Hyphen is a well written piece of work about a boy who doesn't know whether or not he's American or Chinese. When he asks his mother, he gets a satisfying answer: he's Chinese-American. This answer is given to many kids across America, that they are something-American. They could be Irish-American or Russian-American. In my case, I'm Pakistani-American.

My ancestors' roots originate in Pakistan. That's a well-populated country in Southern Asia. My parents tell me that Pakistan is my wattan, or homeland. When I went there, I loved it, despite the lack of electricity and the intense heat. Here, people asked me where I was from. I couldn't respond "Pakistan" or "America". Now, I respond, " Pakistani-American", because, at the end of the day, that is what I am.