How To Be an Intl Student - w/ Gurasis

Here's a question for you. Why is it that in the West, especially America and Canada, a French or British accent is considered exotic, but an Indian one is met with condescension rather than curiosity and treated like a flaw that needs to be fixed ASAP. While you ponder that, I'd like to show you some snippets of my conversation with Gurasi Singh, the host of one of Canada's top podcasts, my thick accent. When I enter a room, there is no way you can ignore my turbul and beard, right? But I can see those side eyes. I can see those weird tensions between me and those people. people. Maybe that's why I've come 16 months with weekly episodes having never missed a single release on Wednesday.

a single release on Wednesday. If somebody questions your accent, somebody questions your English, you are not alone. There is a way to navigate around it. I'm Nan Pal. This is the Ready Set Do podcast. And in this episode, my guest is Gurasi Singh. Gur Aiz takes us through how the Indian accent is perceived in the west. How to adapt to challenges that arise because of one's accent and other critical aspects of immigrant life like just some casual racism that simply isn't talked about enough. Guras also shares fascinating insights gleaned from his experience as a podcast host which are super relevant for anybody that's looking to start a podcast. I didn't say anything for the longest time and when I gave my very first presentation the first thing I said to them was if you guys are not

said to them was if you guys are not able to understand anything I'm saying please ask me again whatever stereotypes exist I'm not an advocate for stereotype but there is a reason why they exist right so the best thing is just be and don't try to become somebody else in line with our theme of learning from somebody that's just a few steps ahead my goal with this episode is to leave you with fresh perspectives on identity and accents that hopefully make you feel secure and confident in all of your endeavors. Subscribe on YouTube and any of your favorite podcast apps for weekly episodes every Wednesday and daily clips from those episodes on YouTube and Instagram. And now without any further ado, here's Gurasis.

ado, here's Gurasis. Welcome to the only podcast in the world featuring stories of high agency individuals who are just a few steps ahead of us. Gur Aiz, welcome. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm very glad to be here. Want to start off with do you mind walking us through really any experiences that you've had good or bad right that directly pertain to your accent in in the west? Uh we'll just we'll just start off there perhaps.

we'll just start off there perhaps. Yeah, absolutely. You know, such a interesting question this is uh and I think I'm completely really like passionate about this topic. Hence the the podcast I end up doing it. So you know I think the very first thing I can think about is my very first day in Canada when I entered my classroom I introduced myself I spoke for 5 minutes my my name is Guries I'm from India I have this experience etc etc and uh after 5 minutes I saw that everybody's face was blank what year was this 2018 okay got it yeah so I moved in 2018 it was my very first of all it was so hard to find a classroom and I finally found it I was in

in Was this for your master's degree or or what what I came to do this program called media strategies and advertising it was like amalgamation of everything social media advertising marketing law as well so everything that I wanted to do so all that yeah so I think it was my communication sort of a class I don't remember exactly I introduced myself spoke for five minutes you know and I'm from India or whatever everyone's face was blank and I felt like I've said something really culturally inappropriate Right. So that was the funny part. I was like I thought I had good command over the English.

I had good command over the English. What just happened here? You know um and even my professor was like um oh welcome have a seat. Like that's what she said. Nothing else. And I just went back to my seat just questioning that. Okay. What did I just say wrong? So but I think that that makes me so sad to hear you know and the the funny part was also I was the only Indian also in my class you know. It's not even like only Punjabi or like only from the north. It was the only Indian at all. On top of that, I'm wearing a turban and it was like standing out in itself and it was such a weird experience for me to speaking and nobody is responding to me

speaking and nobody is responding to me at the only thing they extracted was one guru which I shortened my name from Guru which again I thought they won't be able to understand my name and the second thing was India that's it nothing else they understood. That was my very first uh experience I had and I think that was the time during the class during those courses and during my time in that college I started in Lassal college here in Montreal. I think throughout that one year were number of experiences I had uh related to my accent. And I remember this another time I was in my law class advertising law and we were talking about I think those trademarks and uh patents and everything and and I asked this question to my teacher that what if

this question to my teacher that what if the guy has registered himself and she's like sorry guru I'm not able to understand what do you mean and I said what if the guy has registered himself and I kept on repeating for the third time fourth time slower each time and then the guy sitting behind me said oh you mean registered and I'm like I literally said the same thing. The the only difference was the pronunciations.

