Recently, I started thinking about what I would say in an About Me post.  I haven’t divulged a lot of details about my life or who I am, and my plan was to slowly incorporate that information into each post.  Over the past few days, the idea of an About Me post really appealed to me because I do think it’s important to give the people who read your blog a better understanding of who you are as a person.  So, here goes…

My name is Parita, and I am a first generation Indian American.  My parents settled in RI after immigrating from India in the early 80s, therefore, I was born and raised in Pawtucket, RI.  If you’re thinking, “where is that”, does the Slater Mill ring a bell???  Anyways, I also have a younger sister who is one of my best friends in the entire world!  Despite having to raise two kids in an entirely new and different country, my parents did an incredible job!  They were able to keep the Indian culture alive in a foreign place, while still allowing us to fully embrace the American culture.  For example, my sister and I took ballet, tap, and jazz dance classes, played baseball in an all girls league, and had sleepovers just like a lot of our friends growing up.  But what set us apart were the trips to the temple, Bollywood movies, HUGE family get-togethers, Indian dance classes and performances, and multiple trips to India.  If I had to relive my childhood, I wouldn’t change a single thing!

Little Par! 🙂

We moved to Georgia when I was 14, and boy did I hate it!  I missed home and thought everything about the South was strange!  However, over time, I came to call Georgia home.  After finishing high school, I went to the University of Georgia for undergrad.  I majored in Finance because everyone was doing it (no joke)!  Truth be told, those 4 years were some of the best yet!  I met some of my best friends and my boyfriend of almost 6 years during that time, and looking back, life was so carefree and fun.  I miss it! 

After graduation, I worked for a public accounting firm in their consulting group.  This basically meant that I travelled a good bit and got to see some cool places.  I also learned a lot of life skills during this time, and that is why I think everyone should really try to ensure that their first job out of college gives them good experience both professionally and personally.  After about 2 years, I decided that I wasn’t truly happy with my job and couldn’t see myself there in the future.  So, I signed up for the GMAT and applied to business school to get my MBA.  I got into Georgia Tech and began an exciting 2 year adventure.  Going back to school was the best thing for me because it helped me realize that if I put my mind to something, I can do it no matter how difficult it seems at the start.  I was essentially going back to school to switch career paths, and in the beginning, I didn’t know if my mission would be successful.  With a lot of hard work and dedication, I was able to find a job upon graduation that would allow me to follow my professional aspirations.  I know that not everyone can afford to take this path (I was lucky to have very supportive parents), but please don’t ever give up on your personal goals and dreams!  Where there’s a will, there’s a way! 

My current job requires me to move around every 8 months for 2 years.  So far, I have lived in Tucson, AZ and am moving to the Boston area for my next rotation.  It’s such a great experience!  You get to live in 3 different cities, meet tons of new people, and gain valuable experience.  Moving around so much is a little annoying sometimes, but I knew what I was getting into!  🙂 

The reason I started this blog was to have a space where I could share my thoughts and ideas on health, fitness, and overall well-being.  I figured if I could inspire one person to adopt healthier habits, I would have made a difference.  However, since starting this blog a little over 2 weeks ago, I am starting to think that it’s going to be about much more than health and fitness.  I know that sounds a little vague, and I’m not totally sure what that means yet, but just knowing me, my goal of sharing health information will extend to changing the world…hahaha!  What I do know is that aside from sharing my daily thoughts, I want to share more about the Indian culture.  Learning about new countries, cultures, and people is so fascinating to me, so I figure blogging about my own culture will be a great experience for both myself and the people who read my blog.

What else can I share about myself??  I love to spend quality time with my friends and family, especially over a good meal!  I love talking to Vishnu everyday, but I absolutely can’t wait for the day when the phone is no longer our primary means of communication! 🙂  I love to shop, especially with my sister because she thinks I have great fashion sense (which I really don’t)!  I love “deep” conversations about anything and everything (I can just see my friends nodding their heads as they read this sentence)!  And this may shock some of you, but I really do love talking to my parents at least twice a day…we’re very close!  Working out, reading, traveling, going to the movies, cooking, laughing, etc. are other hobbies of mine…I really love ME time! 

All grown up!

Well, I’m sure you’ll learn more about me over time, but I think this is a good start! 🙂  Thanks so much!