Hi! I’m Swara, I’m 11 years old, and I live in Wiesbaden. My ethnic background and roots are Indian, which means I get to live in two worlds at once. 😊 I think that’s pretty awesome! People sometimes ask me: “Are you Indian or German?” and I say both! This usually confuses them, but that’s okay. At home, my world is filled with the aromas of Indian delicacies, music, and spirituality. We speak Kannada and Marathi, watch Bollywood movies, and celebrate festivals like Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi.

On Diwali, we light up the house like a hundred stars (okay, maybe more like a hundred twinkling lights) and light up the mood with Indian sweets, traditional clothes, and celebrations with Indian family friends and the community.

At school, my world smells like pizza and pommes (fries!). 😊 We celebrate Halloween, Carnival, and Christmas, and I enjoy celebrating these with my classmates and friends. We learn multiple languages, like German, English, and French. I also have classmates who come from multicultural backgrounds, so we get to exchange and learn about each other’s cultures. We play games, talk about hobbies, make vacation plans, and sometimes even share secrets and viral trends! That’s what I love most about my friends—they make me feel special no matter what. ❤️

Everyone calls me “Swara,” but sometimes they say it like “Sara” or “Swaara,” and that’s totally fine. I just smile and help them learn how to say it properly. The funniest part of my day is lunchtime. My mom packs me Indian food (not every day, though—sometimes I get a sandwich too 😉). One day I had tamarind rice, another day an Indian sandwich, and sometimes even idli! My friends are always curious and ask, “What’s that?” and I proudly say, “It’s from India!” One time, I shared a snack called Makhana (spicy roasted lotus seeds) with my German friends, and they loved it! They even asked for more. I’m like, “Now I’m officially the snack queen!” 😄

Sometimes I miss my extended family and grandparents back in India, but I always remind myself to stay motivated. I try to make the best use of living in Germany by working hard, having fun, and making my family proud.

Living between two cultures has taught me something really special: I don’t have to choose one over the other. I can love Indian dances and Western dances, eat Dal Makhani and burgers, and speak Hindi and German. I embrace both cultures and their values. Because I’m not just Indian or Western—I’m both. ✨