only difference was the pronunciations. You know, I was saying registered and he meant registered registered registered and I think that particular uh nuance I would say was reiterated throughout my immigration journey, you know, immigration journey. I was like I mean the Rs were always something which which were not letting me communicate myself properly. You know for example like you know in India we say work we don't say work we say birth we don't roll the we don't say birth we don't roll the hours hours so that was something that kept on coming throughout my you know school time and I think this one time which really hit me again like following that so many experiences I had I was like okay it's better I should not talk at all you know

better I should not talk at all you know and that's what I did I just stopped talking and even though I'm such a loud and uh enthusiastic and like extra the word person and I'm like I I I did that I completely shut myself down and when I didn't speak I think that happened with most of us you know and we start questioning ourselves a little bit that's what I did I kept quiet I didn't say anything for the longest time and when I gave my very first presentation I remember I went in front of the class and the first thing I said to them was if you guys are not able to understand anything I'm saying please ask me again because if I'm not able to make you guys

because if I'm not able to make you guys understand what I'm saying I don't know how will I be able to make people outside the class understand what I'm trying to say. So yeah, these are the some of the experiences I remember. Yeah, Yeah, that's very incredible. And for you know all sorts of different reasons and obviously the lingering aftertaste in my mouth having heard all of that is just one of you know it's just sad it's unfortunate but like you said it happens right it's not the first time that I'm personally hearing of this or really experiencing it firsthand either and I know it also won't be the last right so so naturally from there uh I am curious um what were some of the things that you did that helped to break out of this

did that helped to break out of this shell, right? Because I don't think it's a nice way to live for anybody to, you know, just to constantly be at loggerheads with their own selves, right? If it's like you're trying to be the person you are, which as you said is more extroverted, likes to talk, but on the other hand, you're just because of fear of judgment, which is obviously understandable, you're not being able to be yourself. So, how did you navigate through that? And did did you kind of cave in or like I guess Yeah. what's your mindset around you know the solution if if you will to to the problem. problem. Yeah. So no I like that what you're saying uh you know this code switching is something I think we all have done right just to be heard just to be

right just to be heard just to be understood just to feel belonged and just to not have that feeling of being otherred in the room. We try to switch ourselves a little bit right and I think it's good and essential to do in the beginning but the problem with that is when you keep on doing that you adopt that certain masks and certain garbs which is something you are not you try to getting into that certain character which is not exactly you and the thing with that is since that character is not you you won't be able to hold that for the longest time right and that's exactly what I did like I said initially I did that I tried try to change my accent a little bit. I try to maybe uh somehow you know try to even adopt the

somehow you know try to even adopt the sort of the the local culture of the coffee for example very very basic example I never had coffee in India before hot and I kid you not because that was just not something you know appreciated in my family it was always chai always coffee always like tea right right and until I came here and people started asking me certain things about that I said okay I have no idea about this double double coffee like the class I don't know if you know also know Tim Hortons have this classic double double coffee It's like two myth to sugar basically. You didn't know that? Know that? Yeah. The book. Oh, really? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's like obviously I've heard of Tim Hortons, but yeah. Never been to Canada. And I think it's one of those right of passages that you have to be

right of passages that you have to be there I think to to hear of it because it's not something I've heard in the US at least unless maybe I'm I've just been living under a rock. But but sorry, please go ahead. Yeah. No. Yeah. You know, so this thing is definitely something I wasn't aware of. You know, I remember hearing this a lot from my classmates also. Oh, I'll just have the double double coffee or this that. I'm like, okay, I have no idea about it. And on top of that, it was also the culture cultural aspect of I remember we were asked to present whatever we wanted to to the class about ourselves. And I remember everybody was presenting about their favorite bands, favorite singers and this and that. And I had no idea about that culture to be

