“Beta, be careful going up on the slide.”

“Beta, make sure you chew your food properly.”
“Beta, make sure you greet the guests.”
“Beta, I love you”
In the Telugu language, Beta is a term of endearment. This term was a common name that my family called me. Being the only child at that time, I was given all the love and endearment. I was born in Hyderabad, India. A time when everything was perfect and nothing could be ruined. My childhood was like a beautiful peach on a pear tree perching it’s heads towards the sun, glamorously glowing. I was the star child, I was the center of attention, I was the one that everyone adored. However, every sun has to set, and so did my fun. I was told that I was going to the United States to further my education. Absolutely stunned, I couldn’t understand why. I was still a 5 year old, and I was going to school in India, what was it necessary to go to America? However, on May 9th, 2004, I got into the KLM flight set to come to Chicago, IL. That changed my entire life.
“Jimmy, dear, I have asked you many times not to pull Vanessa’s hair.” The common occurrences that happened in an elementary school playground. The peculiarity of these beings confused me. I came from a culture where everyone interacted as if they were relatives. They hugged without a reason, but the familiarity that came out of those individuals shed warmth. People here were different. Everyone seemed so distant. People were always busy. Life just became busy, not fun. Difference is said to be the object that brings people together as a melting pot. However, it was the object that set me apart. That ostracized me from others. I was the object of ridicule because of my difference. I came from a different country and I was a different skin tone, however America was battling the war on terrorism, and not being white and not having the correct American ethic was truly detrimental. As a child of 5 or 6, I was absolutely oblivious to the events that were transpiring around me. However, some of my classmates weren’t. Comments such as “Hey paki, go back to your country,” spiraled down my body and struck me in the heart. The fact that was really bothering was that it was my classmate who said those words, someone who at a young age believed all those who were brown and different were terrorists. As a child, I was labeled and that made me hate myself and who I was. However, even though at that time I thought my sun has set, I failed to recognize that every setting sun also has to rise the next day. Some people are mean, but I finally met those who were good. At a time when I was just taking in insults upon insults, one person came to me and told me “Hey, nice to meet you, my name is Kia and I think it’s cool that you came from another country. I don’t know much about you, but if you like to play legos, you can come play with me.” That day we built a rocketship, and today we are still riding that rocket of friendship giving light to the darkness in life. There was a point in my life, my childhood, where I hated being in the place I was. However, it takes one person to make all the difference for you.
I am Nikil Badey. You might find it peculiar that I am introducing myself at the end. However, I can not have given you who I was without telling you what made me be who I am today. My childhood was infused with racial stereotypes, however one person made all the difference for me. They were the reason I got out of my shell and am who I am. Smile and aspire to inspire and make the change you want to see in this world.