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    So Where Are You From

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    1) The author experiences culture shock upon arriving in Australia from Malaysia for her sister's graduation as her family comes from different places. 2) When asked by a taxi driver "where are you from?", the author's family members give different answers - Malaysia, New York - highlighting their mixed backgrounds. 3) As a daughter of a diplomat, the author has lived in 12 countries by age 10, so the question of "where are you from?" prompts deeper questions about what home means as everything has felt temporary. 4) However, the author believes their diverse cultural experiences have made them open-minded and less ignorant of the world, and that home exists within themselves rather than a single

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    So Where Are You From

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    1) The author experiences culture shock upon arriving in Australia from Malaysia for her sister's graduation as her family comes from different places. 2) When asked by a taxi driver "where are you from?", the author's family members give different answers - Malaysia, New York - highlighting their mixed backgrounds. 3) As a daughter of a diplomat, the author has lived in 12 countries by age 10, so the question of "where are you from?" prompts deeper questions about what home means as everything has felt temporary. 4) However, the author believes their diverse cultural experiences have made them open-minded and less ignorant of the world, and that home exists within themselves rather than a single

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    1) The author experiences culture shock upon arriving in Australia from Malaysia for her sister's graduation as her family comes from different places. 2) When asked by a taxi driver "where are you from?", the author's family members give different answers - Malaysia, New York - highlighting their mixed backgrounds. 3) As a daughter of a diplomat, the author has lived in 12 countries by age 10, so the question of "where are you from?" prompts deeper questions about what home means as everything has felt temporary. 4) However, the author believes their diverse cultural experiences have made them open-minded and less ignorant of the world, and that home exists within themselves rather than a single

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    1K views1 page

    So Where Are You From

    Uploaded by

    api-554523447
    1) The author experiences culture shock upon arriving in Australia from Malaysia for her sister's graduation as her family comes from different places. 2) When asked by a taxi driver "where are you from?", the author's family members give different answers - Malaysia, New York - highlighting their mixed backgrounds. 3) As a daughter of a diplomat, the author has lived in 12 countries by age 10, so the question of "where are you from?" prompts deeper questions about what home means as everything has felt temporary. 4) However, the author believes their diverse cultural experiences have made them open-minded and less ignorant of the world, and that home exists within themselves rather than a single

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    So Where Are You From?

    Faqeera Raja Reza

    I lean towards the taxi window and re-adjust my camera as I try to capture my new
    surroundings whilst the driver speeds away. Throughout the ride, the only thing to be heard was
    the flashing of my camera as I tried to compose myself with the culture shock I was
    experiencing. My eyes cast a trailing gaze at all these strange restaurant names, whilst my
    eyebrows form a curious frown at the Melbourne trams- such an unusual form of transportation
    for a girl accustomed to taking the MTA bus and subways around New York. I stifle a laugh as
    my mind wanders off to a day ago where my family and I were basking in the scorching
    Malaysian sun, and how suddenly we were huddled up in a taxi, trying to defrost from the cold
    Australian air. The stagnant air was interrupted when our taxi driver cleared his throat and asked,
    “So, where are you guys from?” Oh no. Not again. I tend to be quick on my feet and always
    willing to strike up a friendly conversation, but this was the one question I never seemed to have
    a ready-made, concrete answer to.

    My mum was quick to reply “Malaysia” while my dad said “New York.” In the backseat,
    my younger brother shrugged his shoulders while I tentatively looked at the taxi driver’s face
    which translated to “Do these tourists speak English?” My sister laughed it off and explained the
    situation, and how we were here for her graduation. Meanwhile, I shook off the culture shock
    and shifted my unease to my uncertain sense of belonging. The dreaded feeling that I shoved in
    the back of my mind popped out like an uninvited call, no matter where I was. For me, the
    question inquired was the equivalent to “where do you consider home?” This prompted a series
    of questions in my head: is home the golden letters stamped on the front of my passport? Is home
    where the majority of my family and friends live? Is home the quickest I’ve been able to adapt to
    a city? Is home where I feel the most like myself?

    As a daughter of a diplomat, I’ve moved to different countries every 2-4 years and have
    travelled to 12 countries by the age of 10. This meant that at a tender age, I’ve learnt to be
    resilient and quick to adapt to new places, people and practices. However, like any human, I still
    experience culture shock: I cautiously walk around the religious offerings scattered on the roads
    in Bali, I get confused when I order chips and instead get fries in London, and I struggle to ask
    locals for where the nearest toilet is in Czech Republic. However, that’s the beauty of it.
    Experience. Culture is the one thing that cannot be taught in school, it’s all learned from personal
    experience. Like the saying goes: “travel is the only thing which you can buy, that makes you
    richer.” I’ve been fortunate to have a wide spectrum of culture infused in me, which I am forever
    thankful for, as it’s made me less ignorant of the world. Having also attended 5 international
    schools, I always get different perspectives and ideas from people of different backgrounds,
    traditions and beliefs. Unfortunately, this also meant that everything was temporary for me. I’ve
    lost touch of friends, I’ve let go of my favorite places and I’ve had to be oceans away from my
    family. However, this allows me to be independent, flexible and willing to try new things.

    With culture engraved in me since young, I value being open-minded and being self-
    aware of all the wonders outside of my personal bubble. I never did have an answer for where
    home is for me. But that’s okay. With a whole world inside me and brand new eyes to every
    situation, I’ll settle for the answer: home is within me.

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