When I was just six years old, my mother left for America for a few years to provide us with a better life. Since me and my brother were at a very fragile age, and she herself was young and full of life, the plan was to work for one, at most two years, and with a decent amount of money gathered, return back home. It never worked out the way it was planned. She never returned. We had to grow up with my father until I was fourteen. In eight years we reunited in The States. I often asked myself: why didn't that plan work out? Somehow America succeeded to take a piece of my heart away from me, and I am sure that this pain is felt by many immigrants that migrate away from the motherland for a brighter future. Yes, it is good to move forward in life and strive for prosperity, but unfortunately it seems that every immigrant that steps foot in America soon forgets where they came from and rush to fit in the society. To be honest, ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of coming to this country and “Live my American dream” as Puya rapped in his video: “I can be what I want to be, losing my identity, cause I got a lot of life in me, let me live my American dream” (Puya, 2010). Even if he is Romanian, he is singing in English about the reality of how everyone would sell their identity to become Americanized. Just like any other child, I wanted to eat Pizza everyday and wear original converse shoes on my feet.
I had created a Utopian Country in my head thinking that America is a land of freedom and peace. However, living here for the past seven years, I understand that this country is far from perfection. Due to a great variety of nationalities that I get to meet in my everyday work and school environment, I understand just how unique and beautiful every culture is. But when I ask most immigrants to tell me more about their traditions or language, it seems that they don’t have much to say. People, especially the younger generation, tend to forget quickly about their motherland along with their traditional food, music and holidays. When an individual is born in a particular country, he or she has a unique label attached to them. Once they “convert” into a new culture, they become just like everybody else. A very appealing New York Times article written by Tyler Cowen quotes, “Loyalties to cultural goods and services — be it heavy metal music or the opera — are about social networking and choosing an identity and an aspiration” (Cowen, 2007). Why then do many choose to loose that identity for an American penny? Seems like this globalization taking place is an evil plan to put an end to people being unique and different.
I can count on my fingers the people I know who are unique and hold pride of their background. One of them is a great poetess and inspiration of mine Nayyirah Waheed who once quoted: “You broke the ocean in half, to be here. Only to meet nothing that wants you.” (Waheed, 2012) There are 37 million immigrants in the U.S that sold their native land for discrimination and judgment that was hiding under the name “happiness and freedom” Day by day, these people are loosing identity and respect from others and are struggling with inequity by becoming a regular American inhabitant. Will someone please remind them how beautiful their culture is, how delicious their food is, and how pleasant their music sounds?
Picture Credits:
1 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/816995/Six-year-olds-Development-behavior-and-parenting-tips
2 http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/can-america-survive-if-americans-no-longer-agree-on-a-core-set-of-shared-values/can-america-survive-if-americans-no-longer-agree-on-a-core-set-of-shared-values-photo-by-drrandomfactor
3 http://edelomahony.com/2011/07/25/loving-money-doesnt-bring-you-more/
4 http://lifelibertytech.com/2012/07/25/broad-based-prosperity/
5 http://fijourney.com/create-american-dream/
6 http://kingstonhouseofpizza.com/
7 http://www.zappos.com/converse-chuck-taylor-all-star-core-ox
8 http://www.elainefitzgerald.com/utopia/
9 http://alshah40.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/nationalities/
10 http://www.zazzle.com/made_in_blank_bar_code_barcode_sticker-217856374178140382
11 http://africaisdonesuffering.com/2013/08/nayyirah-waheed/
12 http://www.recfish.co.nz/?p=485
13 http://mentalfloss.com/article/23033/why-do-birds-fly-south-winter
14 http://inspirationaldaily.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/love-quotes-on-mother/
15 http://liberationathletics.com/blog/are-you-unique/
16 http://www.embrace-diversity.com/
17 http://www.inspectorinsight.com/semiotics/how-different-are-cultures-introduction-to-semiotics-part-1/
18 http://www.foodgalaxy.org/food-and-religion
19 http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/4051491-all-united-against-dominance-english
20 http://indigomovement.wordpress.com/
Music Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCaH-qqTWpk The Piano Guys-Cello Ascends
Music Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz4MzJTeL0c The piano guys-Titanium/Pavane
1 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/816995/Six-year-olds-Development-behavior-and-parenting-tips
2 http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/can-america-survive-if-americans-no-longer-agree-on-a-core-set-of-shared-values/can-america-survive-if-americans-no-longer-agree-on-a-core-set-of-shared-values-photo-by-drrandomfactor
3 http://edelomahony.com/2011/07/25/loving-money-doesnt-bring-you-more/
4 http://lifelibertytech.com/2012/07/25/broad-based-prosperity/
5 http://fijourney.com/create-american-dream/
6 http://kingstonhouseofpizza.com/
7 http://www.zappos.com/converse-chuck-taylor-all-star-core-ox
8 http://www.elainefitzgerald.com/utopia/
9 http://alshah40.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/nationalities/
10 http://www.zazzle.com/made_in_blank_bar_code_barcode_sticker-217856374178140382
11 http://africaisdonesuffering.com/2013/08/nayyirah-waheed/
12 http://www.recfish.co.nz/?p=485
13 http://mentalfloss.com/article/23033/why-do-birds-fly-south-winter
14 http://inspirationaldaily.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/love-quotes-on-mother/
15 http://liberationathletics.com/blog/are-you-unique/
16 http://www.embrace-diversity.com/
17 http://www.inspectorinsight.com/semiotics/how-different-are-cultures-introduction-to-semiotics-part-1/
18 http://www.foodgalaxy.org/food-and-religion
19 http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/4051491-all-united-against-dominance-english
20 http://indigomovement.wordpress.com/
Music Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCaH-qqTWpk The Piano Guys-Cello Ascends
Music Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz4MzJTeL0c The piano guys-Titanium/Pavane