I had no idea about that culture to be very honest with you. And I was I was a true Bollywood fan. I am a true Bollywood fan. I'm like literally that's the kind of music I listen to along with obviously my regional music which is Punjabi right so I think it was initially that's what the what I'm getting into the reason I'm sharing all this is that we try to change ourselves to adjust and learn cultures and everything right but the problem with that is after 3 years or four years now when you look yourself look at yourself in the mirror you realize that this is not the gurishes I came for I came with right this is not the personality I came with why I'm trying to become I'm

with why I'm trying to become I'm somebody who I'm not. So that was the thing that really hit me that I am no more wearing these garbs. I'm no more wearing these masks and I have to be myself. myself. So that was the I would say the key thing for me is being myself being a little bit comfortable with my own identity. That's Indian identity, my culture because when I enter the room n there is no way you can ignore my turbulent beard, right? But I can see those side eyes. I can see those weird tensions between me and those people.

tensions between me and those people. Right? So what I also try to do is bring people at a comfort level where they have the ability to ask me those questions and the curiosity that they have towards me. Right? And what I do is I I make that first effort. I be the forthcoming and ask them the questions about them and then they become at a come at a comfortable space. I'm like okay tell me about the colors of your turban. I remember my professor used to highlight every morning when I entered the class. Oh, today it's red. Oh, today you're wearing a pink one. Oh, you're wearing a orange one. So, always was a conversation, right? So, I think I found that common grounds or the the things

that common grounds or the the things that they were highlighting, you know, catching on to that, latching on to that and then starting conversation from that and which were the let me be a little bit more comfortable with myself and my identity. Yeah. So at which point were you at in almost you know at the crossroads of like you said right there is an element of improvement to this I guess if you can use that word where you're just kind of you're in a new place so obviously you're going to change like that's why we went and that's why so many immigrant students especially especially as one should yeah yeah go halfway across the world you didn't do all that to just be the same exact person that you are so that is one side of it and then

so that is one side of it and then obviously the other side is also what you were mentioning where you start doing these things that almost betray you who you are, you know, at its core or at your core. So yeah, I guess what I'm curious to explore is um yeah, how how do you proceed from that and and how do you kind of balance that tension between those two aspects?

that tension between those two aspects? Yeah. So I'll tell you something which uh the moment which really reiterated the fact that something that which was telling me that maybe my accent is incorrect. Maybe my my understanding of uh English is not correct. That was the time when I started working in a call center and that was one year after my after my graduation. My program was just 14 months long. I finished my program and I couldn't get a job in my in my certain uh advertising field I was studying in and I got this call center job and in that job nan I feel like that job came my way to to tell me that hey Guriss you really have to look within yourself is

really have to look within yourself is this something really the kind of accent you want to continue living with because on the phone you know people are brutal people are so brutal yeah yeah it and it stings it's so hardly stings and the thing is you are in a certain situation you are in a certain position you can't react you can't say anything to them right so that was the point when I also understood which I mentioned earlier the hours of it right because I'm I'm pronouncing certain words they are saying what are you saying hanging up the call not able to perform there properly right so I think that was also the time when I first had this experience of uh the first idea of the starting in this

first idea of the starting in this podcast named my thick accent because I was working in a that company I was interviewing somebody over the phone and this man in between the conversation said oh my god you have such a thick Indian accent and it was just one of those days I was just done listening to that thing I was so tired I was on the calls from I don't know from past 4 hours I haven't had food since morning and I'm worried about oh my god I don't have food at in the night also I don't have groceries at home. I'm just thinking so many things in my mind and I just reacted to him. I said, "Sir, you also have a thick Canadian accent." So

also have a thick Canadian accent." So it just hit him but and he just hung up the call, never continued the call. And fortunately, none of my managers was monitoring those calls. Right. So, but that experience, that name, that idea just just stayed with me. I'm not sure exactly if I answered your question like that was actually the moment which really hit me that okay somebody has to talk about it you know somebody has to really give it back to them sometimes you know so that was a rebel in me sort of like taking birth like okay you have to do something about it you know because these guys need help you know who are being at the receiving end of it and so do I so that was the reason you know

do I so that was the reason you know yeah yeah yeah and I think it's you bring up such an important point right because as much as we want to g around it or whatever the case might be. it just you know there's just no going around the fact that in any sort of professional environment in the west right this is not limited to Canada this is not like a US thing it's just like a western thing right I feel that you know it's again if if like I I talked to a bunch of students like a bunch of mentees that reach out to me for I don't know surprises me that they do they just they're just like you know whatever like can you help me with xyz And sometimes they'll be like what is

