Immigration Reflection

Words: 1957
Pages: 8

Immigration is simply defined as moving from one country to another. Although it is so much more than that, and after taking this class I learned about the complex web of concepts that surround immigration. Four broad concepts arise from this web that provide a wholesome look at immigration. When examining immigration through the lens of this class, it is important to first look into yourself. Specifically, your personal views on immigration and how it may have affected you. Moving onto another person’s perspective is the next step to completely understanding immigration, and in class we accomplished this by reading several texts written through the immigrant perspective. Of course, not everyone has the same viewpoints as others on immigration, …show more content…
It did reveal the distant past also, but past within ourselves. I have to be honest, my family has kept detailed records so this whole test essentially corroborated my recorded family history, but seeing this through the lens of scientific data was astonishing. It put immigration in my life’s past in perspective, I got to see how immigration of the past affected me in the future. Moreover, I would not say my viewpoint has necessarily changed, rather, it has become heightened. My overall awareness of immigration has increased though, in addition it has inspired me to want to help by volunteering. It has unfortunately, produced a burden for me: I worry a lot starting with myself and family and eventually expanding to world events. I do have great concern about the world its politics, social issues, climate, etc. This expanding view while having its benefits it adds to a burden of concern. For instance, the refugee crisis in Syria. I want to help people that is why I am working to become a PA, and seeing people suffering without a home makes my heart drop. I want to solve the world’s problems, but I am a single person so all I can do is worry and help as much as I can. This, I think, is the burden of broadening horizons it opens up new worlds, but also more …show more content…
In the book, Ifelmu struggles with adjusting to American life. This struggle of adjustment for Ifelmu is the battle between integration and assimilation, one of the fundamental oppositional forces of immigration. Assimilation is the complete loss of one’s native identity to the new country’s identity. Identity is the core of a person, and is certainly put to the test when a person moves to a new country. As seen in the novel, this complete loss of identity can lead to an identity crisis. The person ultimately becomes lost, which is why Ifelmu moves back to Africa. The amount of herself that she gave up exceeded the amount of herself could retain. On the other hand, integration involves both retention and submission. Integration allows one to keep parts of their native culture and add parts of their new culture. In essence, integration is key over assimilation for and individual. This battle between the two takes a toll on an individual’s identity, again which is why Ifelmu moves back to Africa she lost too much. The complexities of immigration reveal the complexities within society, the battle between integration and