Sarah Ashfaq, a senior at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, has been awarded $2,500 for her winning entry in an essay contest commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the independence of India and Pakistan. The contest was administered for Met Life by the Asia Society, a non-profit educational institution which fosters a better understanding between Americans and Asians.

Sixteen years ago when she was just a year old, Sarah Ashfaq migrated to the United States with her family. But when she returned to visit Pakistan in the summer of 1995, she was overwhelmed with the customs of a traditional wedding, as she watched one of her good friends marry.

Sarah Ashfaq has definite career goals and plans to make her mark in finance, specializing either in accounting or marketing. She thinks her homeland is absolutely beautiful, but that the United States is the land of opportunity.

The following is Sarah Ashfaq's winning essay:

Chun, chun, chun, chun. I hear my bangles jingling on my arm as I place my "dupata" around my neck. There, I'm ready. I grab my pocketbook and leave. I arrive to the sound of laughter and pleasant conversation. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. My mind seems to wander elsewhere. My gaze falls upon my friend I once played dolls with. All I hear around me is how beautiful she looks. Nobody else sees the sadness in her eyes that I see. Our eyes meet and tears run down both of our faces. I force myself to smile, so that she will too. She is being seated next to a man she is meeting for the first time, the man she will spend the rest of her life with. Although this is common in my culture, it is different when it's happening to somebody you are very close to. My culture defines my life, and my religion defines my culture. It has had the greatest impact on my identity. It has taught me to look at the world through different eyes, to appreciate what I have and to work at obtaining what I want.

Coming from a very demanding culture I have had to follow it closely my entire life. Being a first generation Muslim girl living in the Untied States has been a challenging experience. My family holds very traditional Pakistani beliefs. Throughout my life, these beliefs have been drummed into me. As a young child, I accepted everything and questioned nothing. As I grew older and matured, I realized I didn't hold the same point of view on several cultural issues as my parents did.

Women have not been considered equal to man in any culture. It is "our" duty to stay home, cook and clean, while the man of the household goes out and earns a living. Having an older brother, and watching the emphasis placed on his education and that on mine, made it clear that it wasn't equal.

My culture and its society frown upon women being equal to men. Many parents have been raised around this culture, and therefore, do not accept women as equal to men either. I have always recognized the importance of education, and place a high value on it. It has been my choice to go out and obtain the best possible education my resources allow me. My parents have begun to see this, I try my hardest to help them understand and to see things through my eyes. I have chosen the path I feel is right and because of this I am ready for the obstacles that will come across the way. I know that it will take a lot of time, but eventually, they will understand, accept and even support my decision to follow my dreams and pursue a career.

My culture has molded me into a strong-willed, hardworking, independent individual. The experiences I've had taught me more than any classroom or textbook have. I have learned that the only way to succeed in life, is through hard work and dedication. My desire to be successful has driven me to work my hardest, reach my potential and surpass it. None of this happens by doing nothing. I took initiative wherever given the opportunity, and where there was no opportunity, I created one. It is important to realize that nothing happens by itself. I worked my hardest and when it wasn't good enough, I worked harder. My family never objected to my hard work, however, they never encouraged it either. I learned to be independent because of this. I realized if you want to get help from anyone else, you have to help yourself first. Despite negative criticisms for wanting to become somebody, I went ahead and did it. However, I am not done yet. I still have a long way to go and will not stop until I get there.

Having my culture instilled in me has also given me a great sense of pride. Being able to speak Urdu and Punjabi, as well as reading Arabic are valuable skills that open up different worlds for me. Because my culture places a strong emphasis on family and religion, I have learned to appreciate and value both of these things. My culture has given me a sense of self respect as well. I will always be grateful to my parents for maintaining it, raising me in an entirely different environment. It has made me the person I am today.