On January 25th of 1967, my father was born in the ancient city of Patna, India. He grew up with his parents, three older sisters, and a younger brother in a four hundred-year-old house containing an elaborate temple open to the public. He spent his entire childhood in this place, and it was where all of his memories, family, friends, and traditions resided. However, despite all that Patna meant to him, my father had another place on his mind. This was a place with less injustice, an improved education system, and numerous job options. But even more than that, this was a place which bestowed freedom upon all of its people. My father was intrigued by the idea of an individual being able to choose their own path. The United States was a nation of equality, opportunity, and hope made for him, his wife, and his future children.
Ecstatic to make a living in the New World, my father brought a suitcase of clothes and twenty dollars to Budd Lake, New Jersey in 1993, two years after graduating from college. Because he already had a job offer from Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, he was able to begin working at the firm upon his arrival. Although his new job protected him from major financial problems, his transition to the United States was not without struggle. My father had to leave everything he loved behind. Most prominently, he was separated from his friends and family. This issue was only exacerbated by the difficulty of making international phone calls. Additionally, he had to adapt to the culture of the United States. This required making major changes, including speaking English instead of Hindi, as well as relatively minor ones, such as changing his diet.
Despite some early problems, my father has no regrets regarding his immigration. Currently the owner of a software company, he lives in a North Carolinian home with me, my mom, and my brother, who is studying at UNC. Through advances in technology, my father can easily communicate with his family. And when he wishes to see India in all of its glory, he can bring his family with him and let his story be heard.
What interested me about this post was the unique situation that the ancestor faced; leave behind a corrupt and unjust country with family and friends, for a safe and just haven with a fresh start in a foreign land. This was interesting because it shows the kind of person someone is, when they have to make a life-altering decision such as this. From the text, Mr. Goswami seems like a headstrong and independent person who would rather take a chance at success and happiness than stay in a safe bubble. Upon reading this post, I learned that anyone can do anything, but sometimes you must give up those things you hold dear to your heart for a chance at something better, if you truly wish to succeed.