An Indian girl residing in Houston, Texas, has caught the web’s consideration after sharing a humorous tackle how her expectations of life within the US differed from actuality. In an Instagram video, Atufa Sherwani stated that she had imagined America because the nation typically portrayed on tv, with New York-style streets, folks strolling in all places, cute espresso retailers and chilly climate.
“Y’all, once I moved to America, I assumed I used to be transferring to America. However I moved to Houston as a substitute, and Houston will not be the identical America I noticed on TV,” Atufa stated within the video.
She recalled anticipating “New York streets and folks strolling in all places, cute little espresso retailers, blonde folks saying, ‘Oh my God,’ and suburban neighbourhoods the place everybody is aware of tips on how to experience a motorbike.”
Nevertheless, she stated that life in Houston got here with a really totally different actuality. “In Houston, you at all times need to get within the automobile. Need to get meals? Get within the automobile. Need to verify the mail? Get within the automobile,” she stated.
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The climate was one other shock for Atufa. Having grown up in India, she stated that she had imagined transferring to America would imply lastly experiencing nice, chilly climate. “However Houston stated, ‘Now we have two climate: sizzling and barely much less sizzling,'” she joked.
She additionally stated that she initially anticipated English to dominate on a regular basis life within the US. As an alternative, Houston’s multicultural surroundings uncovered her to a number of languages in the identical areas.
“So yeah, I moved to Houston, not America,” she stated on the finish of the video.
Within the caption of the put up, Atufa defined that her expectations have been formed by what she had seen and heard whereas rising up in India. “Rising up in India, I had this image of America in my head: skyscrapers, snowfall, everybody talking English, and celebrities casually strolling across the malls. However seems, that is not precisely the America I moved to,” she wrote.
Atufa advised HT.com that she grew up in Aligarh and moved to the US round 15 years in the past. Her journey finally took her to Houston, which she described as being crammed with “distinctive struggles and studying curves”. She presently lives in Houston along with her husband and works as a Cytogenetics Scientific Laboratory Specialist.
“I deeply love each international locations. As a brand new content material creator, I take advantage of satire to speak about actual, generally taboo subjects like cultural variations and the conflict between expectations and actuality. My objective is to make folks smile via comedy and motivation, and most significantly, to attach with girls in India, the US, and in all places who aspire to do extra. I wish to encourage them to step into their confidence, make choices primarily based on their very own potential, and by no means cease studying,” she added.
She additionally credited her mom for taking part in a significant position in her life. “Loads of who I’m as a robust, opinionated girl at this time is due to my mother. She is my greatest assist system,” she stated.
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Social media reactions
A number of customers stated that they may relate to Atufa’s observations about transferring to Texas.
One consumer wrote, “Haha so true! Up right here in The Woodlands space questioning the place the film model of America went.”
“I moved from 26years of Bay Space to Houston.. sizzling and fewer sizzling is true,” commented one other.
“Sure!!! Somebody lastly stated it on SM I obtained scammed within the identify of America 22 years once I moved to Dallas. I could not get out of there quick sufficient. I nonetheless do not stay in a metropolis however I stay in essentially the most lovely peaceable rural New Mexico America which really would not actually really feel like America and Im pleased with that,” wrote a 3rd consumer.
