Have you ever thought of immigrating to another country, or have you done it already?

Have you ever immigrated to another country in search of a better life or for your employment? Do you plan to do so in the future?

My mom always says, “you should be grateful I brought you to the U.S.”

Once, my response was, “did I have choice?”

Really, did I have a choice in choosing whether to immigrate to the U.S. or stay in China? In some ways, though, I suppose I should be thankful I wasn’t given the choice to stay in China because with my bone disease, I would probably not be here writing right now but 6-feet under or rather in a vase somewhere, not to sound dark.

My mom immigrated to the U.S. a few years after my dad passed. She came to the U.S. on a tourist visa and suddenly decided to stay after obtaining a student visa, leaving me in China wondering when I would see my mother again. I was 7 years old and remember staying up waiting for my mom’s phone call. No one in the family, not even her siblings knew what was going on. I can’t recall for how long, I was held in suspense until I was informed my mom would stay in the U.S. permanently and would return to get me as soon as she could.

I was 10 years old when she finally came back and got me. For years, I was told I would one day move to America. Thanks to my nosy aunt (mom’s sister) who inform the school about my circumstance and a bunch of reachers who couldn’t keep their mouth shut, everyone in my elementary school knew – students, teachers, and even the principal.

During my almost 4 years at that school, I was almost never absent. The only time I was absent was when I was severely sick. When I returned to school, everyone thought I’ve gone to the U.S. “You are still here?” I remember someone said when a returned to school as if she wasn’t pleased to see me.

The truth is, if I wasn’t brought to the U.S. by my mom, I would have never thought of immigrating to another country. Maybe traveling to another country would have been what I wanted in another life but I’ve never been able to imagine to permanently settle in another country but the one I’m from.

Sunday Poser