Culture Chaos : Stories of An Indian Abroad

By Isha Soni

What's Culture Chaos : Stories of An Indian Abroad about?

A true desi and a proud Mumbai girl, 5 years ago I moved out of home and have been going from one country to another and have changed more houses and cities than I can remember. This is a podcast about life abroad, trying to make sense out of different cultural norms and a whole new way of living. My confusions and the stories that arise from this chaos while I try to hold on to my culture, identity and life as I know it...

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Culture Chaos : Stories of An Indian Abroad episodes:

03.22.2020
76: Calm, Chaos & Corona
Amidst the COVID-19 chaos I am coming to you with an update on how things have been on my side of the world and how I am learning to make the best of this gift of time that we've all...
03.06.2020
75: The India Trip That Broke My Heart
Culture Chaos Podcast is back and in my 75th episode, I share some stories from my recent India trip. Some bitter sweet memories and some very important realizations that made this trip an important chapter in my journey of navigating...
03.05.2020
74: Culture Chaos is Back!
After a long break, I am finally back. Please stay tuned for my episode releasing tomorrow!!
11.22.2019
73: What's Your Comfort Ritual?
Whether you’re trying to re-live your entire childhoods on your visits home, or you’re trying to recreate a piece of back-home in your lives abroad - we all have designed a bunch of our own comfort rituals over time. I...
10.31.2019
72: Eastern Gurus & Sects in the West - Truth or Scam?
Since the 1960s, we’ve seen a growing appeal for eastern culture, religious sects and gurus in the west. Is this the biggest scam to be born out of the sub-continent or is there truly an appeal for our culture in...
10.17.2019
71: Navratri in the NRI Community: A Culture Beyond Garba.
Navratri for the NRI community is beyond the 9 days of fasting, its beyond garba dancing or the religious celebrations. For the NRI community, Navratri events have always had a huge cultural significance and is seen as a time to...
09.26.2019
70: Climate Change, Sustainability and our Cultural Inheritance
With the climate change and sustainable living conversation capturing the attention of the world, it is now time for each one of us to act upon it and make some adjustments to how we go about our daily lives. Surprisingly...
09.12.2019
69: Beyond Fine Dinning at Humble Ethnic Restaurants
For immigrants or any one that has ever moved away from home, it is these humble ethnic hole-in-the-wall restaurants that bring them true flavors of nostalgia. From the joy of discovering these joints, to the whole cultural experience of visiting...
08.28.2019
68: Indian education system could be doing something right
Even though it has been at the centre of criticism for several decades, the Indian schooling and education system has features worth appreciating. From introducing us to multiple languages at an early stage, to taking us through several memorization techniques;...
08.15.2019
67: Brain Drain - An Indian Myth or Reality?
For a couple of decades now, brain drain has been a big concern for policy makers and trend analysts in India but how much of the argument really holds true? For a landscape like India, is the economy really getting...
07.26.2019
66: In a Relationship with an Immigrant - Culture Chaos Letters
Does being an immigrant control the dynamic of a relationship one is in? For this episode in the Culture Chaos letters series, I share snippets from some of the messages and letters I’ve received over the past few months. Whether...
07.18.2019
65: Season of Long Weekends
July marks one of the biggest holidays of the year on the North American continent. What are these July long weekends all about and what do they stand for? In this podcast, I look at the 4th of July &...
06.26.2019
64: Has Yoga Put India on the Map?
Last week, the world celebrated International Yoga Day and it was a phenomenal moment for a lifestyle, a philosophy and an art form which has become an ambassador of Indian culture all over the world. On this week's podcast, I...
06.13.2019
63: What's in a Name?
A desi person moving abroad and getting a new western name, used to be a fairly common practice for NRIs back in the day. A lot of us still try to use shorter more general type of names to go...
06.05.2019
62: Immigrant Heritage Month & our shared history with Chinese Immigrants
In observance of the Immigrant Heritage Month, I look into the history of the Chinese Immigrant community and draw parallels between their history with that of Indian immigration history over the years. Despite of having such few things in common...
05.22.2019
61: 'Understand your roots to know where you're going' - Culture Chaos Letters
In this month's Culture Chaos letters series - I share Hanik's story who is the 3rd generation of his NRI family. Having been away from the homeland for over a century - his family has beautifully preserved and carried forward...
05.15.2019
60: Embracing Culture, One Music Raag at a Time
How our culture and beliefs came to be embraced by the west an interesting story that has it's roots in the early 1960s. In today's episode, I explore how indian music and musicians like Pt. Ravi Shankar have played an...
05.09.2019
59: Gun control & Why Should Desis Care?
The argument about gun control has been around for a while now but what is this whole debate about? Why is gun ownership such an important issue for a country like American and why should we care about it? Today's...
05.02.2019
58: Abroad Wali Student Life
Moving away from home for your education could be one of the most difficult yet the most rewarding experiences in life. In this episode, I share some stories from my abroad wali student life and talk about why this experiment...
04.24.2019
57: She's My Grandma first! - Culture Chaos Letters
In the first letter from the Culture Chaos letters series, we hear from Rohan who talks about his experience with his grand mother's divided attention every-time his NRI cousins visited India. First as a 9 year old child and now...
04.11.2019
56: Whats your Chaos?
Culture Chaos is just over a year old and in this time, I have opened my heart out with my stories and my chaos. This journey continues being amazing and the most rewarding part has been the emails and messages...
04.04.2019
55: Five Senses of Nostalgia Continued..
From capturing your whole life in those point and click cameras, to the joys trapped in the juicy maze of jalebi. From the smell of fresh rains transporting you to the summer holiday evenings to the dizzying comfort of a...
03.28.2019
54: The Five Senses of Nostalgia
Most of us hold on to the comforting memories from our childhood days and feed on that nostalgia for the rest of our lives. In this episode I talk about how our five senses hold the key to all these...
03.20.2019
53: The Inheritance of a Pressure Cooker
Pressure cookers are an inseparable part of desi households and this humble little gadget carries with it hundreds of years worth of stories which go way beyond just our culinary history. In this week's podcast, I bring some stories from...
