A multicultural cocktail - that's me!

I’ve always been 50%. ?

Half Swedish (from my mom) - and half Indian (from my dad).?But somehow those 50+50 have always felt like they equal more than 100%.?

I was born in India in 1985, and lived in a pink house in a town called Hyderabad. The house was covered in bougainvillea - not that I really remember anything from when I was 0-3 years old. Maybe I just remember what I’ve seen in pictures?

When I was 3 we moved from India to Sweden. My experience of being half indian in Sweden is a really good one. Maybe because I had a Swedish mother and I was bilingual from the start.?

I’ve grown up feeling different - but definitely not in a bad way. I know I’m extremely privileged. Growing up in Sweden, I’ve just had that extra little “spice” that I’ve always felt came from my indian side. People treated me as though I was exotic, not an outsider or intruder.?

Today I know how lucky I am that was my experience. So many people with a foreign background do not get treated well or accepted at all. I’m sure there might have been times when I was excluded on paper because of my “weird” last name - but lucky for me I’ve been oblivious to that.

I’m sure there might have been times when I was excluded on paper because of my “weird” last name - but lucky for me I’ve been oblivious to that.

My dads experience coming to Sweden as an Indian man was different than mine. He went from a well paid executive role to starting over in a foreign country - where they speak another language (that I’ve heard is quite hard to learn).?

The company he was with at the time was ?kerlund & Rausing, and they thought that he was the only one relocating from india so they had found him a one room apartment. The three of us, my mom, dad and I,? squeezed together and lived there all together. Funny thing is that I have really cozy memories from that time…?

After a while we moved to something bigger, and soon after that my little brother Max was born.?

My dad lost his job 2 or 3 times directly after arriving in Sweden due to cut-backs, but somehow always landed on his feet and got his job back. I’m sure that was because of his charm and ability to connect with people. He was always such a master connector.?

My dad lost his job 2 or 3 times directly after arriving in Sweden due to cut-backs, but somehow always landed on his feet and got his job back. I’m sure that was because of his charm and ability to connect with people. He was always such a master connector.?

When I was young, I would find it embarrassing that he spoke to everyone, even the cashier in the food store. But now I miss it. And I know that it’s one of the best characteristics there is. One that I hope I’ve inherited at least a percentage of.?

I’m really proud of my mixed heritage. I don’t think about it or talk about it often, but I realised it really has defined me as a person more than I’ve thought. It’s the reason I started my second company - a shop selling Indian handicrafts in Sweden. Products made by Indian women, where the proceeds helped them become independent earners.?

I’m really proud of my mixed heritage. I don’t think about it or talk about it often, but I realised it really has defined me as a person more than I’ve thought.

And even if I don’t have the store anymore, I learned so much from it. From working with an Indian investor, grasping the cultural differences between how business is done in Sweden vs. India. And I’m still learning.?

This is just a part of my story.?Thanks for reading! Now tell me something about your story?

/M.

This article is part of a series about my story, if you like you can follow along as I will be posting every Monday.?