A story made from the conversation I had with my dad about when he first came to America.
The year was 1999, the world was undergoing a big change as it would roll into the 2000s. My dad would also undergo a change in his world when he was invited over to the US by my grandpa, who was in turn invited over by his sister (my aunt). He would step into a new land of opportunities as most other immigrants to the US would and soon take up a job to stay stable. His first job would be in Florida for 2 months, doing some general maintanence (with “computer circuits” as he says) in a motel, and he ended up bouncing between multiple jobs during his time in the states. He would end up in Oklahoma doing a motel job in Okmulgee, living with his sister as he did not have a home of his own. Each of these jobs would also span over two or three months as he went along. His father and his sisters would be prominent in this stage of his life, as most of the jobs he was ensured were given by his father and another sister of his. From there, he went to Tulsa for a job in maintenance at a lock factory, and by this point, he would have amassed much of the technical skill with tools and machines he has today. Later, he found a job in California for a whopping 3 years! He worked in a Days Inn in Santa Anna during that time. From all these jobs to the various places he went, he took a liking to the US and he decided he wanted to stick around here and live life here. Soon after in 2003, my aunt found him an offer of a motel, which he humbly accepted and paid for with some help from a friend of his. This would lead him to manage a motel in McAlester and find a place to have his family settle down. My mom arrived soon after with me, which was a short time after I was born in India, and we ended up settling down in the motel. We still manage that very motel to this day.
I can tell that over the years, family was an important part of his life. He also stressed the value in getting a good job, since motel management is a very tedious and tiring job. The prospect of a better education was important enough that he wants me to do my best in college and make sure I get a good job (that should pay a lot of money, he emphasizes). I realize he has done a lot of work in the past and I can say I have a new perspective of the effort he has put in and the places he has gone. I can also reflect in the struggle he had of finding his footing in the US, as I am trying my best to find my footing in college in a new environment of my own. He is certainly a person who prefers being active and going to places and making sure his children (me and my sis) see more of the world out there. Although he can be rough at times, I can understand where he comes from and I still love for him regardless of how I feel about him at times. I can appreciate the time and effort he has put into bringing my family here and the support he provides with his skills and experience. He regularly boasts about his driving skills, something along the lines of “I have four eyes on the road, you know.” I am happy he tells me some of his stories of how he dealt with things as it feels like he is passing things down to me and ensuring that I do well in the long run. After all, it is one generation of the family passing the torch to another, and we still have to look out for one another. I can say, I am fortunate to have him in my life, and I hope he continues to support me in my future endeavors whatever they may be.