Life of a New Immigrant in United States
"What is the American Dream?"
"What is the American Dream?"
Many foreigners migrate to America and hoping that they will, somehow, achieve the American dream. What is the American Dream? Is it to own a house? a car? Send your children to the finest schools? Earning a six-figure income or even owning a business? There are thousands of people who migrate to America thinking that they will make it 'big' and provide a fulfilling lives for their families, but once they get here, reality sets in. America is not the place of "milk and honey" that they once thought of and the streets are not paved with gold, San Francisco is very cold and not everyone is nice and friendly, unlike what they see on their televisions back home. Furthermore, when they first get here, they realize they need to find jobs for themselves to provide for their families and once they do find jobs, they earn minimum wage and work twice as hard as the other employees who are native-born. Despite of all their hard work and earning less than their native-born counterparts, they are also subject to prejudice and discrimination because they are not local, they have 'thicker' accents and sometimes, dress differently than the rest. Immigrants who come to the United States feel dissilusioned, long for their native towns and find asking themselves why did they ever come here, to begin with? Why do they stay and keep coming to America? Many immigrants, in some cases, have to leave their loved ones and try to make it in America, for them to support their families in their native land and hoping that they will be able to petition them and ultimately take them to America. It is a nice thought, but more often than not, it takes years for them to finally petition their loved ones and see be with their families again. Inspite of these things, in many cases, persevere and work diligently to achieve that American Dream. They may not own luxury cars, homes in a 'first-rate' neighborhood or even go to Disneyland all the time and yet, they stay because they do realize that with hard work and perseverance, they will be able to make money, no matter how little it is in the beginning, and consequently, provide for their families which is a lot more than what they can do in their own native land. Eventually, as they have more work experience, they become more marketable in the employment world and have the potential of earning more money. They also have the chance to improve themselves by going back to school and taking courses which will help them improve their job performance. With that said, immigrants also contribute to the economy of United States by paying taxes, buying cars, clothing, eating out and so forth. In some cases, some immigrants waive their nationality and become Unites States citizens themselves. Another reason why immigrants like to stay in United States is having the freedom of religion, speech and to do whatever they wish to do without "answering" to anybody. As much as they will always love and have their country's loyalty at heart, they find it refreshing to not have a dictator who tells them how to act, dress or what kind of religion they can have. America is, indeed, the land of the free and the home of the brave. God bless America!
* Please Note:
This article is based on personal experience and observing my loved ones' lifestyles as well. Hope you enjoyed reading it!:-)
The Star Spangled Banner Lyrics
By Francis Scott Key 1814
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
