When an Indian attempts to turn Boricua…Published in Daily Sun, Puerto Rico 2009

When I first came here with my Puerto Rican friend, now my husband, I was amazed at the beauty of Puerto Rico even before our plane landed. The aerial view of the island was astonishingly beautiful. While I admired the serene beauty of the island, I also wondered what would it mean to live in a small island. Having been raised in India, a country where over a billion people live, I was ignorant to the island lifestyle. Soon to my surprise, I was told that this is the bigger island compare to our other islands ‘Vieques, Culebra, Mono Island and Dececheo’. 
In addition to the differences in physical characteristics and size of the population, what struck me the most was the status of women. They looked way more in control of their lives than what I saw my mother or myself growing up. The dressing style was very different, although the Puerto Rican women looked equally sensual and gorgeous. 
Another culture shock for me was to see a pig being roasted, tied to a rod, in Guavate. At first glance, it didn’t look good at all, but once I tasted it, I was no more concerned about the amount of fat I was going to put on. I fell in love with the local cuisine but couldn’t forget the taste of food I grew up on. So, I embarked on the fusion food. For example I use ‘sofrito’ to prepare ‘ paneer’ (cottage cheese) and make ‘pollo pinchos’ with Indian ‘masalas’ (spicies). 
It was not very difficult to adjust to the new culture while I enjoyed the stunning beaches, exploring the potential natural wonder of the world, ‘El Yunque’, and driving on the curvy roads in the central mountain region. Here life goes on with the enchanting beats of the native music. The luxury of living Puerto Rico is to sleep to the natural lullabies of coquis’ every night.
The best part of this lovely country is the people, the ‘Boricuas’. My first encounter with a Puerto Rican family is unforgettable. Warm hugs, which were combined with unexpected kisses was a nice way to make me feel welcomed. That was just the beginning of my long-lasting association with Puerto Rico. After making three visits as a tourist, I agreed with my husband to move to Puerto Rico with our son. 
Surprisingly, there are also similarities between the two cultures. Like India, there are strong family bonds. For me personally, another thing that was similar was the divine environment in the church and the affection and care we received from our church members. In terms of food, basic Puerto Rican food, ‘Arroz y Habichuelas’ is also a common plate in India called, ‘Rajma Chawal’. Lastly and more importantly, just like an Indian is proud to be an Indian, a Puerto Rican is proud to be a Boricua. My deepest thanks to my husband and all my Puerto Rican friends for letting my son and I be a part of your society.