| #ffffff;" /> | | | | needs to be wherever we are! |
| The lure of riches in a foreign land, the potential | | | | While planning to remain permanently in the new |
| of awesome new opportunities, dreams of what | | | | country, most find work and strive to own a |
| might be – all these sometimes entice | | | | home of their own. They learn the new language |
| people to immigrate to a different country. Being | | | | (sometimes laughingly) and educate their children |
| reunited with a loved one or just longing for | | | | in the new ways, without having the children cut |
| adventure are also strong reasons for immigrating. | | | | the bonds that tie them to their native roots. To |
| Sometimes, rather than being drawn to a new | | | | honor both countries with love is the goal! |
| country, one is pushed: religious persecution, | | | | Immigrants have made enormous contributions to |
| starvation when the crops have failed, escaping | | | | the economies and cultures of their new |
| unbearable family situations. Certainly wars, | | | | countries, yet these are often made with |
| revolutions and political unrest have caused | | | | tremendous difficulty. Newcomers face many |
| thousands to try to find a peaceful existence | | | | challenges in being accepted, and when they |
| elsewhere. And decades ago, many were forced | | | | arrive from being ‘pushed’ to the |
| against their will to live in a new country as slaves | | | | new country, rather than ‘longing’ |
| or as prisoners. | | | | for it, the transition is even harder. Sometimes |
| For all who move on, pulling up roots from their | | | | those original dreams just don’t come |
| homeland can be traumatic. It truly is not an easy | | | | true. |
| decision to make, and today about 15% of those | | | | The immigrants who make a very good living in |
| who leave their native country choose to return, | | | | the new country and are able to send money |
| finding that adjusting to a new society is too | | | | home to relatives in the native country are usually |
| difficult. | | | | glad they made the transition. Some are able to |
| The easiest transitions occur when the immigrants | | | | establish business links with the businesses back |
| can find a community made up of people from | | | | home, helping to ease the problems that are |
| their native home. They can keep a lot of their | | | | faced there. Other immigrants finally retire and |
| old customs while integrating the new | | | | return to their native land for their old age, only |
| country’s language, values and culture. | | | | to find that it, too, has changed. |
| Experience seems to indicate that to be happy | | | | Ultimately we each have to learn to cherish |
| they need to wholeheartedly try to assimilate the | | | | where we are. The old saying, “Where |
| new ways and not begrudge the environment | | | | ever I go, I go, too! |
| being different. Home is where the heart is! Home | | | | |