Muir Beach, Chinatown, and Big Sur

This weekend, I herald in the end of summer and commenced the new school year with a few short trips. On Friday, I went to Muir Beach, a semi-private spot tucked away in the cliffs north of San Francisco. It was a little foggy, but not too cold to enjoy a book with your feet in the sand.

 On Saturday, I visited Chinatown.

On Sunday, my mom and I drove down Highway 1 to Big Sur area. Unfortunately, most of the ocean views were hindered by dense fog, but later in the afternoon we were able to see some of the beautiful landscape.

Pakistan Day: You know you are a desi when...

Today, is the 64th Independence day of Pakistan so after some research, I compiled this list to catalogue  some common conventions and customs. 

• You use your saved grocery bags as trash bags. 
• You call every older person you’ve never met before "auntie" or “uncle”.

• You hid things from your parents (I called it my need-to-know rule).   
• You studied law, medicine or engineering at university
(I am an aberration to this rule). 
• You know no one who has studied music.
 
• You still came back home to live with your parents after you had finished college.

• You have friends that got married at the age of 18 (Not 18, but 19. I should be worried).
• You like meat well done.

• You secure your baggage with a rope (Only during trips to and from Pakistan). 
• You tie a piece of cloth to your suitcase's handle to easily differentiate your luggage. 
• You walk out of customs with your trolley at the airport and you see a large group of your family who have come to pick you up (on trips to Pakistan). 
• You go back to your parents’/my country and people treat you like a member of the royal family. 
• You take off your shoes before entering a family friends/relatives' house. You take off your shoes before stepping foot in your living room.
• Your parents call your friends “Beta”.  
• Your parents worry what other people will think if you’re not going to be a doctor/ engineer/lawyer.
• You have a pile of shoes blocking the front door. 
• Your parents tells you to change the channel when something dirty comes on t.v. as if you have no idea what is going on.  
• You know how an Indian film will end even before it’s started (but you still watch it). 
• You’re related to a doctor. 
• At weddings the cameraman only ever "cameras" you when you’re eating. 
• Your parents force you to listen to old Indian/Ghazal songs. For me, it was Rafi songs and I still enjoy listening to them. 
• You own a gold chain with your name/initial engraved on it. 
• You find condiments packets from fast food chains in your kitchen drawer.
• The smoke detector goes off whenever your are cooking dinner (in college, but I think that was a testament to my cooking skills).
• You starts spelling your name to the operator like A as in Apple, B as in boy, T as in train ...well you get the idea.
• You bring over the counter medicines like Iodex and Vicks from Pakistan. 
• You take at least 4 weeks vacation to Pakistan. 
• You try to get by using coupons that have already expired. 
• Your mother swears she never wanted to marry your father.
• You arrive one hour late to a party and it's normal.
• You are standing next to the two largest suitcases at the airport.
• Your parents talk for an hour at the front door when leaving someone's house.Then they are invited back in to sit and drink more tea, and then going through the same routine all over again.
• You notice that whenever you go to another desi's house, your parents always talk about work, politics and business.
• Every few months your parents say they want to move back to Pakistan. 
• You hate to waste food.
• You don't own any real Tupperware -- only a cupboard full of used, but carefully rinsed, margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars.
• You carry a stash of your own food whenever you travel. 
• You live with your parents and you are 30 years old. 
• You don't use measuring cups. 
• Your parents use a clothes line even with a working dryer.
• You still prefer driving Toyota and Honda cars.