The American Dream
Everyone in the world has heard about the American dream. For me, it means being able to achieve your dream if you are ambitious. When I came to St John’s University, I discovered that it doesn’t mean the same thing in all the countries. While in some countries, it is the synonym of becoming rich even if you start as a poor person, in others it means becoming famous.
Over our first week in Manhattan campus,
we, as fulbrighters, were asked to participate in the Academic Service Learning
(ASL). The ASL consists on serving dinner to poor and homeless persons. To be
honest, I was shocked. There are many persons under the poverty line in
Manhattan. Some of the persons I met there are not homeless. They are actually
working. However, unfortunately, their wages are not enough to pay the bills,
the rent and the banks loans. Therefore, they come to have dinner for free in
order to reduce their expenses in a town where everything is so expensive
(compared with my country). This makes life more difficult for poor people. I
wasn’t expecting that even if you have a job, you can still unable to cover
your expenditures. This is really hard!!
Participating in the ASL makes me
understand that achieving the American dream is not something easy. Life is
really so tough. Having a good and comfortable life is not an option offered to
everyone.
I agree with your comment. America is such a great nation. Many people in Sierra Leone believe that coming to America is achieving life goal. Participating in ASL reveals the real life situation of some people in the US. Life could be pretty tough here.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Gibril. Same in my country, people go to the States in pursuit of better standards of living and greater opportunities as well, some do but guess what! some DON'T! Life is simple but harder than we think it really is.
DeleteI am grateful for doing the ASL, it was not an easy experience though!
Achieving the American Dream IS possible, but it's not guaranteed. It does seem to be a relatively new phenomenon that working people can't make enough to support themselves. It's a sad change.
ReplyDeleteHello. I'm a teacher in the program. Thanks for your observation. Yes, we call these people the "working poor." Many people work hard but cannot earn a decent living wage. There are efforts to raise the legal minimum wage, but businesses and other interests constantly oppose these proposals.
ReplyDeleteMarcia Biederman
Hi Fatma,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Donna and I teach Writing and Reading in the Fulbright Program. It's delightful to hear that you and your classmates had the opportunity to volunteer for this program! It sounds like your experience was enlightening to say the least! I'm certain that you left feeling grateful for what you have in your life, and thankful for what you are able to give to others!
Volunteering is particularly rewarding for international students because you are able to interact with Americans and learn about individuals from varied cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Hello Fatma . You are not alone to be so surprised to experience this reality . Back in my country America is known to be the land of opportunity . In other words , every American,with a little bit of effort can make it in life. To our great surprise,the reality is totally different and there are people who are going through status quo life . It is like going in a tunnel without seeing the light that shows you that you have made it to the finish line .
ReplyDelete