Authentic Pakistani

I wanted to share three random pictures today, and I realized that all of them have something to do with my ethnic culture. I was born and raised (only till I was 10- I just wanted to sound like Fresh-Prince...) in Karachi, Pakistan.

And I totally grew up on Maggi Noodles. Please don't even try to compare them to Ramen Noodles! Maggi Noodles are Maggi Noodles. They always make me happy because they remind me of my childhood.
But is it terrible to say that I can only bear to eat them after dumping a lot of salt and chili peppers on the noodles? I was very confused by how bland the noodles tasted without salt. I mean- don't Pakistani and Indian people eat more salt in their diet than Americans?
So I was very excited about my maggi noodles dinner today- and obviously I jinxed it because I got lots of it to stick to the bottom of the pan, and I did not mix the spice packet well- so there were a couple of spice chunks! I can't believe I can manage to screw up even simple "2-minute noodles!!

 This is an art piece I did about three years ago in ceramics. It was meant to show the two sides of me-the American and the Pakistani- and the challenge to balance both. You can see the henna, and bold color, and even the nose piercing, and the red dot (well I don't have a nose piercing nor am I Hindu- so I don't apply the red dot either- it was more symbolic) on the left, with the nightlife-colorful look on the right, with fake eyelashes, and a thin eyebrow, on the right. I think the issue of identity is still something I struggle with. I feel like I left Pakistan so long ago that everything is different there, and I don't quite belong. And at the same time, I entered the US so late, that I don't share common youth memories that most people my age have had. I never grew up with Elvis, or Micheal Jackson, or even Dream Street. I am very thankful still of knowing both cultures because it has enabled me to understand different cultures more. But I often wonder how it feels  to just be fully part of one culture, and skip all the confusion.
However, if that means I would have to give up either culture, and never be able to wear all my Pakistani/Indian outfits- then that is a major "no-no." I love indo-pakistani culture too much- and I also would never give up how empowered I feel by being an American.
Ps: It was so hard getting a good picture in this outfit!!