Sitting somewhere, in the middle of Chiang Mai, Thailand, this is the third country I have moved and lived in. The common question “Where are you from?” Always leaves me wondering… Where am I actually from? The maple leaf on my passport clarifies that I’m Canadian and I have a student visa to live in Thailand. But more than half of my life was spent in Kolkata, India. Ever since I was the age of two, the culture of loud noise, bright lights and vibrant colors was all I was familiar with. Even though I still go back to Canada, I have never felt a true connection to it. I wish people living in North America would get the opportunity to have some of the cultural experiences I do.
Arising from my bed, I hear the faint call of prayer from temples all around my neighborhood. It’s the time of the year where the festival, Diwali takes place. This is a holiday that everybody should experience at least once in their life time. As families come together and celebrate “the festival of lights” one of the most exciting and thrilling things to do, is look at the exuberant bursts of colors that light up the night sky with a certain magical delicacy.

Friends gather around the whole city and raid little shanties for all the fireworks that they have in stock. People running with plastic bags full of lighters and rockets, laughter and shrill screams can be heard from every roof top. The smell of faint smoke swifts through the already polluted air making it even harder to breathe, but that isn’t nearly a concern for those who are ready to journey through the crowded streets of Kolkata. For the Hindus, fireworks not only signify a time of excitement and fun but it is believed that fireworks become a force that drives evil away. The name Diwali originates from the word “Dipalavi” which is translated into “row of lamps”. During Diwali little lamps made from clay are filled with oil or ghee and lit with fire. These “diyas” are placed outside rows and rows of houses and by nightfall these “diyas” create a certain charm that leaves people with a peace that tells them a triumph of good has overcome evil. This is just one of the experiences you get when you come to India but there is a myriad of festivals, religious holidays and so much more culture that is just waiting to be discovered by the many who are sitting back in their countries, forgetting all about the beauty and wonder of our world. There is much life, joy and happiness in India despite the fact that millions are struck with a poverty that leaves families homeless and children without parents. But this is why I am so in love with India, though some people may have nothing, they are a satisfied with everything they have.