Growing Up Between Cultures: A Student’s Perspective

Exploring the experience of living abroad in the Gulf region

Akshitha, a student who was born in India and raised in Oman, shares her reflections on what it means to grow up as an Indian expatriate in the Gulf. Her experience highlights the unique cultural identity of non-resident Indians (NRIs) living in this part of the world, which differs in significant ways from those living in Western countries.

Life Within a Close-Knit Community

Although Akshitha spent her childhood outside India, she explains that her life in Oman was deeply embedded in Indian culture. She attended an Indian school and followed the Indian curriculum, surrounded by Indian friends and neighbours. This environment meant that, despite being physically abroad, she rarely felt disconnected from her cultural roots.

She notes that the Indian expatriate community in the Gulf is large and well-established, creating a social space where Indian traditions and values are maintained and shared. This contrasts with the experience of NRIs in countries such as the UK, the US, or Australia, where the cultural environment may be more diverse and less centred on Indian customs.

A Unique Cultural Identity

Akshitha describes the feeling of existing in a space that is “halfway Indian and still not really foreign.” She finds a particular connection with others who have grown up in the Middle East, as they share an understanding of this in-between cultural experience. This identity is distinct from both those who grew up in India and those who are NRIs in Western countries.

Her reflections suggest that growing up in such a community shapes a sense of belonging that is complex but comforting, blending elements of home culture with the realities of life abroad.

Summary of Key Points

• Akshitha was born in India and raised in Oman within a large Indian expatriate community.
• She attended an Indian school and followed the Indian curriculum, maintaining close cultural ties.
• The experience of NRIs in the Gulf differs significantly from those in Western countries.
• There is a shared cultural understanding among those who grew up in the Middle East as Indians abroad.
• This dual identity offers both challenges and a unique sense of belonging.

Akshitha’s account provides insight into the lived experience of Indian expatriates in the Gulf, illustrating how cultural identity can be maintained and adapted in different global contexts.