I was born and raised in dhaka. The most crowded city in the world. In 2016, at the age of 11, I had to leave my life behind to come to America. First few years, I just couldn't accept NYC as home. Sure I lived here but my heart was still in the narrow streets of dhaka. After 9 years of living here, NYC feels like home but I can't forget my roots. When I left Bangladesh in 2016, I had this 50 taka note in my wallet, about 40 cents in USD. I have switched wallets about 7 times over the years, switched through 4-5 different IDs, and numerous bank cards but the one thing that stayed consistent is this 50 taka note. It reminds me of where I come from and what I left behind. I often wonder what my life would be like if I never came to the US. Unfortunately, we can never explore the road not taken. It is a fun hypothetical to think about though. This note may not be worth a lot monetarily but holds a lot of sentimental value to me and reminds me to never forget my roots. 

– MA

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant