20th Anniversary

Today, September 4th marks 20 years since I first arrived in America. That’s a long time. I was 7, almost 8, and the thing I remember most about that arrival, was the muted atmosphere of SFO. Sounds seemed to be sucked into the walls and floor, and I marveled at the technology (which, I now realize is probably just the difference between airports with carpets and those without). The other clear memory I have from that day is one of those stories Americans love to hear about poor little immigrants and how easily we can be satisfied and amused. I loved bananas and they were very hard to get in Poland. While there, I used to save change I got from my mom and when I had enough, I would run down the street to the candy shop that also happened to sell bananas. It was my treat of the week. When we arrived in our little apartment in Lafayette, I walked into the kitchen to find a bowl full of bananas. It was at that point, at least momentarily, that I decided the trip to America was worth it.