Reading this article reminds me of two particular instances:

1.

A) For the first four years of my life in Canada, I lived in a condo in Thornhill, a place full of Jews (I could safely bet that in that one sq km a minimum of 80% inhabitants were Jews). Being a resident of the condo, we were members of the social club there where we regularly integrated with other residents. However, what we found was that most of the activities were revolving around their own culture - and while they would plan activities for and around Christmas, they would definitely not have any mass social activities during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Most of them were either a first generation or second generation Canadians. However, in social activities they had wine and cheese parties, vegetarian food potlucks, theater, Casino Rama and poker. They never planned for Raptors games, clubbing, Maple Leafs.

So are they Canadians or Jews????? (many of them being from Russia and Poland).

B) There were three ladies who planned most of the activities - the eldest and most impressive of them being one who was about 75 years of age. We invited her to our place, and she invited us to hers for coffee and we often talked about my unemployed status and how I was not able to make it here in Canada. (However just the fact that I was a resident of that condo where I was paying a rental of 2,000 plus made her believe that I was a professional who had done well in his career before coming to Canada). After two years or so her advice from 'Years of experience' was that while she liked us being there, for our own benefit, we should move out of that place and start living in a place where more South Asians lived. She said this \" Living here, you will be able to interact with us and even develop some of our tastes, however, all those surrounding you will only talk nicely to you, but never go out and help you settle down in this country. Even if they have or know of jobs that you can fit into very well, they will never help you. The only people who can do this is your own community. All over the world, a person or family is always helped by people of their own community - outsiders just spend the good times with you.\"

2. My wife, when studying in York, had two natives with her in the course - one was a teacher/professor and another a student. A few times that she spoke about we being immigrants and not being recognised by the Canadians, they would angrily remark - which Canadians? The white canadians are nothing but immigrants who settled here before you Asians did. What do they know about real Canadians - we the natives. They fought and made their place here. If you guys fight for recognition, soon you Asians will be the Canadians that everyone will talk about.

So isn't being Canadian just a perspective of each generation?

Chandresh

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Chandresh

Advice is free – lessons I charge for!!

Personally I think that the Indians who live cocooned in certain areas of the GTA and only once in a while venture out are also an integral part of Canada.

My brother in law lives in Mumbai in a high rise. Right in front of him are 'jhoparpatis' where fisherfolk live. The only thing common between him and them is probably the TV programs. They live in completely different worlds, yet each form an integral part of Mumbai.
Similarly, the Caucasian Cans here can live differently and certain Indians can live differently in separate worlds and still form part of an integral Canadian society. However these articles are written by people who have a different mindset and tend to think that certain people cannot integrate because they don't do this that or the other.

Basically, how is integration defined- forget the dictionary definition- even I can look it up. At the end of the article multiculturalism is defined but not integration.

Is the two step bhangra song playing on the Canadian airwaves (103.5 FM) a step towards integration- that the mainstream radio is playing a bhangra song-that The Star reports more and more on the South Asian scene?

Is the fact that Indian food is getting the attention of more and more Caucasians also a part of integration?

Can South Asians integrate with the Chinese or Jews here? Chandresh just gave an example where a Jewish lady told him politely to go where more South Asians are- is that an example of Jews not wanting South Asians in their midst?

I am of Indian origin but cannot mingle and talk with many other Indians here who aren't on the same wavelength. I am sure the same applies with the Caucasian folk. I know it does. Does that mean they and we do not integrate with each other and amongst ourselves?

This integration stuff - I really don't know what to make of it.

Quote:

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Originally posted by shankaracharya

Some information related but not really relevant to the discussion above is that we will always be confused about our true identity just like the african americans in USA.

Recently 50 Cent(Curtis Jackson - Rapper) called Oprah Winfrey a Oreo Cookie(black on the outside/white on the inside). Another Oriental was accused by their own people as a banana(yellow on outside and white inside).

I know many Desis in India who are Coconut's(brown outside/white inside).

The confusion exists, persists and will remain!.

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I want to Live Canadian way of Life, what should I do?

Shall I Stop -
- speaking Mother Tongue at Home?
- eating Roti, Sabzi & Daal?
- going to Temple every once in a while?
- watching Cricket?
- touching feet of Elders?
- celebrating Diwali, Navratri, Holi, ... ... ...?
- bringing home cooked Indian food for Lunch?
- liking for other Indians?
- wearing Kurta Pyjama outside in Summer?
- listening to Jagjit-Chitra & waiting for his concert?
- drinking Chhas?
- living with parents (not here currently, but will be - hopefully)?
- knocking on my Uncle's door without calling him first?
there could be many more

***

I Don't think answer to any of above is YES. I have Adopted this Country. But that does not mean I dont like the way of Indian Living. I still do what ever I was doing there (some exceptions applied) & at the same time I have always been open to change.

To me Integration is just about Accepting Changes and Adopting to whatever you could and whatever you think makes sense to you. But just don't drag anything to Extreme. You'll find like minded 'non-indian' people also.

80% of time I bring Lunch. When I am not, We go to Dim-Sum, Italian, Mexican, Greek, Indian, American, Canadian. So much so that I bring my family to these Restaurants and they go to 'Brar' & 'The Host' for Buffet.

[Quote] So isn't being Canadian just a perspective of each generation?[/Quote]
Exactly it is all Perspective. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Depends which side of yours is visible to person.

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Mumbai Maazi Ladki ...