.
I am actually glad also I cameto this part of canada because
this, this city, is beautiful.
Uh, there's a lot of umdiversity in its own self, uh,
which is which also kind ofgives you a different
perspective of things which youmight not see in Toronto.
I would say.
So, yeah, all in all, I wouldsay it's a very enriching
(09:45):
experience.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Yeah fascinating, fascinating, I really.
I'm very interested in learningabout the experience of people
who came to Canada and, you know, settled only here, because a
lot of the people that I knowwere in the US and people in the
US talk a lot about theirimmigrant experience because of
(10:09):
everything that they go through.
In fact, there's this, there'sthis trajectory.
Every party, it goes exactlythe same.
You meet, you talk about notimmigration related topics to
distract yourself, then you eatand then you talk about how your
visa situation is going andthen it goes downhill from there
.
Then it ends up in how how itall sucks.
(10:33):
That's the trajectory of everyimmigrant gathering in the US.
If you've been there for morethan about six to eight years,
there's a flow, right, but herein Canada, I find that's not as
much the case.
I think up until now, at least,the PR journey has not been
(10:54):
terrible.
It's getting harder, of course,but yeah, it's getting harder
of course, uh, but yeah, it's.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
It's certainly uh different.
Now, since we are in the finalsegment of the podcast I call it
beneath the accent because weare knowing each other beneath
the accent I'm gonna ask acouple of questions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence or howsoever you
feel like.
The idea is just to know moreabout you, so ready.
So first the classic questionwhat advice would you give to
(11:24):
Sindhu, who is in the initialmonths of landing in Canada?
Speaker 2 (11:28):
It is going to take longer than you think to find
your feet here, but it's okay,you'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Okay, and what advice would you give to your younger
self, and at what age?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
nothing.
I think it's fine.
Young people should just dotheir thing I like that.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Okay, describe a moment when you experienced a
significant cultural differencethat surprised you, whether in
the US or in Canada.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
I think I was surprised at how bad Canadians
are at salesmanship okay,compared to the Americans, oh,
okay really terrible in a funnyway okay.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Do you have any instance to share?
Speaker 2 (12:17):
yeah, like, for example, the banking industry.
They act like your mom, likeyou can't have a credit card
more than $5,000 when you arrive, because what if you can't pay
it In the US?
It's like here, go, and if youcan't pay it, we'll catch you
with 23% interest later.
It's a much more risk takingeconomy in the US compared to
(12:40):
Canada.
Canada is very conservative andcareful and there's a lot of
guardrails right.
The US is a lot freer.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Okay, very interesting.
Okay, what's this one dish fromyour home country that always
brings you comfort and nostalgia?
Dosas, homemade.
Okay, what's this one dish fromyour home country that always
brings you?
Comfort and nostalgia Dosa,homemade.
Okay, do you have any funnystory related to
misunderstanding around theaccent or the English?
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Yeah, so I once had a question about my taxes in the
US.
I once had a question about mytaxes in the US and I called the
IRS hotline for it, and thisperson on the other side had
this strange accent I can't evenplace what accent that was and
(13:33):
I was baffled that they wouldchoose somebody with an
unintelligible accent to talkabout a topic that is difficult
to understand even in the mostyou know understandable accent.
And after he and I, I think hecouldn't understand what I was
saying either.
After going a little bit backand forth, we just hung up like,
okay, this is not working, sookay what's your favorite
(14:05):
cultural festival or celebrationin canada and how do you
usually celebrate it?
do you mean a canadian eventexactly?
Honestly, I haven't partaken ina lot of canadian events yet.
I want to, but I've notactually had the chance.
The thing I want to do is go toottawa on the first of july, on
(14:27):
canada day.
I've heard it's veryinteresting and lively, so I do
want to do that okay,interesting.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Another festival I've always heard about people
talking is on the podcast isThanksgiving.
They said that is somethingthat they have adopted and they
have really celebrated in theirfamily.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Oh, how nice.
That's a good idea.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Share a quick tip for fellow immigrants trying to
adjust in a new country reallyopen up.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
You chose to come here because you wanted exposure
.
You wanted to be in a countrythat is not your own.
Embrace it.
If you wanted to live exactlylike how you lived there, you
could have done it there formuch lower rent and, absolutely,
you know, with a lot of helpraising your children and doing
your dishes and your clothes andeverything.
So please embrace life beyondjust what you would have lived
(15:24):
in your country yeah, definitely, definitely the best advice.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Okay, tell us about your first friend that you made
in Canada and how did you meetthem?
Speaker 2 (15:35):
this is an interesting story.
So, um, I met them through ameetup and they have a very
retiring personality.
He's very self-conscious, veryquiet, but when you talk to them
they really open up once theyknow you.
And then we decided togetherboth of us enjoy writing.
(15:55):
So we joined another meetupwhich was a writer's, you know,
kind of collective.
