Muhammad

My name is Muhammad and I was born in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. Growing up as a Muslim Pakistani-American in Maine, the least racially diverse state in the U.S., was a very unique experience. I moved to rural Maine from a city of 6 million people in Pakistan. The new place I came to call home couldn't be more different from the old; climate, people, culture, social interactions, and almost everything else about life was different between the two. Growing up and traveling between Pakistan and the U.S., learning the cultures and seeing them from two unique perspectives, helped me appreciate the two cultures and understand myself in different ways.

However, this was a precarious situation as well, because being between two different cultures also meant never being fully a part of something. It meant social alienation regardless of where I was. In Pakistan, I was an American and in America, I was a Pakistani. With the kindness of others and a charming smile, I've learned to be home in both environments.