A Pakistani-American’s Tale of Bridging Two Cultures

My marriage bridges two cultures and two religions in a world that is not as black and white as some paint it. This summer, I had decided to quit wrestling with fear and heed the U.S. government’s warning to avoid travel to Pakistan. For an American, this sun-drenched country along the Arabian Sea is not a tourist hot spot. Apa’s tightly woven family — three generations living together under the same roof — adored her. I know a few words of Urdu. She knew little English. She was Muslim. I’m Christian.