Life in an Alien Culture: A Note in Self-Reflection

Abstract

The present paper draws its inspiration from Aristotle’s declaration that man is a social animal who is incapable of living in isolation. It begins with my encounter with a place called Mahishadal, and digs into my personal journey, which led to the process of shaping and developing a sense of a ‘self ’. The paper is presented as a narrative of self-reflective and autobiographical writing, which gives an account of my new journey and shared experiences in a chronological order. It attempts to comprehend and explore everyday life practices through the description of a few incidents, focusing on the challenges and hardships I had to go through to be socially accepted in a different cultural setting. The paper narrates the dialectical phase of my journey, the experience of isolation, alienation, frustration and the moments of conforming partially to fit into the framework of ‘generalised others’. I am to unfold the process of mundane experience of interaction with both the ‘self ’ and socio-cultural environment, which has led to the development of my present identity. The paper explores the constant negotiation of ‘self ’ and social belonging, which offers an insight into the continuous interaction that showcases the individual’s survival in a new cultural milieu.