The usual smell of cigarette smoke permeates the hot, humid streets of Mumbai, India, a scent oddly comforting to a then-16 Reva Shetty (12). It lingers on her clothing as she evades an entourage of incoming traffic and rogue street food stands from the comfort of her car. The windows are rolled down, and a sense of nostalgia washes over her as she takes in the chaotic scenery one last time. In just a few hours, her experiences will become memories, the streets and views she has known for the past 14 years, inaccessible. Moonlight gently illuminates the streams of nearby water fountains, their rhythmic beating muffling her internal apprehension. She finally arrives inside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, where she’s greeted by the structure’s characteristically tall, yet familiar, coffered walls. Reva is headed for the United States, a location she frequents every summer. This time, however, she is staying. Permanently.

Making the Transition

In the spring of 2023, Reva made the decision to move to St. Louis from Mumbai, India with aspirations of pursuing post-secondary education in the United States. However, St. Louis is not completely foreign to her.

“I was actually born in St. Louis,” Reva said. “My parents got divorced when I was two. My mom got custody, so I moved back to India, [where] she’s originally from.”

Coming to this conclusion was simple enough — settling in and adjusting to her new life proved more difficult.

“I didn’t know anyone here, so starting a new life was a bit jarring, especially with making friends at school,” Reva said. “My first days in St. Louis were [spent] mainly missing my routine back home and hating the time difference.”

In fact, the 11 hour time difference between St. Louis and Mumbai was initially a significant barrier for Reva and her childhood friend from India, Isha Waingankar. Now seniors, they have known each other since fifth grade.

“Growing up with Reva was one of the best parts of my school life,” Waingankar said. “She gets me, and there was never an awkward phase in our friendship. We spent almost every day together because of school and tutoring.”

Though maintaining contact is still occasionally challenging, the two friends have made it work.

“We try to connect every couple of days and text throughout the day to stay in touch,” Waingankar said. “Both of us are late sleepers, so we can talk for most of the day without issues. We text about random things, keeping each other updated on everything, big or small.”

Amidst chaotic adjustments and confusion was excitement: Vilaas Shetty, Reva’s father, was glad to reunite with his daughter long-term. Their contact had previously remained limited to visits during vacations or video calls.

“I was thrilled when [Reva] said she was interested in coming here to finish her school,” Vilaas said. “She would come [to the U.S.] for about six weeks to spend the summer and had been doing that for years. I’ve always wanted her to live here. I just never thought it would happen.”

Initially, no one could say for certain how Reva was going to adjust, but her versatility, adaptability and friendliness expedited the process exponentially.

“[Reva] made friends very fast,” Vilaas said. “She was ready and willing to just try new things [and] meet new people. She found activities that she really liked and people with common interests.”

Overcoming Culture Shock

Moving to another school or state is often a commonality and even a unifier for many. Virtually uprooting your entire life, including the existing customs, traditions and values you have known and practiced for years, is not.

“[Reva has] had to adapt to everything: the type of food people eat here, what they like to do and how they talk,” Vilaas said. “She’s fluent in English, but that’s different from hearing people talk with an American accent or at high speeds.”

Though Reva emphasized keeping an open mind to ensure a smooth-sailing transition, she still needed downtime to familiarize herself with aspects of American education and culture that still felt foreign to her.

“Here, you guys are more extracurricular focused. [In India], we’re more academically focused and everything revolves around your studies,” Reva said. “At some levels, it was hard [adjusting], but it was also a lot easier because I realized that I didn’t have to be as focused on my grades.”

Beyond the academic sector, Reva had yet to fully immerse herself in the American lifestyle. Fortunately, her newfound friends were able to introduce her to their favorite pastimes and events, both day-to-day and exciting alike.

“[My friends helped me with] absolutely mundane stuff like going out to get a bagel because I had never tried a bagel before,” Reva said. “[Also like], going to football games, dances and arcades — just all the American experiences that I’ve seen in movies.”

Besides technical and habitual differences, there was an environmental learning curve for Reva.

“She grew up in a city of over 20 million people. This is rural by comparison,” Vilaas said. “That city also never sleeps. Over here, we’re all going to bed and it’s 9 or 10 at night, so that took her some getting used to as well.”

In addition to her father, Reva lives with her grandparents. Despite periodic cultural and generational divergences, they are able to connect over shared interests.

“My grandmom and I bond over a lot of things. I introduced her to ‘Hamilton,’ the musical,” Reva said. “We sing a lot of ‘Hamilton,’ but my grandfather, we bond over Bollywood music.”

Bollywood Dance Club

Alongside her move to the U.S., Reva also transported a decade’s worth of passion for and experience with Bollywood Dance, a vibrant style of Indian dancing that combines traditional and contemporary western elements.

“Growing up in an Indian environment, every festival you dance,” Reva said. “Bollywood music and Bollywood in general is a huge part of our culture. I danced a lot as a kid, and so I dance a lot now as well.”

Waingankar has seen Reva’s evolution from their school years to the present, and she could not be prouder of her childhood friend’s accomplishments in dance.

“We loved dancing together during school concerts, farewells and DJ nights on school trips,” Waingankar said. “Reva’s dancing style is extremely graceful. She dances with confidence and passion.”

Now co-president of Bollywood Dance Club, her affinity for the club dates back to her junior year.

“I joined because it seemed fun and I like Bollywood dance,” Reva said. “The presidents at the time both realized that I know a lot more about [it]. They were like, ‘You should be president,’ and I was like, ‘I would actually love to.’”

Reva has since assumed an integral role in leadership by choreographing dances for the Bollywood Dance Club, producing routines for Passport Night at Old Bonhomme Elementary School, Spoede Elementary School and Conway Elementary School, as well as International Week and Rams Around the World at Ladue High School.

“We do different choreographies for all of them,” Reva said. “It gets boring after a while if you’re doing the same one for every single thing, and the rehearsals become redundant. It’s also more fun to expose [the audience] to different songs.”

Overall, arranging routines for the Bollywood Dance Club, staying connected to the community and continuing dance has helped Reva regain a sense of unity and peace.

“I feel the most at home when I’m dancing,” Reva said. “I have confidence in my group, myself and what everybody does for the dance.”