#WhyDoWe Are you part of the race? Do you care if you win or lose?⁠ ⁠ During one of my morning readings recently I came across this little gem of a phrase in Gujarati:⁠ ⁠ "મારે હરિફાઇમાં નથી ઉતરવું, ખાલી જોવું છે કે કોણ પહેલો આવ્યો અને કોણ હાંફી ને થાકી ગયો"⁠ ⁠ Maare Harifaai maa nathi utrarvu, khaali jove chhe ke kon pehelo aavyo ane kon haafi ne thaaki gayo.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ There is more to life than simply winning or losing. We all strive to be the "BEST" at what we do, we want to be on the top, gain the fame, the respect, the wealth, and the freedom that we associate with all of this. "I choose not to be part of the race, I simply observe who comes first and who is panting trying"⁠ ⁠ There is so much freedom when we allow ourselves not to be in the race. I know for many this idea may not work as winning is everything. I think doing our best in every situation equals to being fully present in whatever we choose to do. This smile in my picture reminds of the freedom I feel when I give myself permission to be better and better version of myself and not compare my journey to someone else's. ⁠ ⁠ Do you think winning is important? Is it a motivation to give it your all?⁠ Let me know what you think! Join my email list to be in touch when I have new and exciting things happening with Sanskar Teaching!

Because deciding to learn a new language is an enormous task for most of us, there are a lot of myths swirling around about the process. I have many, many years of teaching Indian dialects to mostly expats of all ages ranging from PreSchool through Adult. We do classes in live group settings on Zoom, which I have found is the fastest way to get the most results. But there are also lots of other ways to start or progress. We offer digital courses you can take at your own pace if you just want to dabble. We are also developing a mobile app for those of you on the go. You can get to fluency many different ways. Here I am going to debunk the kind of thinking that stops people from even starting. Gaining enough fluency to be conversational and to create the kinds of connections that a common language does to the people and culture of the language, is the most important thing. I hope I can encourage to start. Myth #1: You're Too Old Since the end result of learning a new language is known to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's Disease...I say you are probably NEVER too old to learn one! The benefits outweigh any challenges. This idea of being too old comes from the "Critical Period Hypothesis" that has to do with brain plasticity. Researchers from three Boston-based universities did a study with 2/3 of a million respondents that showed that to obtain the grammatical fluency and accent of a native speaker, it is best to begin language learning before age 10. Myth #2: You Can Learn Languages While You Sleep How great would it be if we could learn a language while we sleep?! Unfortunately, there's not a lot of evidence supporting 'hypnopaedic learning'. Studies have shown that re-exposure during non-REM sleep of words learned while awake does seem to improve the remembering of the words. It is known that if you read something before going to sleep, your brain, in the Slow Wave Stage, organizes the information and creates better recall of that information. Little of what you 'learn' while sleeping will be easily recalled in your waking state. Myth #3: You Can't Learn More Than one Language at a Time Think about children in bilingual households. They start day one learning two languages simultaneously. It's possible. And it is no big deal. For adults, learning two languages is more about motivation than anything else. It takes perseverance and focus, primarily because you will need to cognitively discern one from the other. Even though it can be done, I personally recommend, in our busy worlds these days, choosing one language and mastering it, then taking all that great brain flexibility you've developed and turn your attention to the next language. You will have the sense of making greater progress more quickly doing one at a time. Myth #4: Immersion is the Best Way Sounds good, but for the most part an almost impossible thing to achieve. Most people will get away with speaking their native language as much as possible if they can get away with it. If English is your native language, you can almost always find someone who speaks English to help you when you get stuck. Myth #5: You Need to have a natural 'Gift' to Master another Language There is some speculation that there is a special strand of DNA that makes your brain more adept at learning a language. But speculation is all it is. There is no science to back that up. And if you think about it logically...any child, anywhere in the world, has the ability to learn that native language. Your aptitude for learning a new language is equal to that of everyone else! If you are struggling with a new language, chances are you just need to practice more. So go for it! Myth #6: Learning Two Languages Will Confuse Your Child When young children are learning two languages simultaneously sometimes you will find they use words from one of the languages in a sentence primarily of the other, or they may mix up the grammar rules, but this is totally normal. By about age 4, this will get mostly figured out and eventually it will be no problem at all. Kids are smart. They got this and then you have a bilingual child in the family! Myth #7: You Should Learn to Read/Write at the Same Time you learn to Speak Not true! Speaking fluency and Writing fluency are two different skills and thus are best learned separately. Since speaking often has more application for people, I recommend mastering your speaking skills and THEN begin learning to read and write. Many language programs begin by teaching reading and writing most likely because it is easier to teach than speaking. But, again, use your common sense and think about how do most of us begin learning our very first language? By speaking it as babies and children. So begin there as well with language number 2. Myth #8: If You Didn't Learn a Second Language as a Child, it will be very difficult as an Adult One area where child learners perform better than adolescents and adults is in pronunciation. It may appear that an Adult learning another language is doing more poorly however this potentially results from the fact that Adult and Adolescent sentence structure is, of course, more complex than a young child's, thus gives the appearance of being more challenging. As for learning, it seems that older humans actually perform overall better than young children in language acquisition, partially because they have developmental fortitude to focus and practice longer and more. A study published by UCLA shows that Adults pick up word order and relationship between words faster. Truth is, the brain can learn and grow at any age. Now that you see what you thought was impossible, is actually quite easy, you can start for free by popping over to my Youtube channel, subscribing and watching all kinds of fun language content. Then when you are ready, come sign up for one of our classes and let's get started! Let's keep in touch on all of the ways you can learn - live classes, online self paced courses, freebie guides, and more!

