Hello,
My name is Terra, and I have joined this forum in hopes of getting a more personalized perspective than what Google might be able to offer me. Currently, I am writing a novel, and one of my characters is Hindu. She is based loosely on someone with whom I used to be closely acquainted, but we have lost touch over the years. I am hoping to be able to write a character who is authentic, unique, and respectful to the Hindu culture and religion. Formerly, I lived in a very diverse area and had many friends and colleagues who were from India; however, I have moved and am now in an area which lacks in cultural diversity. I always prefer to learn and grow through human interaction than to learn from secondary sources, which is what lead me to this forum. I hope to be able to read, learn, and participate in order to gain some human insight.
For 12 years, I taught English to middle and high school students in the US. Recently, I have taken a break to finish graduate school and raise my baby daughter, and I am in the middle of writing a novel. I was raised in a Christian household, but I do not practice religion anymore. I do consider myself to be spiritual, and the Unitarian Universalist belief structure most closely aligns with my values. Thank you for accepting me into this forum, and I look forward to interacting with you in the future.