My first memory of landing at the US airport for the very first time with my visa in hand.
As I stood, very tired , very jetlagged, in a very long line of very tired, very jetlagged people, waiting for my turn to clear immgration, I heard a very loud, very irate voice saying "All US citizens , please step to this side and form a line here. This is for your convenience. All the "rest" , please wait where you are"!.
And there it was. Spelt out, loud, clear and very irrtatedly. The separation . Between those who belonged and those who didn't. Between the coveted US citizenship vs the Visa. Between the Americans and the rest of the world. Between those who had earned the privelege of not having to wait in a tiring line and those who had no other choice but to.
And I knew , in that moment, this was just the start. To more lines, more waiting periods. For a driver's licence. For a work visa. For a citizenship interview.
For that feeling of belonging somewhere.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Again very well written, very well said, well put. Keep writing I want to know more about these lines.
ReplyDeleteYou have this gift of writing in this precise almost disjointed way,but which paints a complete picture, because the one reading your work has the liberty & privillege of filling in the blanks. Waiting to read more in this series!
ReplyDeleteWhat could bring an immigrant back...
ReplyDelete