1.5 gen Tamils — where are you?
I'll keep this short. I was born in Sri Lanka and moved to the UK when I was 9.
I've always struggled to fully fit into Tamil spaces here. The UK-born Tamils have their own vibe and experiences that I can't always relate to, and the international Tamil students don't always get what it's like to grow up straddling two cultures either.
I recently learned the term 1.5 generation : basically people who were born in one country and moved to another as children/teenagers. And honestly? It clicked. That's exactly what I am.
To add some context, back in Sri Lanka I went to English medium school, so I never really got the chance to study Tamil formally. I speak it at home with family and friends, but I can't read or write it well, and I don't know much literature either. So I sometimes feel like I don't even fully "qualify" as Tamil in that sense, which adds another layer to the in-between feeling.
I've been wondering, is there anyone else out there who feels the same? Like you're not quite "from here" but not quite "from there" either?
If there were a space for 1.5 gen Tamils, nothing formal, just a chill community for things like game nights, picnics, learning tamil, or even just venting as well as finding friend/connection, would that be something you'd be interested in? What would you want from it?
Honestly, I'm just putting this out there to see if anyone else feels the same, just curious 😅
Be honest, if this doesn't resonate or you think it wouldn't work, tell me that too. I'd rather know.
And if you're not 1.5 gen but know someone who is, feel free to tag or share this with them 🙏