03.07.2019
52: What India Taught Me About Being A Desi Woman Of The World
Before all the conversations about breaking the glass ceiling and fighting for equality even came into the picture - the desi women had learned that taking control of her destiny in her own hands was the only way out. From...
02.27.2019
51: Domestication of Violence
While the glamour of a life abroad and a promise of stronger relationships and happier marriages holds true for most of us, there is a another harsh side of this reality for a lot of NRIs too. Contrary to popular...
02.13.2019
50: Paan America Wala
For some of us, nothing beats the joy of enjoying a sweet and crisp paan after dinner. The humble little paan could be nothing more than a few sweet condiments wrapped in a green leaf; but for some of us desis,...
02.06.2019
49: This Year of Languages
Being a multi-linguist isn't unusual for a lot of us desis. In this episode, I share the story of how I came to speak 4 languages other than english and how my life growing up back in India made it...
01.24.2019
48: The Economy of Stereotypes
There is a thing or two our nation knows about finding opportunities in adversity and against all odds. That is what India did with stereotypes built by the western media - whats more ? We not only found an alternate approach...
01.16.2019
47: Dibbs On The Motherland ?
While watching Uri this past weekend at a theater in Toronto, every NRI was in tears and the movie climax was filled with unanimous chants of Jai Hind. While films and cricket mostly dominate the expression of patriotism for those ...
12.26.2018
46: NRI Wedding Season is here!
This December, our country witnessed the strangest obsession with with outrageous weddings but if you're thinking that the wedding wave is finally over, think again..because the NRI wedding season is just beginning and it promises to be a bigger and...
11.28.2018
45: Facetime Calling
What would our long distance relationships with our family be without video chats? This episode is dedicated to all the apps on our phones and computers that have stayed with us throughout our NRI lives and have magically transported us...
11.14.2018
44: Everyday Racism
While immigrants and expats are more widely accepted than ever before, they all continue experiencing subtle hints of racism in their daily lives. Check out more episodes from Culture Chaos where I share stories of my experiences trying to navigate life...
11.07.2018
43: Abroad Waali Diwali
The festival of light is celebrated with the same spirit the world over but Abroad waali Diwali comes with a slight twist and in this podcast, I share how some basic diwali things can be a little convoluted for NRIs. Check...
10.24.2018
42: Tale of the Papad-dum
Ever wondered why the humble papad is known by the complex and vague name 'papadom' in the west? If you have, than you aren't alone. Check out this week's podcast where I try to find answers about where this word...
10.17.2018
41: #MeToo Movement Revival
The #MeTooIndia movement in India has opened a whole new set of dialogues which are finally approaching the issue of women's safety in the subcontinent and all over the world, with a progressive point of view. In today's episode, I...
10.03.2018
40: Of Nostalgia and Home Visits
Last week, I was able to visit my home in Mumbai after almost three years and my favorite thing during home visits is revisiting my old memories and giving myself a good dose of nostalgia before I get on the...
09.26.2018
39: Article 377 | Progression of our Cultural Narrative?
A historic judgement was recently passed in India decriminalizing homosexuality. While this judgement was a long awaited step in the forward and progressive direction, I take a minute to question if it is time for us Indians to rejoice at...
09.12.2018
38: Popular Culture References, I don't get it!
The thing about popular culture and its references is, that it changes faster than the seasons. From being the life of a party with my Bollywood treasure-trove of knowledge ready at the tip of my tongue to being completely clueless...
08.29.2018
37: Desi Festive Season Vibes!
Contrary to common assumptions, Indian festivals are celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm and pomp abroad and us desis don't leave any stone unturned when it comes to making a party out of our festivals. This podcast is a little...
08.22.2018
36: Bye Bye 'Bai'!
Life in the west definitely promises a higher standard of living than back home, but some luxuries that are so readily available in India, are unheard of in this part of the world. The one luxury that I miss the...
08.15.2018
35: Residence & Tourism, 2 Different Perspectives
Often for us immigrants and expats, the experience of living in a country abroad varies drastically from the experience of friends and families visiting the same country as a tourist. In this episode, I talk about how living in a...
08.08.2018
34: This Health Care Is Injurious To Health
One of the challenges of living in advanced North American countries is understanding how to navigate around the complex health care norms and finding ones way to an actual doctor's clinic. It is especially difficult when you go from extremely...
08.01.2018
33: Watering Down Culture
What is more potent? The concentrated version of something that is really tough to gulp down, or a watered-down milder version of it, which might be better suited especially for the first encounter with this spirit called "culture"? Todays episode...
07.25.2018
32: What Is This Feminism?
For the longest time, Bhagyashree from Maine Pyar Kiya was the poster child for the ideal woman in India. Over the years that has changed but the expectations from women continue blocking the path for a desi woman to be...
07.18.2018
31: Managing India's Brand & PR
As a desi abroad, if there was one thing you could do for your country today, try doing some very much needed PR and image management for your Country. I seriously feel the need to do it now more than...
07.11.2018
30: In Search Of The Human Connection
Being really impressed by the small talk and exchanging pleasantries with strangers every morning, I initially thought that making a connection with people in the west would come as naturally as it did with folks back home in India, but...
06.27.2018
29: Why I Love The Indian Accent
One of the things people either applaud or mock about me is how after having lived in the west for almost a decade, have a not picked up an "American Accent". In this episode, I talk about my appreciation for...
06.20.2018
28: The Weekend Fix!
Every desi living abroad develops his own weekend traditions. Traditions that reconnect him to his roots, traditions that bring alive his memories. This episode is an ode to all those weekend traditions and an appeal to all us to continue...
06.13.2018
27: Decoding Dad
This father's day, an ode to our dads who play so many roles and transition with us at every stage of our lives with one an only one goal - to make us feel proud of ourselves. The sense of...