And sometimes they'll be like what is you know like a really lowhanging fruit that we can do you know that will really help us and I always tell them communication right and again this is hardly any sort of like a mic drop moment everybody and their grandma knows that communication is important but the thing that a lot of I feel like at least Indian students will benefit from understanding is that if if you can just communicate in a way where the other person does not have to cognitively overload their senses to just figure out what the hell you're talking about.

what the hell you're talking about. That's a win in my book. Absolutely. That's a big fat win. And again, you did not nobody made these rules, right? These they're just what they are. Um you're the one that's trying to work in a foreign country. So I I I think it's only fair that you would want to adopt to that or at least there should be. Again, it's such an interesting tugof-war, right? going back to what you were saying that yeah on the one side you don't want to be attacked for how you speak that's obviously not what I'm advocating for but on the other hand you can also meet somebody in the middle right where you can make certain efforts as you said roll your eyes have those interesting inflection points like

those interesting inflection points like desert versus desert that's like a big one that I learned yeah I know I you know m I always say that it takes a little bit of time to get accustomed to each other's accent I don't blame them also completely and I don't blame ourselves also. And this one topic which has been a common discussion on on my podcast is that don't focus on how you are saying it and by how I'm not referring to the tonality or the inonations of it. I'm talking about the general pronunciations. It doesn't matter. What matters is the actual content and the actual context of it. What are you saying? Is that actually making sense to the person or not? For example, if I saying something in a absolutely

saying something in a absolutely beautiful accent but it is so insulting and it's rubbish and garbage doesn't matter right but similarly even if you are saying something really uh important but in as in slowly you know you are reiterating your factors you are really like pronouncing whatever needs to be pronounced that's what matters you know nothing else as long as person able to understand you that's how I think that's your win basically yeah I agree yeah definitely content over anything else right at at the end of the day and as podcasters obviously we know that better than most most other people. people. Yeah. Um but from there something you know just a bit of a random question I guess it's not a question it's more of I'm just trying to pick your brain

I'm just trying to pick your brain around this but something that I've noticed just around perceptions at least in the US and I would be surprised if it's very different in Canada but I just feel like if you contrast say like a European accent versus an Indian one they're both different like some especially some Eastern European people have extremely thick accents also, right? Pun intended there. But um however, what is what I think is really interesting is the perception of that because that's almost looked at as you know like um exuberant or luxurious or almost like a ah that's so cool or I don't know like a Scottish accent. Have you if you listen to an actual Scottish person talk I have no idea half the time

person talk I have no idea half the time what words they're saying and I feel like I also fall into that trap a little bit like it's cool for whatever reason but on the other hand when there's like an Indian person talking everybody just rolls their eyes and they're like ah can can this fellow just shut up why think it's I think it's there's something called you know the preconceived notions no matter what you do you can't just get away from it and similarly How much um I was talking to somebody else also recently about the social media right like how many memes have you heard about the Indian accent it's insane have you ever heard about memes from any other accent I have heard few maybe from Arabic accents but not comparing it to the Indian accents right

comparing it to the Indian accents right like I remember that song you know the tangadangadang thing you know that plays up every time it's insane so I think it's the it's the uh it's the overall notion that is being there certain prejudices that are being like thrown at people from ears. There's no way you can just completely ruin them. We have come a long way. We have but I think there's still a long way to go uh to let those those actual prejudices go away, you know, and to be honest with you, even when I came to Canada, I also had certain preconceived notions about certain communities. I did, you know, I'm being very honest with you. I did.

I'm being very honest with you. I did. But the thing about that is eventually you realize that even though we are very different, if you start actually sit and have a conversation, we are similar in more ways than we are different. Right? So I mean do you believe that most of my friends are actually Arabs? Most of my I I have less Indian friends and more Arab friends, right? So like especially the North African ones, you know, Tunisian, Algerians and Moroccans, I have more of those friends as well. So yeah, I think we are very much similar than that. to answer your question, I think it's the preconceived notions we have and I think uh I I I honestly don't have the right answer to it like how we tell you that how we can

it like how we tell you that how we can eradicate that because there is no way we can actually you know yeah I think the like interesting part also about this particular segment is I don't know I feel like one of my longer just longer standing beliefs is that um whatever stereotypes exist of course that like I'm not like an advocate for stereotyp text. But having said that, there is a reason why they exist, right?

