Greetings escapists! This is my second and hopefully more successful attempt at starting a discussion, still trying to get the hang of this. First try wasn't even a real attempt though, since it was just me saying hi when I first joined, introduction threads are a no no, I get it. This thread will be aimed towards my fellow escapists who are immigrants like me.
Anyways, as I said in my intro, I am a Shia Muslim immigrant from Lusaka, Zambia (born in Madagascar). I am of Indian/Pakistani descent from my dad?s side and Mexican and Native American (Aztec I believe) from mom?s side (quite an epic mix). There are a lot of Pakistani/Indian communities in Africa, most commonly in the South-East region in countries like Madagascar, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, etc (basically all the awesome African countries) And we are called Khojas. I?ve lived in the USA since I was 11 years old and the day the day I came here to stay was January 7th, 2003 (7 years now). Of course, I had been to the USA before on a vacation to Disney World in Orlando, FL so I didn?t know much about the USA at the time other than in movies and TV and had no idea what was in store for me. So it?s like this: me, a kid from Africa where it?s warm pretty much all the time, in New York City where it?s below zero outside (you do the math). Yes my friends, my ?port of entry? was JFK international airport in NYC in January, two years after 911 in the city where it took place and we are a Muslim family (add that to your math). I miss Africa greatly, USA is great and all but here I have nothing while back home I had everything. It?s not the discrimination and hate crimes that bother me, that I can deal with and have always been strong enough to overcome; it?s the feeling of cultural and religious isolation and separation from everyone and everything I knew since 98% of my family is still there.
So to all my fellow escapists who are immigrants: What country are you from? When and where did you immigrate to? How was the experience? Had you been to your new country before immigrating? Do you miss the country you are from? How often do you visit your previous country? What about your family back home?
It?s questions like these that I want to address here, feel free to add whatever other info you like or if you are not an immigrant than you mention about the immigration of another family member.
Anyways, as I said in my intro, I am a Shia Muslim immigrant from Lusaka, Zambia (born in Madagascar). I am of Indian/Pakistani descent from my dad?s side and Mexican and Native American (Aztec I believe) from mom?s side (quite an epic mix). There are a lot of Pakistani/Indian communities in Africa, most commonly in the South-East region in countries like Madagascar, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, etc (basically all the awesome African countries) And we are called Khojas. I?ve lived in the USA since I was 11 years old and the day the day I came here to stay was January 7th, 2003 (7 years now). Of course, I had been to the USA before on a vacation to Disney World in Orlando, FL so I didn?t know much about the USA at the time other than in movies and TV and had no idea what was in store for me. So it?s like this: me, a kid from Africa where it?s warm pretty much all the time, in New York City where it?s below zero outside (you do the math). Yes my friends, my ?port of entry? was JFK international airport in NYC in January, two years after 911 in the city where it took place and we are a Muslim family (add that to your math). I miss Africa greatly, USA is great and all but here I have nothing while back home I had everything. It?s not the discrimination and hate crimes that bother me, that I can deal with and have always been strong enough to overcome; it?s the feeling of cultural and religious isolation and separation from everyone and everything I knew since 98% of my family is still there.
So to all my fellow escapists who are immigrants: What country are you from? When and where did you immigrate to? How was the experience? Had you been to your new country before immigrating? Do you miss the country you are from? How often do you visit your previous country? What about your family back home?
It?s questions like these that I want to address here, feel free to add whatever other info you like or if you are not an immigrant than you mention about the immigration of another family member.
