"You would not believe the magic that happened," Raghavendra Rao said about the overnight change of his two daughters after they entered the UN International School (UNIS).
"Within two weeks there (at UNIS), my older one says, 'Momma, why don't you give me some rice tomorrow in my lunch box,' " Rao, an Indian, told
Xinhua.
The girl refused to eat this kind of Indian food before. However, Rao said she learned to appreciate her own cultural heritage after being exposed to such cultural diversity at UNIS.
First established in Queens, New York, as a small nursery school in 1947 by a group of UN parents seeking an international educational
experience for their children, UNIS quickly began to enroll children from families in the non-governmental sector andthe United States.
By the late 1950s, UNIS had campuses in both Manhattan and Queens. The students now represent about 120 countries, giving UNIS its diverse culture where it's perfectly normal to have children bring sushi or vegetable curry in for lunch.
Before going to UNIS, the two girls studied in a public school in White Plains, New York. Her parents faced obstacles there in trying to maintain cultural habits for their children, especially in keeping Indian-style vegetarian diets.
When the Rao daughters brought bagged lunches, other children would mock the look and smell of the Indian food. After several days, the older daughter would not eat Indian foods, not wanting to stand out among her peers.
Rao said his daughter even did not feel comfortable in her skin color, which was a "huge eye opener" for him.
"We look different; we talk different; we eat different -- it's very difficult for the kid to manage, (and to) fit into the American system," Rao said. "So we realized we needed to have a place where she could be comfortable (in) what she is."
"We want her (to) fit into American culture, but at the same time, she should carry her Indian culture," he added.
The parents felt that UNIS, especially because of its celebrated cultural diversity, would be the perfect school for their children. Just a few weeks at UNIS in JA (kindergarten), Rao's older daughter made a special request for rice to be added to her lunch.
Gradually being interested in Indian heritage, she even asked Rao how to say "1, 2, 3" in "poppa's language," as well as in "mama's language."
After explaining that he is from the southern part of India and his wife from the western part, Rao told her about the different dialects.
"So, then I realized, that's a huge change," Rao said. "That's a shocking change for us and she was really comfortable in what she is."
Rao said his daughters no longer had to feel like outsiders in front of their peers.
Rao, whose daughters are currently in M1 (fifth grade) and J3 (third grade), said UNIS is a place with tremendous respect for diversity, and it is "a great exposure for any kid."