there is a reason why they exist, right? Like there is almost that uh cyclical like 1% truth in that which is how they kind of stand the test of time. Absolutely. Absolutely. So really what I'm trying to get at is kind of steelman the argument for um from like you know the west where they're just rolling their eyes around Indian accents and such. So and really I'm trying to figure out I guess what are some things that we can do if if we wanted to. Nobody has to do this. But if we wanted to, what would be some things that you think would help alleviate this, right? That would help make the hostility go away. I guess hostility is a strong word, but you get what I mean,

a strong word, but you get what I mean, right? right? I know. So I think uh I love this question because because of these conversations that we are having today know your podcast my podcast I think this is one of the biggest steps that we are taking for letting these stories come out and telling people that we are here to break those tires like for example the name I have my thick accent this was never ever meant to be subtle never just was fullfledged statement and statement that one that challenges the notion that that there is something wrong with my accent and I have to fix this. No, I am reclaiming the phrase that this is my accent. This is how I speak and it is like this because of my culture, it because of my

because of my culture, it because of my background and because of my journey. This is what who I am, right? And all these guests that come on my podcast also carry a version of it, their own unique version of it, right? So I think these having these conversations and the whole aim of my podcast is to break those stereotypical molds that we all are asked to fit in. So I think it all lies in these communities in these conversations that will let that change happen. Yeah, that's how amazing. I love that. Yeah. I know that's such a powerful point that you make that even if you know one person listens to this that feels empowered in some way you know and as you were sharing that you used to feel attacked judged you know you were your shell but

judged you know you were your shell but if someone out there is also feeling like that that listens to this and is like well these guys did it they're not that different from me so you know why why can't I also just you know and it's normal to feel that uh alone it's normal to feel that they are the only one facing this Right. And that's the thing I love when somebody reaches out and say that oh I thought I was the only one you know feeling like this you know until until I heard this like a lot of people who just reach out to me who might have never heard the podcast but they reach out to me just because of the name oh it's called my thick accent and

name oh it's called my thick accent and I be a part of it you know can I anyway contribute to this you know that's the first thing that comes to them so this was never meant to be subtle you know this is what it is and anybody can come on the show and they don't have to think twice about the pronunciations. I remember sometimes people say that I don't know if I'm really a fit. I don't know if I am that good in English. I said you don't have to be good in you just have to be in yourself, you know, no matter the accent, no matter the background, just come and talk about your journey.

your journey. Yeah. And I know you shared kind of where the genesis was for this, right? But I am curious and I'm sure my our listeners would also be curious um just around what type of conversations do you have like do these pertain to any specific field or like how do you like to run your your Yeah. So the podcast focus majorly on the stories of immigrants unfolding their personal journeys of struggle, resilience and the whole process of finding home away from home right because it's hard and also reiterating the fact to these listeners that hey if he or she can do it you can do it as well. You are not alone in your journey.

well. You are not alone in your journey. If you are be if you think if basically if somebody questions your accent, somebody questions your English or if your experience is your decade of experience is completely invalidated in this new country. You are not alone. There is a way to navigate around it. Listen to these stories. They have gone through all that you are going through.

through all that you are going through. These people I interview are the professionals in the industry. They're like doctors. They're like psychologists. They are like engineers. They're like banking professionals and whatnot. Right? If all these people have gone through that and they have really reclaimed their actual themselves, right, declaimed their actual power, their actual strength and have got back into their professional careers even after being going through all that self-doubt and imposttor syndrome pit, you can do it as well. So that's my whole goal is to instill that encouragement, instill that positivity in people that stay at it, stay put, good things are coming. Yeah.

good things are coming. Yeah. Amazing. And I'm curious to know if and I can share a few of mine and like I think first of all I'm sure to the degree that the two of us will realize this very few other listeners will but it is extremely hard to build and scale a podcast like it is it is like I I like to tell my friends that it's like if the content creation is a game I would say being a podcaster is playing that game at the highest difficulty. I don't actually think genuinely that there is a content creation notch or difficulty level which is higher than a podcast because it goes against everything that general or you know conventional content or viral conventional content does right

or viral conventional content does right so these episodes are long these are not people that you know about usually it's just things that you're semi-interested in like every single metric goes against your way right and yet it is because in all of this darkness when you have that one comment come through or that one random DM from that one person that's like, "Yeah, I listened to this episode.

