Asian Growing Up in American

Vinesh Viswanathan, Age 11
Saratoga
Redwood Midle School

Fear overloaded my heart when I was standing in line to board the ride at Great America called Top Gun. Throughout the time I was standing in line, I kept repeating the names of Rama and Krishna in my mind.I didn't say these words aloud because I feared the people around me would think I was weird. I would not have attempted to ride Top Gun if it wasn't for my best friend Chris. He encouraged me to try riding Top Gun even though I was really freaked out. I like it when my friends encourage me to do something outrageous without doing any harm to others or myself. But I strongly- dislike them forcing me into doing anything.

Finally it was our turn to board the ride. At the beginning of the ride, we went up a slope. I kept singing Vecra Maruti (a religious song about a Hindu god of courage and strength) in a soft voice until I was half way up the slope when Chris told me to calm down and just enjoy the ride. I was glad he told me to calm down because my throat was getting sore and I was feeling like a baby singing songs to myself while going up the slope. Since he was my best friend, I trusted him and just tried to enjoy the ride.

At the end of the ride, I said, "Boy am I glad I listened-to your advice Chris". Then we gave each other a high five with joy. At the same time, I was saying something to myself. "If it wasn't for Chris, I wouldn't have gone anywhere near that ride." Even now I think about how Chris made a long lasting imprint of an exciting experience in my life.

Chris has been a good friend to me ever since we met in kindergarten. He is a good friend for specific reasons.

He treats me like any normal person ignoring that I believe in a different culture and have different color skin. I humble and meek person in elementary school so I used to get bullied by other kids. But Chris was always there stand up for me. That's why I was elited to choose Chris a good friend.

Time and again, I leave noticed that minority culture are being ridiculed in this society. One time when I finished eating my dinner, I decided to sit on the couch and watch Television. I decided to watch a popular show called The Simpsons. While I was watching one part of The Simpsons, I became very angry. One of the characters, Homer, made fun of my culture's god, Ganesha, because his elephant head. Homer asked the Indian store owner about the picture of Ganesha. He said, "What do you feed him, peanuts?". The thing I didn't appreciate about the comment was that the producer was ridiculing a minor religion in public. This provided my schoolmates a good weapon to use to ridicule me the following day at school was so depressed that I came home complaining to my about how unfair the life is.

Chris is not my only good friend. I have lots of Asian and non-Asian friends. Most of my friends are Asian because my parents have many Asian friends. I play with their children who eventually become my friends. Most my non-Asian friends are from my school or other course take on my own. Whether it is my Asian friends or non- Asian friends, I treat them all alike. I hope this society will have more people like Chris who respect people. without caring about their heritage. I also hope other television program producers do not insult or ridicule minorities' way of life or their heritage or religious beliefs