Do you ever reminisce about the carefree summer days of childhood, while growing up in India? Lazy, long summer days, frolicking in the village pond, or perhaps by the banks of the river meandering through the edge of the village. Thoughts such as these often arise unannounced, in the minds of the frazzled, deadline-driven expats struggling to stay afloat in the hard-charging environment of American corporate life. While faced by numerous challenges in trying to “make it” in this new land, the oases of those distant memories take on a poignant meaning. The memories comfort and sustain. They prod us insistently, to recreate that dream of pure joy and solace in this new homeland. They beckon and gesture- leading us to create a new experience, akin to what we hold dear from the past.
Aantorik is the place where we have come together as a community to share our joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams. It is a place where we band together, to sustain and strengthen each other through the joys and challenges of life. It is an effort to imbibe the essence of being American, yet also being rooted in Bengali culture and traditions. It is a place where our children born in this new land, learn to understand and appreciate their own unique identity. It is a place where the next generation learns and carries forth the torch of being uniquely themselves.