like, "Yeah, I listened to this episode. I thought it was great. Thanks." It is just such a powerful feeling. And I feel that because of the nature of your show, right? And what you just described, I feel like you must just get to experience just the purest, nicest version of that compared to, you know, and again, not trying to compare, but it's kind of hard to not compare, right? So, compared to me. So I'm curious, can you share any anecdotes around, you know, some just some anything people mentioned or anything that you heard that made a positive impact on people's lives as a direct consequence of your show? show? Absolutely. You know, so yeah, I love whatever you said about this whole podcasting journey because for me personally, it is one of the most humbling and the grounding experiences I've had, you know, starting this

I've had, you know, starting this podcast. I can relate. Uh and also because being able to interview these people and have access to these people and being able to ask these questions to them is such a privilege I feel sometimes, right? Um and even if after that they become your friends like you literally have access to them like a call away, text away, right? So I think I love when some of these guests also at the end say uh at the end of the podcast they say I have never heard this thing any time before with anybody you know I this I mean the feeling when people say that oh I've I felt seen while being on your podcast I love that feeling you know it is so that's something that keeps me

is so that's something that keeps me going in uh to give you a sort of example of the listener side so this was one listener reached out to me I think in 7 months into my podcasting journey She said, "I listen to the podcast before she even came to Canada." Wow. Wow. And she came here and she reached out to me and she said, "I just want to have a conversation. I have visited your profile so many times, but I couldn't stop myself. I want to just have a conversation with you." Wow. Wow. So, you had a conversation and you wouldn't believe like it's been 3 years.

wouldn't believe like it's been 3 years. You have become such good friends now. And through that certain podcast that she one particular episode she heard, she got to know about this certain networking event. She went to that event and through that event she was still a student and because she went to that event after listen to the podcast being a student still in her like third semester or so she got her job already she got an opportunity to work part-time with somewhere I can't tell you I have always said that even one person tells me this thing has benefited them I I always said that would be my goal that would be my win and that happened and that really really like pushed me to continue doing this and I kid you not that was also the time

and I kid you not that was also the time when I was really at my lowest because I because I had this certain experience with one of the podcasters which uh where somebody reached out to me I did a recording with somebody but it went to another tangent where she brought in her lawyer and yada yada it just it just went completely bizarre and it really made question what am I I swear like it it was such a bizarre experience and the funniest part is she reached out to me herself. I never even approached her for that right and know what feelings towards her but the whole journey was the whole process of it was so like overwhelming for me and I was just at my

overwhelming for me and I was just at my lowest and I just came back from India also and know when you come back from India after those early weeks and it's a little bit of time to get back into the routine. It was also that time when she texted me and after that she got opportunity it really like boosted me that like okay I have to continue doing this more and more. So yeah this is one of the examples I can think of.

of the examples I can think of. Incredible man. Yeah just truly what just such a special feeling right. There's very few feelings in the world that even you come close and yeah I think it's just a testament to the incredible leverage that social media has right. I don't think absolutely absolutely there's ever been a time in human history where you can flip on a black screen, right? Black mirror as they say. Say something to it and a million people immediately listen to what you know random thoughts that have popped into your mind. It's just incredible.

your mind. It's just incredible. I'm hoping that million people listen to it. it. Yeah, I'm saying I mean one can hope, right? But but yeah, one fact N I'll let you also uh maybe like keep a note for yourself. Let always go with your gut. No matter what happens, if your gut says no, it means no. And after that, that's exactly what I did. You know, no matter the people I have been able to bring on the podcast, but if my gut is saying that some and not because, you know, somebody is a bad person or somebody is wrong.

