Landing as a young immigrant in 1950s America was the start of a decades-long experience that was “a journey, not a destination.”
implied that those who struggled would easily find resources to reward them with American wealth.
My English was still rudimentary. On that first day of school, I worried that I could not understand anything the teachers said. It was unnerving. But coming from rigorous French schools, we were more advanced in some subjects. Little homework was assigned and the teachers were kind and understanding. We excelled in our classes and became fluent English speakers in no time.
We were strange creatures, and yet we were expected to fit in immediately. I learned to close off and never talk about my multicultural childhood, and to suppress being multilingual.Some of my mother’s cousins who had lived here for many years were also critical of us because we were not “American” enough by their standards. They made snide comments implying that we did not know how to dress or act appropriately.
I learned quickly that American teenagers did not hug or walk arm in arm, as we did in Alexandria. I adapted to changing my fork from my left to right hand after cutting the food. I never wore the same outfit two days in a row. I also became politically active, volunteering for the presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy. But after his assassination in 1968, I became disillusioned.
They chastised students who spoke Spanish among themselves. They made ignorant and derogatory comments about Jews and about our students. I am now 77 years old, and though I am adjusted to living here, I waver between my identity as an outspoken American and “marching to my own drum” as a former immigrant.
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