Ann Palathingal
Seminar 2: The Peopling of New York City
Professor Bonastia
February 4, 2014
The transition from one place to another is difficult for most people. That is especially the case when one has lived in one’s home country for many years past the onset of adulthood. My father immigrated to the United States and settled in New York City about twenty-two years ago. He came from a small southern state in India called Kerala, nicknamed “God’s Own Country.” The place was much different from the hectic life and “unrestricted” lifestyle in “The Big Apple.” After spending thirty-seven years in such a peaceful, conservative place my father decided to take up a “golden opportunity” offered by a family member in New York City and move to the United States. Despite his love for his country, he left. If ever asked why, he credits the “endless opportunities” the United States had to offer. He was excited to start a new life but a bit sad to leave his own country. In the end, the benefits of moving weighed in greater than the emotions that held him back.
As a newcomer, my father felt like he was “lost in a different world.” The best word he found to describe his experience and journey was different. Virtually every aspect of this city was indeed different from where he was from. New York City was and still is literally a fusion of different cultures. In India, the racial composition was obviously pretty uniform. Seeing such variety was quite a sight for my father. He was also surprised by the freedom the city offered. Coming from such a conservative country, he was amazed at the sight of men and women interacting freely, people wearing revealing clothing, and being able to make choices without the constraints of society. All the startling sights made him love and appreciate the city more.
Among opportunities and freedom New York City also provided it’s fair share of various troubles and obstacles. One of the greatest barriers that prevented him from to a new way of life was the language. He barely knew any English. Communication is the key to settling in, finding a job, and making connections with people. Not being able to communicate was certainly a setback but with the help of family, friends, and time he was able to improve his English and get a job at a local grocery store. After a year of saving up money, he was able to bring my mother from India. In spite of having a “decently paying” job and a stable place to stay, making ends meet was not easy. A person like my father who didn’t have a college education could not really find a high-paying job. My mother had a college education received in India, so she was able to obtain a better job. After I was born a couple of years later, the expenses increased. For many years both of my parents believed they could not overcome their financial problems and lead a “proper” life. They were wrong. After some time, my father was able to open up a taxi business that he runs to this day. Although it was not exactly high paying, it was more than enough. Compared to what they would have earned in India and how they would have lived, this was luxury for my parents. In fact, my father believes New York City is the reason for his success. After all, no other city has a plethora of stores, taxies, offices, food chains, and others places to work.
The financial advantages did not sum up all the glories of New York City. Education seemed to be the greatest factor in my parents’ decision to stay in this city. After I was born, they started looking in to schools and colleges and they were amazed at how quality education is offered but at a “not so bad” price. Not to mention, scholarships and loans, concepts almost unheard of in India, were there to help. My parents saw in New York City, Queens to be specific, an ideal place to raise their only daughter. To add to the grandeur of the place, there were downsides. One of the most overwhelming ones was crime. My parents were slightly apprehensive about bringing me up amidst all the crime but they still chose to stay and many years later they call it a “wonderful decision.”
New York City is certainly a marvelous city of wonders, diversity, hope, and opportunities. It has so much to offer and can “open the eyes” of many people with the various cultures and lifestyles it houses. For my parents, the city gave them so much that India could not have offered them, including a job, a house, and access to “luxuries.” Nevertheless, the most valuable asset that this city offered to my parents and I was the chance to live among such a wide variety of people. As the writer Djuna Barnes once said of New York City, “New York is the meeting place of the peoples, the only city where you can hardly find a typical American.” Perhaps it was this type of meeting that gave me the mindset to accept and understand people different from me. For this reason I am thankful to the great city I was born in all due to my parents and their apt choices.
Leave a Reply