person or somebody is wrong. It's just that some vibes just doesn't connect with the people, right? For example, if I bring somebody on the podcast, I'm not able to hold a conversation with a person. What's the fun of that? I'm not being again honest to myself, even to the audience. I don't want to fake it. I just can't do that. And the audience can tell, right? I'm sure you know this, but there is just zero chance that people, it's not evidently clear to people that this is a drama performance, right? This is not an actual conversation and it's just the worst. worst. I cannot digest podcasts like that and I would just not record a podcast like that rather, right? It's just a simple decision. But yeah, I mean, going back to what you were saying, it's helpful. I will say maybe what where I've gotten

will say maybe what where I've gotten lucky is I've definitely like just been like no thanks to some people and just as you were saying just kind of trusted my gut and maybe that's why I've come like 16 months um with weekly episodes having thankfully never missed a single release on Wednesday actually I have to work on today's release after this so grind never stops good luck yeah yeah thank I mean it's mostly done just some you know final little finishing up activities and sorry I didn't mean to make this like a podcast ideas brainstorming session thing but I guess here we are now. So I guess um can you like what's your favorite segment that you do like cuz I' I heard so many different ones but do you have one in particular that you like? like? No it's like again choosing your baby

No it's like again choosing your baby right it's like that but if I be able to tell you which which has been consistent throughout all episodes is beneath the accent. The whole idea is to know the person beneath the accent. That's also my tagline which is my thick accent podcast. And let's continue knowing each other beneath the accent. accent. So in that segment, it's basically very uh uh specific questions about the person, but it has to be kind of exactly like one word or a one sentence thing, right? like questions like maybe tell us about some of the advice that might give to your younger self, you know, or maybe some of the certain experiences or the food that brings you nostalgia or comfort, you know, just like some again like human element to bring out that human element in people. Yeah.

Yeah. Love it. Um I'm actually just because you feel you know like an ally even though I've you know we've literally been talking for what is 45 minutes now. Um I am willing to like I'm actually really curious to just see how uh you know just to kind of dry test uh having this segment where so obviously and as I'm sure you know this but just to reinforce for our listeners um so I I talk to uh folks that are really high agency right and that are just a few steps ahead of somebody that hasn't started. So like that's my whole point where it's not like a PhD person telling that you have to do X then Y then Z just because that's not my preferred way of learning and I just kind of assume that maybe other people also don't like to

maybe other people also don't like to learn like that and they like to figure things out themselves. So that those are like the conversations I have right and obviously this conversation is a testament to that where you know we were just kind of riffing about almost random things but not really random. So I am curious to know how kind of a know your host would do in this in this respect. Do you think it could work for my show or not really?

could work for my show or not really? Um I'll tell you something which I love about your podcast when I was listening to Vun's episode Wun Gandhi, right? He was als he was also a guest on my show. I don't know if you know that. I saw that on one of your posts actually and funnily to be honest um Verun is the one who so I was after our interview I was just you know talking to him and I was like man it would be so great if I knew more podcasters and Vun goes so give me one second and he continued to blast me like 10 different LinkedIn profiles

different LinkedIn profiles of just of his connections that's just kind of how Vun is right he's so helpful always what a great guy so and that's actually how I got connected to you funnily enough so it's funny that you brought up Vun because he is literally the reason I reached out to you. you. Yeah. No, he's such a amazing person. I have always reached out to him, you know, in case of just conversations about things that maybe I'm struggling with in my life as well. Um, so yeah, when I heard that episode, I also heard the episode, I'm so sorry, I forgot the name of the person who was making a second appearance on the podcast who talked about those uh web flow, lovable and all those websites. Far. Far. Exactly. Far. I love that episode as

Exactly. Far. I love that episode as well. So that's the thing about our podcast that it is so detailed oriented and it is such a like a insightful conversations completely different from my thick accent right because I really follow a journey a certain u u uh certain flow structure which is which is about their journey right which is all about them and what they are doing and how they can just connect to people's stories right but with you it is like the typical actionable items that people can take away with. Exactly. That's something I love about and if I'm giving my objective opinion which I don't think I am at the point at I don't think it might be the right uh format to include as for me you know

format to include as for me you know because because like let's just say you know we are talking about let's just say you know what farra was talking about certain segments and then you suddenly pop up and say hey far why don't you ask me a question you're like aren't we talking about AI and aren't we talking about software And now what question do I ask you? Only maybe she can ask you that what are your go-to softwares you know that you use.

go-to softwares you know that you use. Maybe that could be certain question. Yeah. But also I don't even think that needs a special segment for that. Right. Cuz I'm pretty sure I I was sharing that throughout our conversation anyway. So yeah, I think that's true. Yeah, it probably won't help. Uh rapid fire would that maybe be something I could chew on in I don't know why I keep trying to do this but yeah, I'm now just I can't stop thinking about new segments. Oh, sure.