Let's keep in touch on language learning and culture - join my email list!dd#WhyDoWe Tell me you are Desi without telling me you are Desi... ⁠ I have noticed many Gujarati people have an obsession with these "Jada blankets". My parents even took them to India. I don't know why, but some of us get cold frequently, so we like these thick blankets.⁠ ⁠ After getting married, I was at a family wedding and noticed during the Mosaalu vidhi these giant "Dhaabadaa"(blankets) coming out and being given to people as part of the "Vehchan"(gifting) and I was a little surprised. These blankets are thick and we do love them. My family used to get them from Mexico as we live near the border, but I know many Hispanic stores carry them as well. ⁠ ⁠ Have you seen them? If your family doesn't own them, what blankets do you use? Do you get your "Rajaai" or "Sudani" shipped from India? We have a set of those comfy India blankets as well! While I can't find the exact blankets, here is a very nice smattering of thick, heavy throw blankets if you feel like a little browsing... Let's keep in touch on language learning and culture - join my email list!

#WhyDoWe What is a Desi phrase you heard all the time growing up?⁠ ⁠ "MARA MATHA PAR MOOK"⁠ ⁠ Whenever I asked my mommy where should I put something growing up, that's the answer I usually got... "Put it on your head!"😃 There are quite a few phrases like this that are part of our daily vocabulary as Gujarati folks! Others I hear all the time include:⁠ ⁠ 💮 Tel levaa jaa (Literally go get oil, meaning do whatever you want)⁠ 💮 Maathu naa khayish (Stop eating my head - leave me alone)⁠ 💮 Dahaapan naa kar (Stop being a smarty pants)⁠ 💮 Tatiyaa ni kadhi thayi gayi (Legs feel like kadhi - my legs hurt)⁠ 💮 Matha nu dahi naa karish (Stop making yogurt out of head - stop bothering me)⁠ 💮 Mathu ne batharaa (Head and two stones - leave it alone)⁠ 💮 Taare bahu panchaat (What do you care)⁠ What are some of the phrases you grew up with? I know there are probably so many more, so don't hold back! I'd love to hear what you know in Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi or any other language you speak. Want to learn fun phrases and more about an Indian language? Sign up for my email list to be notified about language classes! #whydowe #desiphrases #gujarati #indianlanguages ⁠ ⁠

#WhyDoWe So, tell me you are Desi without telling me you are Desi. 🤣🤣 ⁠ For the longest time I thought this is how everyone in the world celebrated their birthdays! At Desi birthdays, you see people actually feeding the cake to the birthday boy or girl (even when they are much much older, like 90 something!). You will hear "your turn, now you feed her/him" and then take a picture with that person. ⁠⁠ ⁠ The "Happy Birthday to you" song is not enough. "Baar baar din e aaye..." and until you wish Sunita happy birthday it's not complete (#iykyk)😂. Many New Age Desi folks cringe at this, and feel this is so "FOBBY". But you will always have an uncle, aunty, or a grandparent that will bust out this to feel like they are fully celebrating. ⁠ ⁠ Hugs and"pa ge laagavaanu"(Peri pona - touching the feets of your elders and taking blessings) along with money envelopes is a normal thing in many families like ours. Good Desi food, Bollywood music, games, and laughter will complete a Desi birthday celebration! ⁠ How do you celebrate birthdays in your family? Let's connect! I would love to update you whenever something new and exciting is happening. #whydowe #birthdays #traditions #celebration

