When I asked my mother for something that she brought with her along her journey, she also said that it completed her and  made her who she is. Mother Saraswati was the motivation behind my mother’s decision to leave Guyana. Although there was a sense of sadness to pick up and leave her loved ones behind, she was attracted to the “American Dream” that were painted on TV shows and movies. The excitement to start a new life and to achieve more than she could have was all she thought about on her way here. The idea of being able to further her passion for dance and learning. Her biggest fear was losing herself and who she was in order to fit in to this new lifestyle. Life was completely different in New York: the people, the food, the hustle and bustle. She was only 22, and so being so young and in a different setting began to overwhelm her. She tried to balance being a wife, working, creating a social life, and continuing her journey as a dancer. Within her immigration, was an embedded journey of her dance career. Maintaining her training in classical Indian dance was the foundation of her migration. She looked to Mother Saraswati for guidance, the one to lead her onto a path of success and knowledge. Today, my mother still has this idol and continues to worship her and thank her for what she has been able to accomplish and her future accomplishments. 

– Asiyah Khan

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant