<p>No possibly naive, but not judgemental or prejudiced. </p>
<p>BTW if you want to see another fun movie try Missippi Marsala. A love story between Denzel Washington and a young Indian American woman.</p>
<p>It is Missisipi Massala. Or see Bend it Like Beckham or ‘Bride’ and Prejudice - the most beautiful girl ever born.</p>
<p>Or East is East. Fairly brutal, but also funny story of Pakistani family with Westernized sons in England. And don’t forget Bend it Like Beckham. But there is a danger in watching these movies - they are movies and they focus on certain aspects of a culture. If you have the capability to watch a LOT of movies and read a LOT of books and then synthesize all these perspectives and then abstract the themes and also understand that many people will not fit these themes, then maybe you have more understanding.</p>
<p>Other books? God of Small Things. The Victorians. And old books of village life by R.K. Narayanan. And don’t forget Salman Rushdie…although that’s Pakistan but still. There are others. After I spent 3 months in India as a 25-year old I had a phase of reading everything I could find. Mini will also have ideas.</p>
<p>My take? Impulse to learn is good, however, I sense some real trepidation and worry about the other. Guiding principle should be that people are people and no one is necessarily all that other just because of their nationality and religion.</p>
<p>Ooops. Cross post:) with simba. Loved Bride and Prejudice, also what was the wedding movie? Yeah, Monsoon Wedding. Liked that one too…</p>
<p>I’m Hindu, and I don’t eat beef. It’s not a religious thing for me though. My parents raised me like that and I continue it out of respect for them. I have never met a Hindu, or even a vegetarian who took offense at someone else eating meat. Most Hindu guys I know don’t take the religion that seriously if they were raised in America.</p>
<p>My son and I have talked about his roommate. Although we know his name, they have not talked or communicated yet and our biggest concern is that he might be an early riser or not like my son’s sloppy habits. I was happy to hear that he was also from out of state and on the way home for my son if he needs a ride. Vegetarian? son is used to putting up with his vegetarian sister. Strange religion? Son was the only one of our religon in his high school the last 3 years. I think it’s pretty neat that the op and son are looking into the roommates probable religion, it will give the guys a point of discussion. Another priority - Does he play video games??</p>
<p>Alumother: Except for his comparatively unpopular second book, “Shame”, pretty much all of Salman Rushdie’s work is centered on India or the Indian diaspora. Bombay (not “Mumbai”), Srinigar, and London are the places he seems most attached to, and which reappear most often in his work.</p>
<p>Note on movies: It is nowhere near as good a movie as they are, but American Desi has a LOT more to say about ethnic Indian college students in America today than Bend It Like Beckham, Mississippi Masala, East Is East, Monsoon Wedding, or (good heavens!) Bride And Prejudice. Combined. But if we’re talking about good melodramas about Indians in the West, I would add My Beautiful Laundrette – it’s a little dated now, but it’s great. If only to remember how hot Daniel Day-Lewis once was.</p>
<p>Well why not throw Harold and Kumar go to White Castle into the mix?</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>I loved My Beautiful Laundrette too. And I just meant Rushdie is now “Pakistani”. Whatever that means at a certain point in time.</p>
<p>I totally agree with alumother…fortunately or unfortunately I think Harold and Kumar is the best movie representation of Indian American life I’ve seen (not to mention it’s absolutely hilarious).</p>
<p>lol im indian and hindu and have lived in jersey all my life… and i think Kumar in Harold and Kumar… is pretty accurate of what an “americanized” indian is…</p>
<p>i am not very religious and do eat beef… but respect relatives and others who are more serious about hinduism…</p>
<p>lol the funny thing about Harold and Kumar… Kal Penn (Kumar) is pretty religious himself…even though it doesnt seem so…and he doesnt eat beef… so when they were filming the scene at white castle they just gave him burger buns with no meat…haha i just thought it was funny.</p>
<p>recently there have been alot of movies protraying indians with the american lifestyle-- American Desi, Dude Where’s the Party</p>
<p>for the most part…indian teens growing up in america are not much different from the average white kid you see everyday…</p>
<p>lol yes…we are brown…and some “sheltered” individuals sometimes stereotype us and think all indians are 7-11, QuikiMart, indian accent speaking individuals…lol i do joke around on occassion about such things…but growing up in a diverse neighborhood has made me realize the balance of all different types of kids makes a great group of friends…</p>
<p>i am as “American” of an indian as they come… but still have respect for my religion and cultural background.</p>
<p>You will find that people of Hindu religion are quite normal, infact they are very much like American kids.</p>
<p>They usually wear a piece of cloth of knee-lenght when in the room with nothing on top. They sleep like that too. But when going out, they wear usual clothes. </p>
<p>The religion mandate them to be on yoga aasana for at least an hour a day. Some do this for 2-3 hours a day. Some will stand on head; but I’ve seen American kids doing this too. Your son shouldn’t worry about it; just keep silent. You are not supposed to talk when someone is practicing Hindu yoga. They also wash their feet before getting into the room. That is good hygene for any religion. </p>