You get together on certainnights of the week and and write
um and gradually I got to knowthem well and it was incredible
that through a meetup you couldhave a relationship that is
(16:16):
actually meaningful and andinteresting and deep.
So that was my first realfriendship in Canada.
Should a moment when being animmigrant made you feel
exceptionally proud oraccomplished, I think there was
this colleague that I had, andthis was at a time where
(16:38):
immigration was difficult.
I was still working, In fact theworst was yet to come but I
didn't know at that time and shewas quite close to me, so I
used to share a lot with her.
And she once said you shouldreally write a book about all
these experiences.
And I said oh my God, you don'tknow how common this is.
(16:59):
There's nothing remotelyremarkable about what I'm
telling you, it's just thatmaybe nobody else has told you
this is so common.
And she said well, not to meand not to so many Americans, I
don't think you realize howexceptional it is what you folks
go through and how youpersevere through it.
(17:20):
And in that moment I think Ilooked at everything that we
experienced through Americaneyes and through native eyes,
and I was really proud in thatmoment for the journey that so
many of us undertake, and wenormalize it to an extent that
(17:40):
we find it utterly unremarkable,but it is remarkable?
Speaker 1 (17:45):
yeah, absolutely, indeed it is, and that's why
this podcast exists to celebratethese stories.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah, totally it's.
We should remind ourselves tocelebrate it once in a while
yeah, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Is this something that you ate for the first time
in canada?
Speaker 2 (18:05):
poutine and I did not like it you're not the only one
.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Many people say that I think it's just.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Yeah, maybe it's not for me okay.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
If you had to describe yourself as any animal
or any creature, what would itbe and why?
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Oh, definitely a dog.
I have a hundred percent dogpersonality.
I think, okay, I think I'm veryattuned to the people that are
immediately around me.
It impacts me a lot if they'renot doing well and, yeah, very
much a dog personality.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Okay, if you could have any superpower, what would
it be?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Wow, that's a great question.
I haven't thought about it.
There are so many low-hangingfruit just everywhere across the
world in government policy.
This has to be the most boringanswer any of your guests have
given you.
I I realize that I would fixthose just really low-hanging
(19:10):
fruit.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
That would make so many lives better well, it might
be boring, but it'd be very,very beneficial yes so please go
for it yes, let's do it if youhad to create this one law that
everybody has to follow, whatwould it be?
Speaker 2 (19:26):
just not getting too offended by everything all the
time.
You have got to understand andgive space for other people to
express themselves.
There is a loss when people arethinking too hard about what
(19:46):
they're saying.
Not online.
I'm not suggesting thateverybody should just say
hateful, terrible things, butthere are certain niche ideas
that may sound wacky but I thinkthey should be expressed,
because a lot of ideas beforetheir time sound just bananas,
but they there should still beroom for it to be expressed.
(20:10):
Yeah, absolutely.
I love that to describe.
I love that it is so hard todefine what it is to be a
(20:31):
Canadian and what is Canada likeculturally.
It's so fuzzy and thatfuzziness, I think, is what
makes it uniquely inclusive.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Wow, I love that.
You know, it's amazing how,every time, I get such a
mind-boggling answer every time,because this is, if you really
think about it, it's true whatyou said, it's so true.
And somebody who said on thepodcast that it's like a quilt
with different patches on it andeach patch defines a certain
(21:05):
culture that they bring alongwith it.
That's also mind-boggling inits own way.
So I'm just always amazed howguests come up with their own
eye, with their own, you know,whatever they have witnessed
throughout their journey and howthey define it.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
So I love that it's a very nice question.
It's a very nice question.
I'm sure a lot of thought wentinto it.
It's a very nice question.
It's a very nice question.
I'm sure a lot of thought wentinto it.
It's a very nice question.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
So, finally, if you could leave me with one piece of
advice, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I think you put so much thought into the structure
of your podcast and everything.
Honestly, I was reallysurprised at how much background
work you're done.
Reading through the sub stackand the article and everything
you're done, reading through thesub stack and the article and
everything, honestly I can'tthink of anything.
The only thing that I would sayto anybody hosting a podcast is
(21:52):
to make it as free, flowing aspossible while still following a
structure.
It's very tricky to do right.
Where digressions are yourfriend, embrace digressions,
it's.
That's where the realconversation is okay, perfect.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Thank you for your kind words.
So, finally, how would youdescribe your experience of
being on the podcast?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
then we first spoke just to get to know one another.
I really enjoyed theperspective that you shared of
why you wanted these stories tobe told and just the idea that
you wanted a diversity of voices.
I saw a lot of overlap betweenthe way we thought about these
things and the podcast hastotally over delivered on on
(22:38):
that.
I really enjoyed it.
The fun elements are reallyenjoyable, so great idea with
doing that in in season two andI'm very fortunate to have been
part of this season.
Really enjoyed the the funparts, uh for sure perfect,
awesome.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Very glad to hear that.
So, on that note, thank you.
Thank you for being on thepodcast and adding value to my
listeners.
Thank you, thank you.
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.