Blog 5

I was inspired by this class to further investigate both of my parents’ immigration stories. Although growing up I was told short stories here and there, I never really sat down with my parents and heard exactly what they recall from their pasts. I learned about big and little events that I had never even knew occurred. I feel almost as though I was missing a huge part of who my parents were by not knowing these things about them. I always in a way saw their stories as fairytale or fictional and never actually put them in those situations. I almost wish I had done this sooner because I have a whole new perspective and deeper respect for my parents now that I know the true obstacles they have overcome.
I can still remember the first time I really realized that my parents were immigrants. She was the principle of my elementary school and I would always wait in the front section of her office after school until she was finished with work for the day. Once, I remember walking in and hearing a parent yelling at my mom for some reason I never discovered. The conversation ended with the man shouting at my mom, “Go back to the Amazon!” As a third grader that made no sense to me. Why would my mom go to the Amazon? Wasn’t my mom from Rio de Janero, a huge city? After he stormed out, I asked all of these questions to my mom, who seemed not to be bothered in any way. She simply laughed and said “I wish I could go to the there, so I could be far away from dumb people like that who think Brazil is only the Amazon.” She was not bothered in any way and I could remember her joking about it with her coworkers. My mom knew herself and knew her journey so no one could destroy her strength and confidence.