Coming to America
Home is where you are..mind, body, soul !
I can say that I did most of my growing up in America.
I was an adult infant when I came to America. I was a freshly minted 18 year old… eager to experience life on my own. Eager to make my own decisions without any adult supervision.
A little back story.. I am the youngest of 8. I had a lot of guidance and support but I also had to fill in the the shadow of my siblings accomplishments. I always had a sense of rebellion in me but I just shrugged it of as I am just being the youngest child so being more rebellious is within my norm. But my version of rebellion was very mild and modest. The most I did was just ask “why” and demand a solid explanation
So yea coming to America was literally by re birthing opportunity...to discover myself and just be.
I was fortunate enough to have a very supportive family. My brothers provided me with financial support and everything in between. In a way I was still the baby sister with a little bit more money and a lot more will power where I did not know what to be, choose, and do. I guess I was more craving that distant yet supportive connection.
As I reflect back on my 11 years in America , here are some things that became clear:
I was in a complete foreign environment which means my re birth experience was twice as hard and confusing
I found my self faking through many things … like laughing at a joke that only one born and raised in the culture would understand..
I was made aware of the fact that english is not my first language. That even though I spoke well enough and people understood what I was trying to communicate.. I had to “Americanize” my way of speaking to be taken seriously
I was made aware that only I am in charge of my coming to America experience
I made my name more palatable for the American way. Not because I hated my name but for the sheer fact of how many times I had to correct people
I learned that peoples eagerness to know where I am from and learn about my experience wasn’t always genuine but just a way to start a small conversation and not to feel rude
I learned about “potluck”.. I mean back home you invite someone and you cover everything. To this day it's strange to me and find myself feeling rude for asking people to bring something.
I am shocked by how teenagers in America talk back to their parents.. I mean wow...
I learned what waste really is.. soo much resource is being wasted..
I learned the burgers on TV are not all that….
In a way all these lessons are showing me how lucky and blessed I am to be able to experience life fully ...to acknowledge the things I don’t know and to appreciate and cultivate the things I love and know.
Being a soulful migrant entails more that the physical move ...it’s a spiritual rebirth experience. An experience that ought to be admired and respected.
Cheers to more lessons!
Xoxo
The Soulful Migrant