Even though I grew up surrounded by a large community of Asian Indians, it's still a culture I know very little about. It was interesting to learn more about the culture through my outside research and interview with my neighbor, Nimita Kommogu. I learned a lot about the different waves of Indian immigration as well as the importance of the visa process. I also gained a deeper understanding of what it means to grow up Indian in California. The story of Indian immigration to the United States was surprising because I didn't realize how recently this immigration had started. Mass migration from India to the United States did not begin in earnest until 1965. Between 1820 and 1960, fewer than 15,000 Asian Indians were allowed to legally enter the United States (Das, 135) . This changed in 1965 with the Immigration and Nationality Act, which triggered an increased flow of Indian immigrants (Keely, 162). It is important to note that Indian immigration was limited by skill level. Only men and women “possessing the professional skills required in American society could emigrate from the Indian subcontinent,” which radically changed the composition of immigrants (Das, 139). Indian immigrants before the 1960s immigrated primarily to California and Western states. (Li, 168) However, as more and more immigrants settled here, the Indian population has dispersed and now has significant populations on the East Coast as well. (Li, 168) There is a predominant tendency of Indians, as well as other Asians, to settle in suburbs rather than urban areas. This is particularly relevant in California, where large communities of Indians have begun to characterize some suburban towns. I interviewed my neighbor Nimita, whose name is Nate, for my article. She identifies as American Indian... middle of paper... wealthy or middle class. Nate explained that the majority of Indians allowed to immigrate, especially in previous years, had to be well-off. This made me think more about various stereotypes and what we associate with different ethnicities and how these may come from historical or social events. If Indians were allowed to immigrate with different skill levels or without the need to be affluent, would the perception of Indians in the United States be different? How many other stereotypes about various ethnicities have been created by similar events? These questions, although hypothetical, help situate my thoughts about Indians in the United States as well as different ethnic communities. It's interesting to think about what could have happened and how much my perception of the world was affected by things that never even crossed my mind..