The Metropolitan Online - January 2005

Most of us have done some traveling in our lifetime, but do we really know what it is like to immerse ourselves in a new culture? Imagine moving to Minnesota from a faraway place and trying to learn its subtle nuances. Have you ever noticed that Minnesotans smile a lot at each other? Or that we use the words thank you quite often? Or that when we ask How are you? we don’t really expect an answer?

Padma Priya Varaprasad has. A 23-year-old graduate student at Metropolitan State University, Priya, as she prefers to be called, arrived from Chennai, India, in early September 2003 and just days later began attending classes. Her experiences in Minnesota have been eye opening for her, and at times, challenging, but they have also been an opportunity for growth.

In one such eye-opening experience, Varaprasad recalls how when she initially arrived in Minnesota, she wondered why so many people were smiling at her. “When people smiled at me, I thought there was something wrong with my attire or the way I walk or talk,” she said. “Now after a year, I am over it, but initially I was baffled.”

Varaprasad’s journey to Minnesota began when she was 18 years old. After deciding she wanted to study in the United States, she completed a three-year bachelor’s program in visual communication and then, in order to qualify for a master’s program in the United States, had to do one more year of post-graduate work. It was while she was completing her post-graduate program in advertising and communication that a unique opportunity came her—she was selected to be in a film documentary. A Swedish film crew had come to Varaprasad’s school looking for someone to play a role in their film about a young Swedish man of Indian descent who is traveling to India to learn more about his roots. Initially, Varaprasad had planned to volunteer for the film crew, but instead was chosen out of 20 girls for the main role. In the film, she serves as a guide and translator for the young man, showing him the culture and people of India. The film also profiles Varaprasad’s own experiences getting ready for her trip to the United States. She credits her work in the film for giving her more confidence and even more motivation to come to the United States.

It is easy to see why Varaprasad was chosen for the film. She is immediately likeable. She is friendly, outspoken, and willing to answer any questions about India, its people, and its culture.

“For me, [coming to] the U.S. was a dream come true. I was fascinated by the independence, the freedom of expression, and by the quality of life,” Varaprasad said. Along with her independence has come responsibility. She is a long way from home and her support network of family and friends. While she misses her family and friends back home, she has found a new network of friends at Metropolitan State University. “I practically live in the school all the time, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. This is my U.S. family,” Varaprasad said.

Now in her second year in the technical communication master’s program, Varaprasad has settled into the routine of school and work in Minnesota. She is currently working as a graduate assistant at the univeristy’s IT department doing Web design and content development and hopes to graduate next summer. After graduation she would like to stay and work in the United States.

“To be honest, I really did not know a place called ‘Minnesota’ existed, but circumstances and fate brought me here,” said Varaprasad. Coming to Minnesota has lead to many new experiences and opportunities for her, and she hopes it will lead to many more down the road.

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