#WhyDoWe NAAGPANCHAMI Many of us are scared of snakes. That makes sense, as many snakes are poisonous! However, in a farming country like India, snakes are important for farmers as they keep rodents and other creatures away from the fields. In Gujarati, "Saap" is snake and "Naag" is a Cobra. In the Hindu religion, Naag and Seshnaag are considered very important. It is believed that Brahma created Seshnaag, Shivji and wore it around his neck. Vishnuji rests on Seshnaag in the Ocean. Naag Panchami is the day that we show our gratitude to these wonderful creatures. ⁠On this day farmers are grateful to snakes and cobras for protecting their farms. It is great that we have a special day for snakes, but I think that compassion towards all the creatures in this world should be our goal. Do you know of Naag Panchami? How do you celebrate it? RAANDHAN CHHUTH & SHITALAA SAATAM Raandhan chhuth is the day before Shitalaa saatam, which some folks know as "TAADHI HIRI". It is the day to prepare all the good food you wish to eat on the Saatam, such as Vadaa and more. If you follow this festival, this is the one day in the year folks give their "Chulo" (stove) a break and eat cold food. ⁠ We are a culture of showing gratitude towards all things that are part our day to day lives. Stoves create fire every day so we can cook our food and eat delicious meals. On this day, we show gratitude towards these machines that make our lives better. Those who understand the value of all things (alive or not) that help make our lives better, invite calm and cool energy (Shital - cool).⁠ There is a tale associated with this festival, you can hear me share it on our Youtube channel. Do you follow and practice 'Shitalaa saatam' or "taadhi seeri"? What do you do? NORI NEM On the ninth day of Shraavan is a day celebrated by many married women, especially mothers in some parts of Gujarat who choose to follow this "vrat". I didn't actually know of this until I got married, as this was not very popular in Baroda side. Many of you may know this as the day we eat vardoo (sprouted 9 beans -mung beans, alfalfa, lentils, chickpeas, and adzuki beans. fava, kidney, black, navy, and pinto beans), rotlaa, bor keriyaa (pickeled mangoes and veggies), raw onion, kachoo tel, milk and unminced/chopped marchoo. Women who had difficulty conceiving or had children whose health was weak when they were babies, took "baadhaa"(promise to the gods) to feed other women rotlaa and vadoo on this auspicious day. Many also create a statue of a Mongoose out of flour, or buy a silver/gold one and pray, show gratitude, and do puja. Over a period of time it became an excuse for many women to get together and eat a simple meal.⁠ Overall, this is a day all about protection and well-being of children. You may wonder why does one eat raw and not "peelelu" on this day? You can listen to the story of "Nori Nem" I will be posting on our Youtube channel today to learn why this is. The power or faith, community, control, and hope is what makes women in our culture very strong. This is the day to eat simple food that are easy to digest, believe that our children are protected, and focus on all the goodness coming our way. ⁠ Do you or have you ever celebrated Nori Nem? What do you do differently on this day? ⁠ SHRAAVAN MAHINAA Do you like the smell of "Agarbatti"(incense) or "dhoop"?⁠ 🌺⁠ ⁠ Shraavan Mahinaa no Treejo Somvaar (Third Monday in the month of Shraavan)⁠ ⁠ One of my most favorite memories is going to visit my grandma in her gaam. When I would walk into the house, I would smell the subtle aroma of sandalwood that she would burn daily. It was not the strong perfumed smell that some of the "agarbatti" have these days. I guess you can say I am a bit of an "agarbatti" snob, when it comes to these incense sticks! I am very particular on the smell, the smoke, and subtleness. ⁠ ⁠ For some of us this month is all about connecting with the divine power - Shakti - and this looks different for all of us. You may choose to fast the whole month, you may choose to fast once a week or once a month, you may choose to do "mala", you may choose to meditate more, you may choose to read more spiritual books, or you may choose to light diya and dhoop daily this month. Regardless of what you choose to do, I wish that you find peace, calm and connectivity to God. There are no wrong or right way of doing this in my opinion. Clean heart, pure intentions and actions! ⁠ How are you celebrating Shraavan and are you #teamagarbatti? ⁠ I hope you enjoyed reading all about these special days! Plan ahead for the Indian Festivals with my free Festivals Calendar! Sign up for my email list to always be up to date on class openings and other exciting events! #whydowe #indianfestivals #norinem #shraavan #naagpanchami #raandhanchhuth #Agarbatti #ShraavanMahinaa

