Three Shocks in My Journey as a Colombian Wife in the Heart of Indian Culture

When I first moved to India after marrying my beloved Indian husband, I knew life would be different in this intercultural marriage. What I didn't expect was how profoundly this vibrant country would transform me, challenge me, and ultimately become another home in my heart.

Today, I want to share three defining aspects of my journey that have shaped my experience as a Colombian woman navigating life in India: joint families, the role of women, and the great Indian traffic.

1. Joint Families and Living with Your In-Laws

Coming from Colombia, I was no stranger to warm, close-knit communities. But in India, the concept of community is absolutely different. The joint family system, for example, may have existed in my mom's generation or earlier in my place. Of course, when I saw girls my age willingly going to their in-laws' families, I was stunned. 

Despite my continued disbelief, I learned that not everyone is unhappy or forced to do it. I clearly defend the idea that the couple must choose TOGETHER where to live, but I also had the chance to experience it first hand and honestly… It was fine! 

As an outsider trying to find my footing in a new country, I slowly learned that community isn't just about having people around you. It's about belonging, about having a support system that catches you when you stumble through your first Diwali preparations or make courtesy mistakes.

Now I can totally say that India and Colombia’s strength lies in their collective spirit. 

2. Understanding the Role of Indian Women

One of the most eye-opening aspects of my life in India has been witnessing the incredible strength of Indian women. Before moving here, I had a limited understanding of the complex roles women navigate in Indian society. The reality is far more nuanced than any stereotype could capture.

Indian women are entrepreneurs and homemakers, tradition-keepers and rule-breakers, caregivers and career-builders… Many times all at once. I come from a place where women do everything, everywhere, at all times.

However, in India, I also saw that even though you’re expected to do many things, you’re also expected to remain docile and silent. That aspect goes entirely against my nature and upbringing. 

I’m still unsure about my feelings on this topic. It hurts me to see so many injustices and double standards. I have met incredibly strong women, full of power and freedom in their souls.

I hope these women can continue creating collective change to address social disparities and make it a safe place to BE a woman. Also, this isn't about judgment; it's about understanding and appreciation for a reality so different from my own upbringing.

I also created a short reel that explores the delicate dance Indian women perform daily. It's about privileges, sacrifices, quiet resilience, and the gradual shifts in modern India.

3. My Battle with Indian Traffic

If you've never experienced Indian traffic, imagine the most chaotic scene you can think of, multiply it by ten, add cows, auto-rickshaws, and a complete disregard for lane markings.

And if you’re Colombian and you come to me complaining that we also have horrible traffic, let me tell you… Yes, it can be busy, but it generally follows some semblance of rules and respect. Indian roads were BY FAR my biggest culture shock.

I used to live on a main road with no traffic lights whatsoever. I stood frozen at the curb for fifteen minutes, watching the endless stream of vehicles weaving around each other and being incapable of crossing. It was overwhelming, terrifying, and completely incomprehensible.

I cried many times because I felt I couldn’t go alone anymore; I was always asking for help.

After one whole year of trials, small walks, lady auto drivers to avoid disgusting stares, and gradual independent moves, I finally made it, and I was moving around Chennai as if I were a local. 

This experience taught me that adaptation isn't about changing who you are; it's about expanding your comfort zone to include new realities.

I could say that the traffic became a metaphor for my entire Indian experience: it was chaotic, unpredictable, occasionally terrifying, but ultimately navigable once you learn the unwritten rules.

The Bottom Line 

Living as a Colombian wife in India means constantly bridging two worlds. I bring my Latin American warmth, directness, and love for loud music into our home, where it also blends with chai, Kollywood, and family traditions that have existed for generations.

Some days this fusion feels seamless… and some other days, it feels like I'm translating not just languages but entire worldviews. 

It’s not been entirely easy, but it is totally worth it. Why? Probably because of my husband. He has been my partner in this cultural adventure, helping me navigate the complexities while also learning to see his own culture through my foreign eyes.

Together, we're creating something new. We’re blending Colombian spontaneity and Indian tradition. Independence and family values. Arepas y dosas jajajaj. 

I hope you liked this raw and probably very casually written text. Anyway, the journey continues, and we’re ALL IN.

About the Author

Luisa Trujillo is one half of Masala. She's a dreamer, believer, and achiever from a cozy coffee farm in Risaralda, Colombia. Being in an intercultural and interreligious relationship with an Indian 16,000 km away since 2019, she has gained a fair bit of insight into love, travel, and culture.

In her other life, Luisa has been a Coffee Grower, Digital Marketer, English as a Foreign Language Teacher, and Translator with a bachelor's degree in Modern Languages. Thanks to the latter, she is now fluent in Spanish, English, and French and has basic knowledge of Portuguese, Japanese, and Russian.

Relationships, coffee, languages, and a thousand miles later, she decided to start a community online to share her experience through Masala of Cultures along with her other half, Aswin.

Luisa's insights can also be found on other parts of the internet, including NVCC.