Memoir As an immigrant, molding myself into an identity was difficult. Truthfully, I am never American or Bengali enough, although I possess qualities of both cultures. I respect and incorporate both cultures into my daily life, whether it be reflected in my clothes or the music I listen to. I might like Bengali food better, but prefer American music, that doesn’t make me any less Bengali or American; many people tend to forget that. I came here when I was young; I retained many Bengali cultural elements and at the same time absorbed countless new American ones. Growing up, I couldn’t fit into any culture properly. Surrounded by Bengali people, I would easily notice how I couldn’t properly speak Bengali, often throwing English words here and there without meaning to. The funny thing is, when speaking with English-speaking people, I would just as easily be conscious of my Bengali accent slipping through. It used to bother me tremendously, now it …show more content…
I adore Bengali dishes; they were absolutely made for my taste bud. Even though I like the usual American food, I would never trade it for Bengali food. However, I would trade something: clothing. I never liked Bengali clothing, I wear them on special occasions, but I always feel uncomfortable wearing them. In contrast, American style is somewhat more suited for me, although, I combine some Arabian style with it for a modest appearance. Unfortunately, sometimes I do feel like I am being judged for my attire because of my hijab and modest style. However, I came to realize that being Muslim is also an important part of my identity. It’s important to note that, Muslims all over the world worship the same god, and celebrate the same holidays, but you how you celebrate it largely depends on your culture; that’s why being Muslim and Bengali go hand in hand for me. Since I am Bengali, naturally, I celebrated it the Bengali way with spicy foods and Eid