#WhyDoWe Tell me you are Desi without telling me you are Desi... ⁠ If you own a "Saavarani" "zaadu" or "peenchhi" raise your hand ✋🏾 This particular broom is a little different than the ones you see in western homes. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the actual type of Saavarani we grew up with but this one is close enough. ⁠🧹⁠ When I was younger I was rebellious (Yes, shocking I know 😄), one of the ways my mom used to love to discipline me and my siblings was using this. No, no she didn't beat us with this, although unfortunately, some parents may have. We got the task of "kacharaa potu". We lived in a tiled house and this is before the days of vacuums and mops. Houses got dusty a lot in India so most places have a "Kaam vaali bai" (housemaid) that comes in once or twice a day to sweep and mop your house. Not in our house, whenever I was out of line or didn't listen I got the task of cleaning the house. Let me tell you ours was one of the cleanest houses in the society because between the three of us siblings well just my sister and I we did a lot of "Kacharaa potu" (Kacharo vaar - sweep the dust, potu maar - mop the floor).! ⁠ Do you own a "Saavarani"? What do you call it in your house? What do you remember about it?⁠ Sign up for my email list to stay in touch for all things Desi! #whydowe #kacharo #kacharapotu #Saavarani #desi #gujaraticulture #indianparenting

#WhyDoWe What was self care and meditative life like for our grandparents? ⁠ ⁠ SHRAVAN MAHINO - Shraavan Month. Google may say it started in July, however per our Gujarati calendar it begins August 9th 2021. ⁠ Imagine a young couple working hard in the fields and at home, living with an extended family. Hard, labor-intense work in the fields for the man of the house, while the woman maintained and held the house front with children and elders in the house. The monsoon season comes in the month of "asaadh" and work slows down a bit. Mother Earth is covered in lush, green vegetation in the month of "Shravan".⁠ This is a Hindu and Gujarat tradition ⁠ Instead of simply taking a walk in nature, the couple chooses to thank the lord that blessed them with this natural beauty. In olden days, most villages had a temple of Shivaji, and most folks chose to walk over to the temple in gratitude that "Bhagawan I planted one seed and in turn you gave me thousands back." Sometimes, these temples were far, and it would get late coming home, so they would eat fruits, and even have just one meal. The time that was saved from cooking and cleaning was spent in "bhajan kirtan" and praising God. People encouraged each other "Darshan kari aavyaa? Chaalo jayiye, jaav to mane letaa jajo" (Did you go for Darshan at the temple? If you go, please take me with you).⁠ ⁠ What a wonderful way our ancestors weaved in these traditions and rituals to allow them to reconnect with the Divine, pause, breathe and appreciate Mother Nature. Many of us know that Shraavan mahino (month) is synonymous with fasting and eating one meal. Our ancestors did this so they can dedicate the saved time in Bhakti, and some of us do it so we can shed some pounds these days. Whatever your reason may be, may we all feel the grounding energy of this month and spend some time connecting in gratitude with the Divine power. ⁠ ⁠ There are many other rituals associated with Shraavan besides "Ek taanu"(eating one meal) fasting and we will be sharing them for the next 4 Mondays (Shraavan naa somvaar)⁠ ⁠ What is your fondest memory of Shraavan Mahino? Are you fasting the entire month or just one day or on Somvaars? Join my email list for more of language, traditions, and culture discussion! #whydowe #Shraavan #Somvaars #fasting #gujaratitradition

#WhyDoWe Tell me you are Desi without telling me you are Desi... Rotli no dabbo - Roti dabaa⁠ ⁠ I remember when we spent our summers in my Dada's house in the small village, there were no rotli no dabbo because they only made fresh rotlis, and we ate what we ate and shared the rest with the workers. There was no need to store them. In the city where we lived, it was necessary to have a container with a lid to keep the rotis fresh and warm. My mom had a round, stainless steel dabbo, and we loved coming home from school and opening it to find garam garam rotlis in there. If it was our lucky day, it would have some Puris (fried puffed little ones) in there.⁠ ⁠ In small villages, people use a "Chaab"or "topli" - small basket with a towel to cover the fresh rotlis as well. Over the last few years, these fancy "keep your roti hot" containers came in the market. Milton no dabbo became very popular and then Milton created these tiffin boxes and thermos that kept lunches hot.⁠ ⁠ What have you used in your house to keep your rotlis garam? Do you make fresh rotlis or are ok with old ones or frozen ones? Sign up for my mailing list if you're interested in more language and culture learning! #whydowe #tellmeyouaredesi #rotlinodabbo #rotli #kitchen #cooking #culture #food #india

