The Emotional Side of Immigration

A writing challenge

Hey readers,

what do you imagine when you hear the word "immigration"?

Personally, when I start thinking about this I imagine a few people standing in front of a home, looking at it with their eyes filled with tears.

When someone says "immigration," we understand that someone has changed their place of living. But through the eyes of an immigrant, it tells a different story.

We all have such places, which we call our hometown. This town has become so special because there is a home within it.

A home that has seen our childhood. The days when we used to cry for chocolates, play endlessly with friends in the evening, and go to school carelessly without any stress. All these memories are connected to the place we call our hometown. even the streets of the town make us feel that they were waiting for us.

And when it comes to leaving this place the home as well as the town, it is actually very tough for those who have to make these choices. Choices between opportunities and memories, choices between home and the desire to fulfill their dreams.

It's tough...

Sometimes it’s a choice, sometimes a necessity but either way, it’s difficult to leave.

I remember leaving my home even for studies in another city. It felt so difficult.

Then, for the people who leave almost forever, it is even more difficult. The difficulty is not only about leaving, but also about having to familiarize yourself with a different language, different people, building new friendships, and all that.

With time, you get comfortable with it, slowly and gradually. But whenever you look back at the photo albums, they will again take you back to the place where you spent most of your childhood, the streets that still carry your laughter, the old grounds where you played carefree.

Once you leave, you will still carry the memories with you. You will settle in new places, creating new memories, but the memories of that old home and your hometown will always be there, reminding you that they are also a part of your journey. Maybe you have left the place, but the place will never leave you.

These memories will also make you willing to relive those moments. even though those moments have passed, those streets, that home, and those playgrounds will still wait for you, ready to bring back a part of those memories.

🌸🏠Thanks for reading 🏠🌸

Photo by Mitchell Luo on Unsplash

Thank you so much, Parvathi J ,Smriti Pathak and Supriya for this wonderful challenge. It encouraged me to explore this idea much more deeply.

Tagging am DoA , Inbaa Sivasankar , and Sanchi . I’d love to hear your thoughts whenever you get the chance.

[embed]*Migration: Belonging, and the Choice to Leave, Stay, or Return *Voice Of Words Writing Challenge medium.com