Holding On While Letting Go: Keeping Your Culture Alive Abroad
Keeping culture alive abroad is possible—even while adapting to a new life. Real talk on identity, belonging, and embracing both worlds.
Keeping your culture alive abroad isn’t always easy, especially when you’re also trying to fit into a new country. When you move to a new country, everything changes — the language, the food, the behavior, even the calendar of holidays. It’s easy to feel like you’re stuck between two worlds: the culture you were born into and the culture you’re now surrounded by. But the truth is — you don’t have to choose.
You can stay deeply rooted in your Indian identity while still building a happy, confident life in your new home.
1. Bring Your Traditions with You
Celebrating Indian festivals like Diwali, Holi, or Navratri doesn’t have to stop just because you live abroad. Even if it’s on a smaller scale or just within your home, keeping those rituals alive brings comfort and meaning.
Light diyas, decorate your space, wear traditional clothes, and cook festive meals — these acts are more than just celebration. They’re reminders of who you are. You can even invite your non-Indian friends and neighbors to join in. It’s a great way to share your heritage proudly and help others understand your culture.
Festivals aren’t just events — they are emotional anchors that keep you connected to your roots.
2. Speak Your Language at Home — But Balance It
You might think that speaking only English at home will help you or your kids learn faster. And yes, speaking English regularly is important — it helps you adapt and succeed in your new environment. But don’t let that come at the cost of forgetting your mother tongue.
Languages like Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Bengali, or Punjabi carry your history, emotions, and connection to your family. Try to maintain a balance — speak English in situations where it’s helpful, but keep your native language alivethrough conversations, music, movies, and bedtime stories.
This balance gives you the best of both worlds — practical success and cultural pride.
3. Keep Cooking the Food You Grew Up With
Food is memory. One smell, one bite, and you’re suddenly sitting at your childhood dining table. Cooking the dishes you grew up with — dal, rajma, parathas, sambhar, biryani — brings more than taste. It brings a sense of home.
You don’t need fancy ingredients or a complicated recipe book. Even a basic meal passed down from your parents or grandparents can help you feel connected to your upbringing.
And don’t be afraid to combine — maybe you make butter chicken tacos or masala pasta. That’s okay. You’re not watering down your culture — you’re evolving with it. And food is one of the most powerful ways to keep culture alive in everyday life.
4. Build a Desi Circle Abroad — But Stay Connected to India Too
Find people near you who share your Desi background. Most cities abroad have Indian communities, WhatsApp groups, temples, gurdwaras, or cultural associations. These can offer you a comfort zone where you don’t have to explain who Shah Rukh Khan is or what Diwali means.
Even small things like sharing a chai or watching a cricket match together can help you feel less alone. It’s important to surround yourself with people who “get it.”
At the same time, don’t forget your friends and family back home. Stay in touch through video calls, messages, and occasional gifts. If you disconnect from your old life completely, you might feel like you’re building a brand-new identity from scratch — which can be emotionally difficult.
Staying connected to both your Indian and international communities helps you feel whole.
If you’ve faced cultural differences after moving, you’ll relate to my post on Culture Shock I Didn’t Expect After Moving Abroad.
5. Embrace the Blend — You’re Expanding, Not Replacing
Speaking English fluently, trying new cuisines, adjusting your routines — none of this means you’re losing your identity. It means you’re brilliant at adapting. You’re not erasing your past. You’re learning how to survive and thrive in a new setting.
Adaptability is not weakness — it’s strength.
You should feel proud that you can navigate both worlds.
Proud that you can wear a kurta at home and a blazer at work.
Proud that you can make idli batter and pasta in the same kitchen.
This blend of old and new is what makes you uniquely you. You are not just surviving — you are growing. So hold on to your Desi roots, and confidently build the life you want abroad.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to forget where you came from to move forward. Your language, rituals, food, and memories are always with you. You carry India in your heart — and no border or passport can change that.
You might also enjoy reading Indian Traditions To Keep Living Abroad to see how I stay connected to my roots abroad.