#WhyDoWe Would you tell people in your circle if you were in debt or terminally ill? ⁠ ⁠ “Dukh ane dard ek beejaa saathe vehchavu” (Share your sorrows and your debts with others) is a saying in Gujarati. ⁠ ⁠ I hear this often from our grandma. We as Desi people are a tight knit community, and we are there for each other in the times of our needs. Ma’s intention behind this phrase is that when you are experiencing pain or sorrows alone, it is easy to get caught up in our fears, doubts, shame and be in the spiral of all that internal turmoil. Our egos however weaken when we share and are vulnerable around others about our shortcomings and sufferings. ⁠ ⁠ I have also heard “Don’t share your troubles with others”. When we are experiencing sorrow or pain, we are surrounded by negativity and sharing it with someone else just doubles this negativity. Although their intentions may be to help, they will also say “I am so sorry, poor you, this has to be hard” and more. These words and thoughts are filled with negativity as well. Many folks will make you feel worse about the situation, so they can feel good about their own troubles and lives. ⁠ ⁠ To me, however, the first one makes more sense, but I say be selective who you share your sorrows and troubles with. I want that person to lift me up, simply listen without any feedback, and if they must have some ,then let it be positive so that I can see this is all temporary and this too shall pass. ⁠ ⁠ Which one do you agree with or disagree with? Subscribe to my mailing list and keep in touch! #whydowe #sharing #openingup #vulnerability #sorrows #debts #personallife

#WhyDoWe "Act your age"⁠ "Aa ummare aa badhu naa sobhe ("This doesn't suit you at this age")⁠ ⁠ "At this age focus on Bhakti, raising kids, running a charity....blah blah"⁠ ⁠ I used to think: what do I know about fashion or style, or why would anyone care? The truth is, I am loving and discovering this side of me that truly enjoys good, sustainable, carefully and lovingly created fashion. Is it too late for me to explore this? Some may think or say so, but here is the thing, you are the only one who gets to decide when, how, why you want to live the life you do. Don't let other people tell you what to focus on. You can choose what brings you joy at any age. ⁠ ⁠ Luckily, I am surrounded by elders who truly live their lives to the fullest. They learn new skills, try new hairstyles, learn new recipes, keep creating, and travel the world (our grandma is 94 and still going places!). Your living your life to the fullest at any age gives those around you permission to do the same. So, don't hold back. You have been wanting to learn how to sew, write a book, go back to college, learn a new language, or anything else your heart desires. Do it. ⁠ ⁠ Do you 'act' your 'age'? I certainly hope you don't limit yourself. ⁠Let me know in the comments below what you are doing! Let's keep in touch - sign up for my email list and we'll keep the conversation going! #whydowe #aging #fashion #style #lifestyle #actyourage #ageappropriate #socialnorms #rules #socialconventions #discoveringmyself

#WhyDoWe Have you seen women around you cleaning the door frame (Oombaro) and putting kumkum dots or divo by it?⁠ ⁠ Why do we do "Oombaraa pujan" as Hindus?⁠ ⁠ In Bollywood movies, we have all seen the images of a married woman entering her new homes for the first time and kicking the Kalash filled with rice inside the house by taking a step with her right foot in the doorframe. One of the beliefs is that Grains (anaaj or Dhaan) was considered a sign of prosperity, and as the new woman of the house comes into the family, she says to abundance now I take you with me through this doorframe into our house. ⁠ Many traditional homes still have women who daily clean the door frame, adorn it with a Toran, do kumkum or chandan tilaks and light a small diya nearby. The doorframe or "Oombaro"(in Gujarati) is a marker for everyone stepping out of the home to remember their values, what is right and wrong and everyone stepping in, to check in with themselves to see if they have wronged anyone or hurt someone today? Oombaro is like a "Chokidaar" (bodyguard). It protects the members of the home as they get to choose who can enter that frame. In the Mughal era, many folks buried their wealth by digging a hole under their doorframe to prevent soldiers from looting their homes. ⁠ ⁠ In our modern world, many of us don't even enter through the front door, as we use our garages to enter the house. We may not clean our doorframes daily or light diyas but we can always have an intention of it being pure. Many have a small bell hanging that they ring as they enter as well. There are many different ways of keeping your home filled with good vibes and pure thoughts. ⁠ ⁠ Do you know someone who cleans their "Oombaro" daily? Or do you do it even if it's just during Diwali? If you liked reading about this tradition, sign up for my mailing list to hear more about culture and language learning! #whydowe #OombaraaPujan #hindu #traditions