Often, immigrants' lives are one of ‘survival.’ In other words, they do what is needed to ‘stay alive’ in an environment that is different and indifferent.
What does ‘staying alive’ mean? Many things:
Giving up a first name to mingle with peer groups, trying to play a new sport to show that one is part of the group, and giving up the old, native language for the generally acceptable American English.
At what price? Is not giving up an original, authentic identity too much of a stake? Indeed, it is! Typically, one finds a duality of behaviors here. One addresses the ‘mainstream’ culture, where sentiments and traditions are abandoned, and the other of the ‘sub-culture,’ where one cherishes the old traditions: food, family gatherings, proverbs, poems, and stories that touch the soul. These ‘old traditions’ could be the celebration of traditional festivals, the preparation of native dishes, or the recitation of ancestral proverbs and stories.
So, the old roots remain. They are hidden, invisible, and strong. When the challenges of the new surroundings become unsurmountable, resilient immigrants show their strength and earn our utmost respect!
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