I’m not a fan of highly organized choreography in social settings. So I’ve opted out of garbas and the ever persistent cousin dances at desi weddings. Despite all the medical professionals present at those, that specific tumor stubbornly persists.

So the more usual one. All those mandir or community gatherings where you’re expected to dress properly and make your folks look good by bragging about yourself without giving off arrogant optics. 

Two really useful things you can learn.

One. All those uncles, aunties, bhais, and didis are doing something. Some of them picked the 3rd option other than doctor or engineer and life didn’t end. More importantly, you can learn what they do and start forming a map. Also helps to ask questions to the two normal routes too if that’s your cup of chai.

Two. You get the reps for giving a quick pitch on who you are and what you’ve done. Y’all’d be surprised how tough it is.

Can’t say much about the former.

But the latter’s how I ended up working at the robotics place. Granted it was a dev meetup at Marios on Walnut not a desi function.