Young, outspoken, honest and charming are just a few words to describe Dr. Mundenchira. She is a classic success story of a daughter of an immigrant family that worked hard and made its place in Canadian society. In doing so she has integrated and adapted to the values of Canadian society, yet being a young South Asian woman has its own challenges.
As someone who came here as a teenager, she admits that she has changed a bit. She has integrated into the society more than her parents. “I’ve accustomed to the culture here..especially because of my career,” she says thoughtfully.
As a family physician in a clinic in Oakville, she is not only a doctor to her South Asian patients, but a counselor as well. She has had youth in late teens, early 20s and mid 20s who have had difficulty communicating with their parents about their hearts’ desire of choosing a career. “Parents mean well.. they just want their kids’ to go into something that pays better,” Dr. Mundenchira says, “youth underestimates their parents..youth should give their parents a benefit of doubt.”
Not being able to talk to parents in South Asian culture puts both parents and youth to stress. “It’s not depression, it’s not anxiety, most of the times it’s stress.”
Living in Canadian society where individualism is at times overwhelming. People want to feel that they are strong and take care of themselves, yet “there’s no harm in telling someone how we feel. Too much family is a problem and not having one is a problem too,” she says.
She can relate to youth’s struggles as she had gone through the same phase of life once with the parents who shared the same concerns. Being a successful woman does not in any way mean that she doesn’t have stress in her life. She has had the same sort of tensions with her family as any youth does. “I became too westernized, but now I’m coming back to my culture,” she reminiscences.
Finding the right guy is just another of life’s worries. Many South Asian women her age feel added pressure from parents to be married at a certain age. Dr. Mundenchira is no different. She is, however, open to a partner from a different background and religion.
“I’m a little forward thinking..we [young women] look for a guy who can understand our ambitions and appreciate our culture,” she says. “Maybe we do expect more than what our mothers’ used to expect.”
To be presentable and to fulfill a certain image of youth, you also have to be slim and trim.
Lean and thin, Dr. Mundenchira was not always like this. She was once chubby. But she made a decision to lose pounds. She found consolation in Bollywood dance style workout. She joined Shiamk to trim her weight.
“Motivation,” she says “is the key.”
Then comes healthy eating habits and changes in life style.
Healthy eating habits means no starchy foods like rice after 6 in the evening, smaller food portions, sticking to eating schedule, instead of having three big meals, six small meals throughout the day.
“And when you go grocery shopping, make a list of things beforehand, rather than piling your carts at the store,” she advises.
“Walking 30 minutes three times a week is good exercise,” she suggests. Understanding hesitation of South Asian families to join gym, she says with good sense of humour “you can walk up and down the stairs, carry rice or flour bags and lift up your kids if you don’t want to lift weights.”
