I have been living in the United States for about nine years. When I moved here I didn't know how to speak English but picked up the language in three months because I was young. I've lived in America for nine years but I mostly eat Pakistani food. There is just something about the food from Pakistan that I can't let go. Even though my mom makes Chinese food and other dishes that are not Pakistani I still prefer Pakistani food. Growing up I just never tried food from different places; now I just can't seem to enjoy different food. Everyone in my family likes to eat Chinese and Italian but I just eat fries at the non-Paki places that we go to. Now as i get older I find myself more open to the idea of trying food from different places.
Music and movies are another big reason why I'm still very connected to my Pakistani culture. I enjoy watching Pakistani movies and listening to Pakistani songs. Most of the playlist on my phone is full of Pakistani and Indian songs. I also listen to English music which keeps me connected to my American culture. Also, clothes are an important part of my joined Pakistani-American culture. At school or when I go out I usually wear western clothes. When I go to a family member's house or to the Mosque I wear Pakistani clothes.
Growing up in a Pakistani household I have an automatic love for biryani. Most Pakistani people love biryani. Biryani is a rice and chicken dish. Biryani is famous in the Middle East. Lately, biryani has been getting popular in other countries as well. When I started my current job my coworker asked if I could bring some biryani for her. I was so surprised because I didn't expect her to know what biryani was. It is the main dish at weddings; a wedding is not complete without biryani. Biryani is the one dish I can eat everyday and never get bored of it.
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This is a very interesting post because we come from the same place. I think its pretty cool how you learned to speak English so perfectly even though you weren't born and raised here because most people have difficulty learning English when they move here from different countries. Also I agree with you about the food. Myself being born here I still prefer Pakistani food any day. I guess cause that's mostly what my mom cooked while I was growing up.
ReplyDeleteAyee, I didnt know it was called Biryani, but that joint be cranking. I could eat like 12 plates and still want more.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post here. I wonder--do you think that since you've been here nine years, that's probably close to half your life, right? So the reason you might shy away from other cultural cuisines is because Pakistani food ties you back to Pakistan, your first home?
ReplyDeleteCulturally, it sounds like you are really enmeshed in the Pakistani-American culture. Do you find the more heterogeneous American cultures chipping at that at all?
This post made me hungry! Biryani sounds delicious and I was wondering if you have any recommendations of local Pakistani places to get it from? I think you should explain what the partition was just to give your post another factor.
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