New Jersey: Desi Promised Land

Geocaching: treasure hunting for the twenty first century. We didn't find the treasure, but we did find this lovely little waterfall. And we spotted two deer and some mushrooms.

My sister Sonya and I posing to document the two times per year we swaddle ourselves in our unwieldy ethnic garb.
Clearly, I am the better looking one.

My seven-and-a-half year old niece Alia rocked some Bach on her adorably tiny violin. A minuet. And in a tiny sari, too. Kudos to you Li! Mom, you would have loved it...

In line with family tradition, Asha, the newest addition to our clan, gets her inaugaral karaoke forcing. She roused the crowd with a hearty B-I-N-G-O and Bingo was his name-o...

Did you know that although New Jersey is the third smallest state in the Union in terms of total land area, it still ranks in the top twelve for total population? It is also the most densely populated state in the US, and the home state of the luminous Jon Bon Jovi.

New Jersey is sort of like the Bangladesh of the US. Demographically speaking, that is (not Bon Jovically speaking).

Another interesting NJ tidbit: nearly twenty percent of people currently living in New Jersey were born outside of the US. That is a lot. After this past weekend visiting family in New Jersey, I could swear that 100% of said 20% are South Asians. Everywhere I looked, I spotted a Patel Video, a Shanaz Salon or a Chand Palace Banquet Hall and Catering Service. Mystifying. The famed town of Edison, NJ boasts an Indian population density higher than New Delhi. The street signs are in Hindi and paan wallahs roam the streets freely. I felt like Aleesh in Vandarland. I can't say it wasn't a welcome change of scenery, especially after last week's alienating encounter. Indian-Americans are one of the groups of immigrants shaping the future of this country, samosa by samosa, M.D. by M.D. I'm proud to be one of 'em. Though I must admit that walking around in New Jersey in a sari made me feel so...cliche.

Our family gathering in New Jersey was a lively celebration of my aunt and uncle's 40th wedding anniversary. My cousins threw such a thoughtfully-planned and extravagant party (complete with 80 guests, banquet hall catered Indian food, a slideshow and a mini talent show) that I imagined all of the other adult offspring sweating gold and silver bullets as the bar was raised for their own parents' landmark anniversaries.

My favorite parts of the weekend: 1) Going geocaching with my cousin, uncle and two wee nieces Alia and Asha. Who doesn't love a GPS treasure hunt? 2) Getting a real slice of pizza at the Mainline Pizzeria 3) Watching my two paternal aunts laugh together late at night in the way only dui bon--two sisters--truly can. Saying one word and then proceeding to guffaw so thoroughly that neither sister can breathe yet both manage to produce impressive tear duct tributaries. It warmed my heart (even though I had no idea what they were laughing about).