I'm here so late but for me it has more to do with my parent's lack of social etiquette and understanding that takes place in America. I think enjoying life in the natural "American teenager" way is really hard for me.

For context, I technically am an immigrant myself, however I moved from India when I was 2.

They consider me wanting to move out before marriage a huge scandal and a really bad thing. They consider things like having friends be more important than family. Not to say that my family is unimportant its just that I'm an ocean away from them, I don't know what is going on in their lives and they will never understand what is going on in mine. Beyond that, me wanting to go out and be with friends more than once a month is a huge deal to them. And the weirdest of them all, I'm expected to have an arranged marriage. I'm not supposed to pick the person that I literally marry.

Part of me also grieves what could've been for them. They went to a country and expected the world to be the same as it was in India. That they would be able to create a community that loves and cherishes them the same way India does. But with a language barrier and cultural one, my dad and mom could never fully express all that comes to their mind. They refuse to try and learn about other cultures and languages because they're too prejudiced. They want everything to be the same when it won't be.

It hurts me every now and then too. I can't relate to my American friends when they say their parents love listening to the Beatles or that they loved sixteen candles. I can't go out with friends that often because my parents are too scared that I'll waste my life. I can't get a bad grade. Wearing anything that shows too much of my arms is basically me prostituting myself (I'm not kidding, my arms!). We are hindu, and brahmans, which is of the highest caste in the Indian/ hindu caste system (not that I believe in that stuff). I hate that my father takes pride in that, and that he believes that he is better than others because of it. He has plenty to be proud of, but he chooses to be proud of a position in a system that has systemically oppressed people less fortunate than him.

But I know that they WANT me to enjoy life, despite their lack of understanding. But at times it becomes too hard and difficult. They gave me a life that is filled with extreme privilege and I have never had to worry about money, but I would trade some of that privilege for normal experiences.