There’s something incredibly special about being best friends with someone who comes from a different background than you. Initially, you notice the obvious aspects: the food, the traditions, and the few cultural differences. But as time passes, you begin to notice much more.
You start to see them.
As we began to understand each other, we found that our cultures both felt warm and lively in their own ways. They seep through the way we love, the way we express ourselves, and the way we carry meaning into even the smallest parts of our lives. Our friendship has shown us that people don’t have to be the same in order to understand each other. Kindness, respect, and genuine care go further than any difference ever could.
For Karizma, it began with something as simple as observing how Inshirah takes her time to pray in the library between her classes. At first, it barely stood out; it simply seemed like prayer was a routine for her. But then she realized that it was something Inshirah constantly made time for, no matter how busy the day felt. Because for her, prayer and faith are elements of her life that she carries everywhere. It is a practice that shapes her day, her mindset, and the way she moves through her own world.
That curiosity led Karizma to ask more questions about Ramadan, and about what it means to fast, both physically and emotionally. She began to see that the discipline, patience, and intention behind it are what create a deeper purpose. What surprised her the most wasn’t just the practice itself, but the meaning behind it. Hearing Inshirah explain her love for Ramadan and its impact made her realize how much depth there is to things that people often simplify or misunderstand.
The same is true for language. Sometimes one of us will explain a phrase or translate something, and giggle at our attempts to pronounce it.
For all the things we have taught each other about language, culture, and faith, ironically, one thing has not changed: Karizma still cannot say Inshirah’s full name correctly, so to her, she will always just be “Shooshie.”
It’s not about the words, it’s about everything behind them. Language carries emotion, intention, and a deep impact that only reveals itself when someone takes the time to share it with you. The same sentiment extends into everything else we’ve shown each other about our worlds.
For Inshirah, one of the first things she noticed was the way music exists so evidently in Karizma’s life. It’s always there, whether she’s speaking, spending time at home, or just going about her day. To Karizma, music isn’t just a background noise, it’s part of who she is. It reflects her beautiful energy, her warmth, and the way she brings life into everything around her. She talks so passionately about dancing, about quebradita and cumbias, and how natural it feels to just move and enjoy it. In her culture, music and dancing are something shared, and it’s a symbol of joy that brings people together.
Inshirah started to notice that same sense of meaning in Karizma’s family traditions too. Karizma once told her about her family tradition of making tamales with her grandmother every Christmas, and the way she described it made the moment feel like so much more than just cooking. It’s something passed down through generations, carrying history, love, and a sense of belonging. That sense of belonging extends beyond traditions, it’s tied to where she comes from. When Karizma talks about Mexico, it’s with a kind of love that’s impossible to ignore. Her country isn’t just a place to her; it’s home in the deepest sense. You can hear it in the way she craves to be there, and how nothing else quite compares.
As we learn more about each other’s religion, culture, and sense of belonging, we learn more about the love we each have for home. When Inshirah speaks about the Middle East, there is a kind of love in her voice that you can’t fully explain. Through her, it becomes clear that home is not always about where someone is physically, but about what stays rooted within them.
Through each other, we’ve learned that faith, culture, and family are not separate from who a person is, but woven into their life. It’s in the way we carry ourselves, the way we treat people, and the way we hold onto our values even when it’s not the easiest choice. We have taught each other about our obligations, traditions, and beliefs in a way that feels natural. Like we are letting each other understand, not just informing each other, and that’s what makes it meaningful.
In the end, what makes diversity so beautiful is not just the differences we notice, but the way those differences invite us to understand, to learn, and to grow. Through our friendship, we’ve learned that culture is shaped by our values, passing down stories, and the choices we make in life. When we open ourselves to it, we begin to see that no culture stands alone; they connect in a way that makes the world feel more alive. Diversity doesn’t divide us, it stands as a reminder that there is beauty in a world where no two stories are exactly the same.
