I am sharing two objects that are sentimental to my dad as he left India to come to America in 1990. The first object is a memento of the Taj Mahal that my dad was gifted by his co-workers at Maruti Udyog Limited. That memento represented the close-knit community and friendships my father developed at Maruti Udyog. The second object is the bible. The bible was given to my dad by his mother along with 5 rupees as a parting gift. My grandmother was the one who had urged my dad to leave India and come to America because my uncle who already lived here had a heart condition. My grandmother was worried and wanted someone to be with him in America as a supportive male figure. The bible is a valuable part of my dads' immigration story because it embodied the value of prayer and faith in his life growing up. My grandmother valued a strong prayer life, therefore the bible was the only thing she could ever think to gift as dad ventured on this new journey. My dad still reads from the bible that my grandmother gave him all those years ago with the 5 rupees intact. These objects reflect my father's close ties that he left to start a new life. But my dad worked hard and made America his home. All the while, his principles, friendships, and mementos such as these remain intact from his homeland. That being said, he ensures that I value my roots as an Indian just as I value my identity as an American. These objects will always serve as reminders of our roots, our history, and our family. 

– Tina Thermadam

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