What's Culture Chaos : Stories of An Indian Abroad about?

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Culture Chaos : Stories of An Indian Abroad episodes:

76: Calm, Chaos & Corona

75: The India Trip That Broke My Heart

74: Culture Chaos is Back!

73: What's Your Comfort Ritual?

72: Eastern Gurus & Sects in the West - Truth or Scam?

71: Navratri in the NRI Community: A Culture Beyond Garba.

70: Climate Change, Sustainability and our Cultural Inheritance

69: Beyond Fine Dinning at Humble Ethnic Restaurants

68: Indian education system could be doing something right

67: Brain Drain - An Indian Myth or Reality?

66: In a Relationship with an Immigrant - Culture Chaos Letters

65: Season of Long Weekends

64: Has Yoga Put India on the Map?

63: What's in a Name?

62: Immigrant Heritage Month & our shared history with Chinese Immigrants

61: 'Understand your roots to know where you're going' - Culture Chaos Letters

60: Embracing Culture, One Music Raag at a Time

59: Gun control & Why Should Desis Care?

58: Abroad Wali Student Life

57: She's My Grandma first! - Culture Chaos Letters

56: Whats your Chaos?

55: Five Senses of Nostalgia Continued..

54: The Five Senses of Nostalgia

53: The Inheritance of a Pressure Cooker

52: What India Taught Me About Being A Desi Woman Of The World

51: Domestication of Violence

50: Paan America Wala

49: This Year of Languages

48: The Economy of Stereotypes

47: Dibbs On The Motherland ?

46: NRI Wedding Season is here!

45: Facetime Calling

44: Everyday Racism

43: Abroad Waali Diwali

42: Tale of the Papad-dum

41: #MeToo Movement Revival

40: Of Nostalgia and Home Visits

39: Article 377 | Progression of our Cultural Narrative?

38: Popular Culture References, I don't get it!

37: Desi Festive Season Vibes!

36: Bye Bye 'Bai'!

35: Residence & Tourism, 2 Different Perspectives

34: This Health Care Is Injurious To Health

33: Watering Down Culture

32: What Is This Feminism?

31: Managing India's Brand & PR

30: In Search Of The Human Connection

29: Why I Love The Indian Accent

28: The Weekend Fix!

27: Decoding Dad