How can a house be called a home to an immigrant ?
In the play “ Anon(Ymous)”, by Naomi Iizuka , a young refugee known as anon searches for his mother as they are separated at sea from an unnamed war. This motivated character migrates through unknown locations filled surrounded by war like areas and encounters a wide variety of people . Some of the people he met during his long journey were filled with love, but some were dangerous and sneaky.
As an undocumented alien moving around city to city or country to island , having to adapt to new customs every time you blink seems to always remind you back of home. These people don’t just migrate out of fun.Immigrants typically flee their country because of persecution, war / disasters and even for a better lifestyle.There is a wide variety of reasons to leave home for these people, Some people emigrate to avoid starvation.Some seek adventure. Others wish to escape unbearable family situations. Still others desire to be reunited with loved ones.(Bryant, 1)
As you migrate you look for things that remind you of home to make you feel comfortable.One effective scene involved Anon and Pascal explaining memories of home and family. From the passage we seem to sum up that Pascal and Anon come from two totally different cultural backgrounds and have many powerful experiences throughout life, but the taste of home cooking or a familiar smell is customary to both. Both of these characters remember a different kind of home, but the feeling of home is identical and easily detectable.
In the passage ritu says “ Where do you come from, stranger?” , Anon the characters that searched for his mother replies, “ I’m from all over”.(Lizuka ,70) As an immigrant no place could possibly be called a home, a house is something permanent not temporary. A home is something you could return to and it be the same as when you left it. Before 1920, about 30 percent of all immigrants from the United States later returned to their native country. Today, about 15 percent return home. Some immigrants intend to stay in a new country temporarily and then go back home. But others go back because they find adjusting to a new society too difficult.( Bryant,1)
It’s not easy having to start somewhere as a brand new being.The values, social norms, and traditions in another country may be very different from beliefs about “how things should be” in the country where a person was born and raised.
When individuals move to another culture, they naturally carry their own background and life experiences with them, and these shape how they perceive and adjust to their new location. For instance, some of these diverse beings may find an American classroom easy to adjust to, while others may struggle significantly in this area. This puts the person trying to adapt to a new setting on a “Culture shock” . This is a common experience that describes the feelings of entering an unfamiliar culture. Keep in mind that not everyone has the same reactions to cultural adjustment and may experience the symptoms of culture shock in varying degrees, and at different times. Some people become extremely homesick while getting to know the new area.(Texas,1).
You can’t adjust yourself to just any place , in contrast a house provides a roof over your head around neighbors you knew your entire life, a home is the smell of a family recipe in the morning and rooms filled with memories.immigrants don’t have the luxury of living around loved ones and being at home comfortably. Some immigrants were brought to a new land against their will. From the 1500’s to the 1800’s europeans shipped black Africans to the Western Hemisphere as slaves.(Bryant,1). They were brought here and had to make the best of the situation.They had to create a community and within that community exchange and or develop the same language, customs, foods, interests, and important beliefs and values. (Donley, 1) .
But what if you can’t adapt fully ? .You can live satisfied in a house that doesn’t feel like home. To be a home, it needs to feel like a place you belong. A place you feel at peace, no stress can enter while you’re relaxing Comfortably. A home reflects your personality, so it stands to reason that people like you will also like being in your home.( Owyong,1). Some people, as they move through their lives, rediscover home again and all over again. Some people never find another after once leaving home. (Klinkenborg,1)
Citations
Bryant, Joyce. “Immigration in the United States.” 99.03.01: Immigration in the United States, teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/1999/3/99.03.01.x.html.
Donley, Susan k. “Education: Heritage Discovery Center.” Push and Pull of Immigration: Letters from Home – Johnstown Heritage Discovery Center,
Iizuka, Naomi. Anon(Ymous): a Drama. Playscripts, 2010.
Klinkenborg, Verlyn. “The Definition of Home.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 1 May 2012, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-definition-of-home-60692392/.
Owyong., Chris. “House vs. Home.” Re:Focus, blog.startwithwhy.com/refocus/2010/02/house-vs-home.html.
www.jaha.org/edu/discovery_center/community/peopling_pa02.html.
“A Guide for International Students.” Cultural Adjustment, Texas University, cmhc.utexas.edu/cultureadjustment.html.