I consider myself a Pakistani, despite being born in America. I have grown up in the United States but never fully immersed myself in its culture. My parents have instilled Pakistani culture, values and traditions in me. They have become a big part of my life. It defines who I am. Growing up, I would wear jeans and a t-shirt to school, but I would change my clothes when I got home. I would change into traditional Pakistani clothing called shalwar kameez, because it is traditional and “modest” clothing. I would usually eat Pakistani foods for lunch and dinner. But, now that my sisters and I are older, we are exposed to other types of foods and we introduce those foods to my parents as well. Actually, now when we go out to eat, my dad prefers we have anything but Pakistani food. I haven’t watched as many American movies as I do now. I haven’t listened to a lot of American music, but I do now. I have grown up listening to and watching Pakistani music and movies. It was my parent’s attempt to teach us Pakistani culture, while living in the United States.
I’ve only visited the country twice. Once when I was 2 years old and then again when I was 9. I don’t remember much from my first visit, for obvious reasons. But visiting my country at the age of 9 was a great experience for me. I attended my cousin’s wedding, met most of my relatives, and saw a part of everyday life that I wasn’t used to. I never wore jeans during my visit, because I would be considered an outsider, a foreigner. In my attempt to learn more about my country, I rode the rickshaws, the horse-drawn rides, ate street food, visited the village, and smelled the country. It has a distinct smell, that I miss at times. I would love to visit the country again, but it’s just not possible under the current circumstances of the country.
Pakistan’s Independence Day is August 14th. Every year, there are parades and festivals throughout the city to celebrate the country’s independence. It is really important for me to attend the parades and festivals because it connects me to my country. People try to make it similar to the environment of the country, by selling country flags, traditional clothing and jewelry, and street food. It’s the closest I can get to my country’s atmosphere and environment without actually being in it.
I love attending the annual parade in Manhattan; there’s a mutual feeling of pride that exists. People show their pride by wearing the colors of the flag: green and white.
Patriotic songs arouse so much pride within me because of the emotion that they convey. My favorite Pakistani song is Dil Dil Pakistan by Vital Signs. It’s linked with national occasions and ceremonies, and is probably the most famous patriotic song after the national anthem. The title of the song means Heart, Heart, Pakistan, in its literal translation. It’s so meaningful probably because of the lyrics, which focus on the land and sky of the country. The song talks about the soul and heart of the country. I heard this song about 5 years ago, when I went to my first Pakistani Day Parade. I immediately fell in love with the song because it has so much passion and inspiration. There’s just something special about this song that I can’t explain. It just hits home with me, because I haven’t been able to experience the land and sky of the country as much as I would like to; but there’s still a sense of homesickness.
