Culture- Practice Podcast

Culture is important because it makes people unique. It gives us our background, personalities, and values. It brings people together and allows them to express themselves. The guest shared how his Indian culture changed due to his grandfather's decision to study and work in Dubai. The host's grandfather served in World War 2, which changed him and affected his family. Both guests' grandfathers inspire them and their families. Culture shapes our lives and it's important to appreciate and accept it. Hello, everyone. Welcome back to my podcast. My name is Adam and today we have a special guest. Welcome, Joshua. Hello. Today's topic is culture. We'll be delving deep into each other's backgrounds. Josh, would you like to share? Yeah, so my family's culture is Indian and I'm also a tiny bit Portuguese. How about you? I'm part British and Polish. Why is culture important to you? Culture is important to me because it makes people unique. Imagine if everyone had the same culture, it wouldn't be very interesting. Culture gives us our background, personalities and values. Culture makes the world a bit more interesting and gives people different ways to express themselves. Culture can also bring people together because they would have the same interests as each other. Why is culture important to you? I think culture is important to me because it defines who we are. Everyone has their own stories and beliefs. Everyone is different. And without culture, we'd all be the same. Culture can also bring people together by relating experiences they share. Although I'm Indian, I was still born in Australia because my parents moved here to study. How about you? I was also born in Australia. My parents moved here before I was born so they could live a better life. Did your culture change in any way to make your parents move? My family, before its culture changed, was a farming family. But then my grandpa, Farkis Perapatan, decided he wanted to study something else instead of farming. So he left home at a very early age. He moved from Kerala to Gujarat. In Gujarat, he went to university to study a Bachelor of Finance. He worked very hard during the day and when it was night, he went to university classes. Once he completed his degree, he had to move overseas and found a job in Dubai. He worked in Dubai for 42 years and finally retired as an assistant manager of the organisation. In the first few years when he left home from the family He struggled a lot because he had to work a lot and still make enough money to pay for the classes at university. He had to do this all by himself because he didn't know anyone from the UAE or anywhere close. Because of all the risks he took and the hard work he put in, it made him a very resilient and successful person. After all this, he made sure to push his children to do even better than he did so that they would become even more successful. That's why my dad decided to move to Australia to study. Mentally, the hardships didn't affect him negatively. They only made him a more resilient person. Physically, there weren't too many problems because his job didn't require him to do any physical work. He decided to move because he didn't have an interest in living the farm life culture. He wanted to do something more with his life and become successful. My grandpa inspired me because even after all the hardships, he was resilient and decided to work through all of it to make sure that he could become what he is today. Yeah, my grandfather Keith lived through World War 2. He enlisted in the army in 1940. Keith served in the British army and was deployed all across Europe, leaving his home in Essex to fight against the Nazis. Keith frequently wrote letters home sharing his experiences. He also mentioned his friend Thomas, who was also in the army, and how they spent their nights in tents telling stories about home and dreaming of peace. They faced numerous challenges, but their friendship kept them going. Keith said he had experienced one of the most difficult times during the Battle of Normandy in 1944. He witnessed many soldiers' deaths and heard loud explosions and gunfire. This experience affected him badly, making him more serious and reflective. When the war ended in 1945, he returned home. However, the war had changed him, leaving him quieter and more private. He didn't say much about what he'd seen and experienced, but his family knew how much it affected him. Keith's story serves as a reminder of the courage and sacrifice of those who fought in World War 2. His experience demonstrated his strength and dedication. Was he still in contact with his friends after the war? Yeah, for a bit, but eventually they started to drift away. How did your grandpa's life change after the war? As I said before, the war made him quieter, more secretive and more serious. Although sometimes if he were in a good mood, he would tell my grandfather some stories about his time in the war. Why did you pick this story and how does your grandpa inspire you? I decided to tell this story about my great-grandfather because it's an important part of my family's history and legacy. His bravery and sacrifice during World War 2 shows how resilience and commitment are passed down through generations. His bravery and sacrifice ensures the safety and freedom of future generations. Keith's legacy also points out a value of resilience, honour and selflessness, which continue to shape our family's identity. So I guess culture can change our lives completely. My grandpa really did change the whole trajectory of my parents' lives and then even changed mine. Yeah, without my great-grandfather's bravery and selflessness, I wouldn't be here today. He completely changed my and many others' lives and I'll forever be grateful for it. I guess culture is a part of who we are and we can't change that. That's a good thing though. It's important for people to be able to accept that culture and learn its ways. Culture can be a large part of families and even friends. Culture makes us who we are. We don't appreciate the fact that culture shapes our whole life and without it, we would all be the same. Thanks for listening to our podcast. Make sure to come back next week for our next episode where we talk about stories about ourselves. Goodbye.