thinking about new segments. Oh, sure. You can definitely experiment rapid fire. For sure you can. Yeah, at the very end, right? Maybe or or maybe like a signature question which is like ready said do's signature question, right? Like for example, Jetty has this question that if you could create this one law that everybody has to follow. I actually asked that on my podcast also. What's that one law? And my signature question is that how would you define Canada in one word or a sentence or whichever country they have been to? Right. So that's my signature question. I have like many signature questions actually like the whole segment is something which is like very unique to my accent people come back to because of that I I've heard people mentioning that I'm talking as if millions of people reach out to me okay I don't have a lot

reach out to me okay I don't have a lot of people reaching out but whatever it is I'm so so grateful for whoever reaches out to me and it makes me happy you know when I hear people saying that okay they enjoyed the conversation so yeah yeah amazing yeah definitely giving me a lot to chew on here so you know really really grateful for that. Um as we as we close out um any advice for um students specifically specifically moving to the west and again this doesn't have to pertain to their accent necessarily but if it can that would be great cuz you know obviously that was the that that is why we we are here so to speak. So yeah just kind of if you had the platform to share

had if you had the platform to share with every single student uh something what what would that be? It actually it doesn't even have to be a student. Literally any person that's you know immigrating to the west from India I think would be the better way to put it. I think I'll just echo what I already mentioned throughout our conversation. Maybe I'll sum it up by saying that just be and don't try to become. And by that I mean wow wow which exactly what I mentioned that when you come here you try to become somebody else. Once you try to get into a certain character which you are not but you won't be able to keep that off for a longer time because it's not exactly who you are. So just be what you are. Don't try to

So just be what you are. Don't try to become somebody whom you are not because if you do that you won't be able to hold that character for a long time and you actually will be having just burnout at the end. So the best thing is just be and don't try to become somebody else. That is so cool. That is such a small short but powerful phrase that that just lowkey blew my mind. That is awesome.

lowkey blew my mind. That is awesome. I'm going to be using that a lot. And I worry in in places where it might not be relevant, but but I mean just say it, you know, just wing it around it, you know, just Exactly. Yeah. I'm like a chimp with a machine gun now. I just I'm just, you know, unstoppable at this point. But man, to thank you. No, really appreciate that. But yeah, truly it's been such a such a delight getting to know you. Um, and you know, I'm sure honestly I myself, right, I've lived in the US for 5 years and I've already taken away so many things that I know will objectively make my experience better, right? Make my life better and really, you know, kudos to your podcast, the work that you're doing with it, the lives that

you're doing with it, the lives that you're touching with it. And yeah, you've definitely gained a new fan here and I will continue to applaud and support um everything that you do, you know, going forward. So really, really appreciate you taking the time today. Yeah. No, man. Thank you. Thank you so much for your kind words and thank you for having me on the podcast and this was such a different experience for me. I haven't talked about the accent this much. I have, but not exactly this much.

much. I have, but not exactly this much. But I love this that you also kind of, you know, bring your own inputs into it. I love this back and forth. There was no structure, no no preparation, no nothing. I love this organic conversations and I think that's what make these conversations so like full of heart and I love that thing and really kudos to you for doing this and I'm so glad there are more voices like you because there are so many people I can reach out to and so many people I can bring on the podcast and I'm so glad there are more and more podcasts like yours who are bringing those voices out of it. They need to be out. Yeah. So,

of it. They need to be out. Yeah. So, thank you so much. Of course, man. Thanks so much for the kind word. That brings us to the end of that fascinating episode with Gurasi Singh. Hopefully, you're now in a place where you're not embarrassed of your accent and you're ready to be who you are. If you would like to support me, the easiest way to do that is by subscribing on YouTube and leaving me up to a fivestar rating on Spotify or any of your podcast apps. I actually don't know if anybody ever listens to these. So, if you are listening to these, drop a I listen to the outro in the comments and literally that'll make my day. I'll probably remember you forever if you do that. that. That's all I had. Catch you all in the

That's all I had. Catch you all in the next one. New episodes every Wednesday. Please share it with a friend. Tell somebody. Just, you know, help me break out of small channel help.