Viewing the world from three perspectives

A desi with an American education living in Kobe! NRIs have it tougher than most people think and I know how perplexing it can be. I'm 18 years old and have never lived anywhere except for Kobe, a small, quaint town in Japan, so small that the first hit on google isn't 'Kobe, Japan', but 'Kobe Bryant'. I have attended an American international school for 13 years. This year is my last before I graduate. I've grown up in an environment with three very different cultures and it is impossible for me to say that one is more important to me than the other.

With three different perspectives in my life, conflicting identities can often surface. Ethnically speaking, I'm entirely Indian - ek dum, and living in Japan doesn't mean I will ever forget or lose sight of that. Sure, there's no notorious roadside paani puri to provide me with the full desi experience, but for such a tiny place, Kobe has an extraordinarily large Indian community, almost a Little India, which helps me stay in touch with my roots on a daily basis.

I am pushed by my parents to embrace my Indian culture as much as I can, and by that, I don't mean watching re-runs of Kyunki Saas. But rather, I try to take part in any opportunity presented within the community. During Diwali, our Indian community annually organises several events where the children can perform dances, as I did for many years, and where our families and friends can all celebrate the festivity together. For four years I was an avid student of Kathak, where I tied ghungroos around my ankles and learnt the foot movements and delicate hand gestures. Indian culture has shaped my identity, and I have always prioritised staying in touch with my roots.

Yet, I have been born and brought up in Japan, and can confidently say it has become my home. If there is one aspect of who I am which I can attribute to growing up in Japan, it is showing respect.

My parents have encouraged me to embrace Japanese culture. After living here for so many years, Japanese culture has become a significant part of mine as well. I can't imagine setting foot into someone's home without removing my shoes, speaking to elders without using the right Japanese terminology, or feeling impatient and cutting a line at the train station, something that I often observe abroad and cannot understand. At least once every couple of months, I make it a point to visit the Japanese Shinto shrine Ikutajinja near my home, where I always remember that I must carry out the meticulous purification process before I enter.
I feel that I have been successful in what my parents always wanted me to do, immerse myself in this intricate culture and I know that I will always carry a Japanese perspective with me anywhere I go. Although Japan is my home, and India is the source of my roots, my American education is what has provided me with such an open frame of mind. For the past two years, I have been a candidate of the rigorous International Baccalaureate programme. It strongly promotes thinking out of the box, having an opinion, and speaking one's mind.

While I never take for granted that I have been afforded so many different perspectives with which to view the world, I am often left feeling somewhat out of place. I will forever be classed an NRI in India, a gaijin, or foreigner in Japan, and a non-citizen in America.
When I am asked where I am from, I find myself pausing, hesitating and finally just saying "all over" with a shrug. And yet rarely, when I'm feeling particularly pensive, I feel like maybe I am part of something bigger, a small step towards being an actual citizen of the world.