A few weeks had passed since the marathon incident. Lots has been discussed, including some outrageous remarks on Fox News about immigrants breathing the same air as Americans, getting showered with food stamps, education, etc and US being repayed thus by whom their own uncle called 'losers' unable to adapt to the American way of life.
I just celebrated 20 years in America. I've gotten an Ivy League education, managed to climb a career ladder and get paid decently, brought two sons into the world in Boston's best hospital, but have I been able to assimilate? No. I live in my little Russian speaking bubble, just like many of us here in the States. I have very few American friends, and despite all my privileges and the comfort level of my living arrangements - I still can't honestly call this country my home. I think it's the destiny of any immigrant to live in the netherland - you're neither here, nor there...ever. And honestly, the fact that Tamerlan Tsarnaev had an American wife - well, that's quite an accomplishment! In my book, if you've gotten that far - then you're pretty assimilated. You've accepted someone else's culture as your own and show it on the daily basis.
So what I'm trying to say is immigration isn't easy for anyone. Some try to break away from their native culture entirely, like my ex-boss for instance. They take up golfing, do endless networking and charity events, and they pretend their exotic accent is from some British provence. Others never leave their little ghettos. But then some of the best doctors in our hospitals are immigrants, and people managing 4 star hotels, and restaurants, boutiques, etc. This whole country is made of 'losers' who their whole lives are trying to adapt. But they won't blow people up. They will simply keep on trying to carve a place for themselves in this world, in Boston, in US.
And I honestly felt a bit of pain when their uncle called them 'losers' unable to adapt. I guess it's because it makes me a loser as well? This isn't why they hurt all these people. They simply weren't quite there, just like Adam Lanza, or the guy behind the Oklahoma City bombings, or tens of thousands of American-born criminals who kill people every day.
I just celebrated 20 years in America. I've gotten an Ivy League education, managed to climb a career ladder and get paid decently, brought two sons into the world in Boston's best hospital, but have I been able to assimilate? No. I live in my little Russian speaking bubble, just like many of us here in the States. I have very few American friends, and despite all my privileges and the comfort level of my living arrangements - I still can't honestly call this country my home. I think it's the destiny of any immigrant to live in the netherland - you're neither here, nor there...ever. And honestly, the fact that Tamerlan Tsarnaev had an American wife - well, that's quite an accomplishment! In my book, if you've gotten that far - then you're pretty assimilated. You've accepted someone else's culture as your own and show it on the daily basis.
So what I'm trying to say is immigration isn't easy for anyone. Some try to break away from their native culture entirely, like my ex-boss for instance. They take up golfing, do endless networking and charity events, and they pretend their exotic accent is from some British provence. Others never leave their little ghettos. But then some of the best doctors in our hospitals are immigrants, and people managing 4 star hotels, and restaurants, boutiques, etc. This whole country is made of 'losers' who their whole lives are trying to adapt. But they won't blow people up. They will simply keep on trying to carve a place for themselves in this world, in Boston, in US.
And I honestly felt a bit of pain when their uncle called them 'losers' unable to adapt. I guess it's because it makes me a loser as well? This isn't why they hurt all these people. They simply weren't quite there, just like Adam Lanza, or the guy behind the Oklahoma City bombings, or tens of thousands of American-born criminals who kill people every day.
