Punjabi, actually.  It was 1996.

You’re reading this thinking, “What the hell?”, right?!!  Let me explain.

I graduated from high school in June of 1996 and couldn’t wait to receive my roommate assignment from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.  I can still remember receiving it…….Jeegisha Patel……and, in my ignorance, I can also remember not knowing how to pronounce her first name.  I couldn’t tell what nationality she was, not that it should matter.  But, again, I was a very sheltered 18 year old growing up in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  The extent of my knowledge of nationality went something like this…..”Mc” is Irish, “ski” is Polish, and if the last name ends in a vowel, they’re Italian!  Really.  I’d never seen the last name, Patel, before, so I had no idea that my roommate was Indian.  My knowledge of the Indian culture started and ended with my pediatrician, Dr. Dwarkai Bai Penugonda!

Anyway, my freshman year roommate was Jeegisha “Rinku” Patel.  Rinku later confessed that when she received my name…..Barbara Fisher…..that I sounded like the whitest white girl on the planet!  We became very good friends and embraced each other’s culture.  I embraced the Indian culture so much so that I was gifted with a pair of “Indian jeans” that Christmas!  I was the trendiest white freshman on campus!!  Rinku’s very sweet mother brought jewelery back for me from India and I started to enjoy eating samosas.  I was also fortunate enough to learn some of the language.  See below.

Think about what it sounds like when you hear a toddler say, “shit”.  It’s wrong.  It’s crude.  But, as long it’s not your child, you can’t help but laugh.  This is what it was like when we’d greet one another on campus.  We were very politically incorrect but we truly got a kick out of each other.  There were always a lot of laughs.  I wouldn’t necessarily say that attending PCPS was the best experience of my life, but I received a wonderful education, met a lot of really good people, and made great friends – friends that obviously last a lifetime.  I can’t tell you how much it means to me to be hearing from old friends.  I appreciate, so much, all of you taking the time out of your own busy lives – time away from your own, beautiful families – to think of me and my family.  This t-shirt CRACKED ME UP!!!

Oh, Hoochie Pak – Anita, Neha, Jessy, Swati, Rinku, and Palak – one last thing.  You’ll be happy to know that Dr. Penugonda is still a practicing pediatrician!  She now takes care of my kids!  Since knowing all of you, I’ve always wondered if, somewhere in her house, she has one of those mixes that you guys used to listen to.  You know what I mean.  These days, it would probably be Flo Rida with some random guy singing Punjabi throughout the song!  I know it’s a little late, but Happy Diwali!  Love you all!

LIVESTRONG and God Bless!