<p>They don’t eat beef. But there are many American kids who are vegetarians too. If your son likes beef, ask him to cover the plate when he eats. Also he shoud not eat beef hot. Fumes from beef amount to second-hand beef-eating and that is not polite. </p>
<p>Their music is very upbeat. Hindus usually chant Hindu mantras before going to bed. They do that somewhat loudly so that the gods in heaven can hear them. But it shouldn’t be much of a concern, that won’t last more than 30minutes anyway.</p>
<p>I am sure your son will have a nice time with his Indian roommate.</p>
<p>lol northeastdad that was funny (attention OP: he’s kidding!!)</p>
<p>Harold and Kumar is SOOO accurate.</p>
<p>jimbob…</p>
<p>All kidding aside,the ironic thing is this: If that was truly his lifestyle, it would be just fine. My son would be respectful of that just as he would of any other roommate. </p>
<p>Some people here think because I asked this question that we assume his roommate is from outer space or something. That was never the case. As mathmom suggestion, it’s just a case of our being naive – which admittedly we are. That tends to happen in small midwestern towns like ours with 37 kids in a graduating class, and as you guessed, it’s a school without ethnic diversity. Maybe a forum admin or mod can delete my thread and we can forget I ever posted it.</p>
<p>Don’t be so apologetic 
It’s really considerate of you actually.</p>
<p>Edit: Internet forums are weird places for etiquette. It’s funny when a mother of a college-age child is taking my statements seriously and apologizing to me. So, don’t! I’m just a kid!</p>
<p>“It is Missisipi Massala.”</p>
<p>Oops! I do that all the time! Both great flavors!</p>
<p>To the orginal poster:</p>
<p>How about you disregard all the books, magazine articles, the ‘speak Hindi in Ten Easy Steps’ DVD etc., and just tell your son to keep an open mind and display basic respect for his new roomie, whatever his stripes? That may work wonders.</p>
<p>Unlike some of the others, this is a serious post:</p>
<p>Something you may have overlooked is that one of the people involved in the situation you describe is an expert at dealing with diversity.</p>
<p>I’m talking about your son’s roommate.</p>
<p>I come from an area where there are many Indian-Americans. As far as I can tell, the Indian community does not have its own private schools, in the way that some groups (such as Orthodox Jews, for example) often do. Indian-American kids go to the same public, public magnet, or private schools that everyone else does. And in those schools, they are never in the majority. In fact, they are usually one of the smaller minorities. </p>
<p>Your son’s roommate is accustomed to being in situations where the majority of those around him are of backgrounds different from his own. Although he may have a group of Indian-American friends at home and may seek out such a group at college, he’s also likely to be completely comfortable in ethnically mixed groups of people. Being in mixed groups was his everyday reality in high school, and it will be the same in college. When in ethnically mixed groups, he probably comes across as the standard generic assimilated American teenager (of the academic sort). He’s not likely to bring up specifically Indian subjects in conversation with your son for the same reasons that you and I don’t tend to bring up subjects related to our roles as parents of teenagers when we’re with our colleagues at work. We save the specialized topics for an audience that shares our special interest. So does your son’s roommate, if he’s anything like the Indian-American and other Asian-American kids that I know.</p>
<p>Your son’s roommate has known all along that he was almost certainly going to be assigned to a roommate who is not Indian. He’s expecting it, and he knows how to handle it. So you really don’t need to worry. The situation is under control.</p>
<p>I think one of the best parts of college is the opportunity to experience new things. This includes taking classes in subjects you have never tried before, trying new foods, learning to take care of yourself in new situations, and being exposed to all sorts of people that are different from what you have experienced before.</p>
<p>Your son is going to have a great year. I think that coming from a small town he will grow in many ways, and the fact that you are respectfully asking this question is just another way to prepare him. I hope nobody is seriously offended by your question. It seems respectful to me.</p>
<p>LakeWashington-</p>
<p>I totally agree with you.</p>
<p>BTW, what does your son think about this?</p>
<p>OTH, Think of the unfortunate, Indian, who got an “Hick,” "Redneck, "Midwesterner, “fundementalist,” “atheist,” “who thinks that India is just east of Mexico and above, South America.”</p>
<p>The kids will be fine. They will work things out. If not, they can solve their differences like adults!</p>
<p>Basic Rule of Treating Your Neighbors well, is universal in all cultures.</p>
<p>My husband is from South India; we’ve been married 26 years. I think it’s great you are asking questions. If I can be permitted some generalities, I’ll say that Indians in the U.S. are usually quite flexible with other customs and “go along,” even though they might not adopt said customs. An Indian American college student is probably accustomed to more parental pressure regarding grades, colleges and career choices than most American students. Pressure is also likely in the area of dating, though another poster had it right – there are lots of ways to get around that. A South Indian could of course be Hindu, Christian or Moslem, in that order of likelihood.</p>
<p>I don’t think problems will arise due to ethnicity in this situation, but it’s always good to prepare a little, culturally.</p>
<p>BTW – a very good movie that shows the interplay between old and new India is Mira Nair’s “Monsoon Wedding.”</p>