When I was in Bangladesh, America was a shopnopuri (dream country) to me and others that never been here. It was an utopia in many hearts. We imagined that as long as you are in America money, house, car, education all will follow us from the first foot print we draw on this golden soil. But when my brother and I came, there was no money nor job to rent an apartment of our own. The lightness of my brothers soft leather wallet seemed an empty house to us. My parents were already living here with my sister's family. But finding job wasn’t as easy as day dreaming. Then luckily my brother’s wallet started to get filled with little bills when he finally found a job in gift shop for 4-6 hours and $6 hour per day. But the money was too little that he had to move to New Jersey from New York in the second week in USA. Although working in a restaurant as a busboy, cooking, sleeping seems simple but these took all of his available time that he never got time to rest. The worse time came for his wallet again when his work hours was reduced and he had to move back to New York. But it took him a month to find a new job here. Finally, his new job in a store came as a stress reducer for our family. Therefore, he had to find a part time job for his wallet to catch up with the rent. Seeing sunlight is far when even thinking was a luxury for him. Now sometimes when he reminisce and ask where is those freedom and happiness of this country, the answer comes that those are not for you.

– Tania Siddique

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant