Example Of McClain: Hello My Friend Kumar, How Have You Been, It’s Long Since I Saw You Essay

Intercultural interview

Kumar: I have been good man, how about you?
McClain: I have pretty well, missed you a lot, had you gone back to India to see your relatives.
Kumar: no, not really, I can’t go to India right now, in fact, if I find an opportunity just to be here, I won’t go back.

McClain: but why, you must have loved America.

Kumar: not really, it’s just that I have come to admire some cultural aspects of the American society, which are not India.

McClain: how comes, most Indians claim that Americans are not hospitable and are very selfish.

Kumar: that’s true to some extend, which I definitely miss most about my Indian culture.
McClain: that’s right, so what makes you want to stay in America.
Kumar: I have I have the choice to determine the kind of girl I date and marry.
McClain: oh, really, you must have seen a beautiful girl.
Kumar: not really, on the contrary, my parents back at home have already fixed me a wife for me.
McClain: what?? Is it a girl you know?
Kumar: I have no idea of who the girl is, neither does she have an idea of who I am.
McClain: but why would your parents do that to you?
Kumar: you find that strange, don’t you?
McClain: very strange, even I f I tell my parents to find me a wife, they would slap me in the face, let alone them trying to secretly fix me up with one.
Kumar: in India it is not strange; in fact, we are so much used to it. It is part of our culture.

McClain: if you are used to it, then why are you afraid of it.

Kumar: exposure my friend, exposure
McClain: so being in America has exposed you.
Kumar: definitely, it has opened my eyes to the fact that I am mature and well capable of choosing who and when to marry.
McClain: that is very interesting, so what about dating, after being introduced to the girl, are you given time to know more about them before marrying them.
Kumar: there is nothing like dating in the Indian culture, it is the parents who determines what is best for you, giving you time to more about the girl will not influence the decision they have made. Remember, they are not fixing you to a girl you should date but to a woman you should marry (Silver & Miller, 1997).

McClain: how about if the girl is ugly or is not just what you would want for a wife.

Kumar: that is not there in the Indian culture, you just have to love the woman or man that your parents choose for you, whether you think they are ugly or not.
McClain: that is so interesting, but on a positive note, I hear that cases of divorce and separation are unheard of in the Indian culture, which I believe is a good thing.

Kumar: yeah, but that does not mean that Indian marriages don’t have issues.

McClain: so, if your parents choose for you a wife and you realize she is not good enough and you start having conflicts, what happens, or how do you manage to solve such issues and live together as husband and life.
Kumar: one of the reason that make Indian marriages last is because the couple grows up knowing that their parents know them best and will therefore choose the best partners for them. Whenever there are conflicts, it becomes not only the issue of the couple but the two families. Since they are determined to make the marriage work, they will somehow get you back together again.
McClain: that sounds good Kumar; I guess you should go back to India and marry the girl of your parents’ choice.

Kumar: no, no, no

McClain: but why
Kumar: some of such relationships are based on specific ties that your parents have, which may not be good for. They are hence marriages of convenience and not born out of love (Silver & Miller, 1997).

McClain: what do you mean?

Kumar: I will marry that girl and stay with her, not because I love her, but just because it was my parents’ choice.

McClain: I get you

Kumar: this therefore means that most marriages in India are done for the parents and not for the couple. They end up not living their lives but living the lives of their parents, that is not what I desire for my life.

McClain: that is very dangerous my friend, but now what will you do, you can’t deny your culture.

Kumar: year, McClain, that is very true, I am very proud of my Indian roots, but exposure has taught me to live my own life, chase and achieve my dreams rather than living for other people.

McClain: yes that is right.

Kumar: that is why I will be in America as much as I can and pray to the gods that my parents will get tired and just forget everything to do with getting me a wife.

McClain: but can’t you share your thoughts and feelings with them.

Kumar: they will not understand and may think that I have gotten an American girlfriend that I want to marry; it will just worsen the situation.
McClain: that looks tough, but I know you shall overcome this and one day marry a girl of your choice and dreams.

Kumar: sure, that is my prayer too.

McClain: all the best, I will catch up with you later.
Kumar: ok, bye
McClain: bye.

References

Silver, S., & Miller, W. R. (1997). American Indian Languages: Cultural and Social Contexts. University of Arizona Press, 1230 N. Park Ave., Suite 102, Tucson, AZ 85719.