The Coconut Culture

"My Life as a Pakistani Hindu in Modern Pakistan" ft. Prekshi Boparai

Social Media can both make and break stereotypes. Everyone knows the contentious state in which post-colonial Hindustan was left in and how the partition resulted in religious divides, many injustices and hurt sentiments. We seldom hear positive stories so, an Instagram reel on life in Pakistan initiated by Pakistani Hindu influencers Deepna Rajput and Prekshi Boparai along with their younger cousin, created much buzz on social media. We sat down with Prekshi Boparai (@prekshi.boparai), a social...

Has An Academically Driven Culture Affected Our Health? - About Diabetes, Arthritis & Lifestyle Management with Dr. Srikanth Nithyanandam

For many of us, time spent playing or engaging in sports is time wasted on academics! If you grew up in a south Asian household, you would be lucky to have family and society actively encourage you to participate in extracurriculars. This narrative couldn't be truer for our guest this episode, Dr. Srikanth Nithyanandam. Having been raised predominantly in south India, interspersed with his trips to meet his parents in Thailand, he grew up seeing two different lifestyles. This unique experience h...

"Understanding My South Asian Body" | Surprising Facts About Our Health and Fitness with Dr. Preyasi Kothari

Talking about the south Asian body can be complicated one as it is often associated with physical appearance that is constantly under scrutiny by south Asian 'aunties' and family members. But, way beyond our appearance or weight, there are so many other factors that determine your health. We talk to Dr. Preyasi Kothari to guide us through how our genetics may put us at risk for certain ailments and how we should be rethinking how we care for our bodies specific to those risk factors. Dr. Preyasi...

"We recently moved from India and my child is having trouble coping" | Advice on Culture Clash, Dating, Bullying, Academics, and Thoughts on Moving Back

In this episode, we tackle a question commonly asked by NRI parents who move abroad with their growing child, particularly those approaching puberty and teenagers. Parenting teens can be tough but nurturing them while they navigate a different world outside and within (aka hormones) can be quite stressful for both parent and child. Tune in for an open and honest conversation with practical advice from our hosts Nimi & Keerthi!

Kids Raised in Two Cultures & Countries | The Mind of Third Culture Kids

In this minisode, host Keerthi Jan, an academic writer with degrees in psychology and health systems management, walks you through the advantages and challenges of a child raised in two different countries and cultures. Their world view is a result of not just psychological, but some neurological components as well. Third culture kids (TCKs) are often misunderstood and characterised by their ability to camouflage their traits that stand out and blend into any society as adults. But, how true is ...

Starting from Scratch as Indian Immigrant in Sweden ft. Aarty Gurung | Family Dynamics, Swedish Society & Life Expedition

Aarty Gurung ( @close_to_sunshine on Instagram) hails from Dehradun in India. She and her husband had fallen in love with Sweden from during their many travels across the globe. But of all the countries they had visited, Sweden beckoned their hearts again and again. Having had settled in India with a strong community, family, and the luxuries of having an established business called Armour in Dehradun, they finally took the courageous step to act upon their calling. Along with their thirteen-yea...

Investing and Managing Money As Millenial & Gen-Z South Asians | A Global Perspective ft. Raji Kaippallil

Raji Kaippallil is a millenial money expert, British Bank Awards finalist and astute financial coach @financewithraji who gives direct answers to our money and investing questions. As south Asians, the emphasis on saving and bargaining is well ingrained into our minds, but has this contributed to a scarcity mindset prevalent in many millenials of our culture? Where should we start with investing? Which country? Raji talks about how a multicultural view made her think about money differently and ...

How South Asian Society Can Impact Our Happiness | Talking Family with Dr. Flora Sinha

Dr. Flora Sinha is an internal medicine physician and a mindset transformation coach. With a passion for spreading awareness on infertility as an IVF warrior herself, she gets candid about the pressures of society as a woman in desi circles and how we, through her examples, can also set boundaries to protect our mental health. Hailing from a Gujarati-American immigrant family, she provides first-hand advice on coming to grips with bicultural identity and passing down culture to the next generati...

Are Desi Kids Raised Abroad More Sensitive? | A Case Study on Apu (The Simpsons) and Raj (The Big Bang Theory)

In this infotainment episode, we take a look at the perception of culturally sensitive issues by sociologically dissecting the the case of Apu from The Simpsons and Raj from The Big Bang Theory. Peppered with personal anecdotes and opinions from Keerthi and Nimi's lives, this episode is bound to get you wondering if, by popular opinion, first-generation abroad raised Desis are softer and more easily offended than their native counterparts.

What is it REALLY like as a Desi immigrant in America today? Interview with Priya Bajaj

Priya Bajaj, who founded @itsokyaaar with her husband shortly after immigrating to the US from India, shares with us her take on being a first-generation immigrant and the challenges that come with it. Immigration isn't a journey for everyone but it definitely has its perks. We discuss all things marriage, relationships, friendships, mental health and society. This episode has something that almost all first-gen immigrants can relate to.

Learning About Modern Desi Culture and College Life as an Indian American

In this episode, Dr. Nimi talks about how her family and her thought that pursuing a medical education in India, even though she had completed her schooling in the Bay Area, CA, was the best route for her future and whether she really recommends it for others. She also addresses the not-so-uncommon practice of Desi immigrants sending their second-generation children back to their countries of origin to pursue a higher education (particularly in the medical arena) and the potential challenges the...

The Impact of Moving Countries as a Child - Peer Groups, Academic Struggles and More

In this episode, Nimi and Keerthi discuss what it is like to adjust to an education system in India when coming from and American public school system. They talk about difficulties in socializing, various culture shocks they experienced, their expectations versus the reality of an Indian society and much, much more. Keerthi shares her take on whether moving as a child has been made easier in the current era as opposed to the early 2000's and things that children and parents should mentally prepa...

Thoughts on Identity Crisis Among Children of Immigrants

In this mini episode, Keerthi shares some notes to her childhood self that went through an identity crisis and how she learned to overcome the challenges of being understood among her peers after moving countries as a child. It also comes with tips for adults while Keerthi shares, in her opinion, a solution for an identity crisis.

Exploring Multicultural Identities and Immigration

In this episode we start by exploring the different origins behind South Asian immigration. We also touch upon our own cultural identities and the complexities in being forced to identify with one culture while dismissing the influence of another.

Thoughts on Strict Parenting in South Asian Families and the Over Achieving Asian Child Trope

In this mini episode, co-host Keerthi talks about the degrees of strictness in parenting with particular focus on ‘Tiger Parenting’ in south Asian families and how children of immigrants are impacted in particular. So what is an ideal parent? Listen in to find out!

About Us, the TCC Podcast and Our Cultural Background

Hi! We are Nimi and Keerthi. In this episode, we talk about our inspiration behind the name The Coconut Culture and what this podcast is about. We share our immigration stories, cultural and professional backgrounds. Everyone's immigration story is unique, even within a group of people emigrating from the same country or even family! SO many factors contribute to those unique experiences and in this episode we give a quick outline on which factors can affect the average South Asian immigrant and...

The Coconut Culture (Trailer)