Being Unable To Understand The Differences Between Culture And Trafitions Often Cause People To Feel Isolated

In the beginning of the short story “For Mataji”, the granddaughter, who serves as the narrator, spills juice on her white dress during breakfast. This leads to her grandmother changing her into a slip, not knowing that it would be socially frowned upon. The students and teachers look at the narrator funny, upon entering the classroom. The grandma, who was born in a different country, has no prior knowledge of the social norms present in Canadian culture. That being said, the narrator, having a heritage mainly based in Indian culture has its setbacks when trying the blend into Canadian society.

Prior to being in school, the narrator has had no other influences of societal culture other than in her home, which can be detrimental in many cases. When the narrator was looking for her grandmother outside of the school the mother drive pass her when she is seen in the white laced slip was embarrassment she drives passed the her own daughter.

I have also experienced the feeling of isolation because of my cultural differences. When I was transferred to a new school, the majority of students was Caucasian. Being in a completely new environment I was desperate to make friends, I had asked a group of girls permission if I was able to sit with them at lunch. All the girls had similar lunches but I brought a traditional Chinese lunch and because of their unfamiliarity with my dish they had told it was gross. They proceeded to ask me questions that I was uncomfortable with, They assumed I was eating dog because It had smelt weird. They told me that they couldn't stand the smell of my food so they left the table. Before they even had gotten to know me they had already labeled and marked me as weird.

Whenever question about my culture and tradition are mentioned in a conversation I become more aware that we come from completely different worlds. I felt so unwanted because I was not like them. They have wronged and mistaken my identity because of broken information and exaggerated imaginations. Even with a school full of thousands of students and noises that filled the school hallways I still felt isolated in place called ‘school’ where I once thought was a place to make long lasting friendshipsquestions I was so embarrassed that day because They asked me if I was eating dog because that what ‘us asians do’ I was self conscious everytime i bought my lunch because they made me feel like I was doing something wrong. I cound not share my culture idnetity because I was too self conscious to understand that its okay feel isolated.