Immigration 1: Bubble Gum

It took my family about 4 months to get to the states. And a year or two to get completely settled. That time for me was marked by primarily 2 emotions : confusion and anxiety. I experienced others as well: awe, joy, fear, excitement. Those, however were in the minority.

I started school in America ~3 weeks after arriving here. As you can guess, I didn't speak the language other than a few words here and there. The first days of school were confusion and I honestly don't remember them. As school started becoming routine memories start surfacing ... most of them, not so good but there's one, one that I truly cherish. It's the one with the bubble gum.

We were living in the city and my school didn't really have a playground, just the "black top" in front of the building. We lived in an apartment right across the street so I walked to school and gathered, with the rest of the "walkers", on the "black top" before classes started. I stood alone, not being able to talk to anyone, watching the rest of the kids play, chat, point at me and laugh. I can't say it was all that fun but there was nothing (I felt) I could do about it.

One day, a boy approached me. He was about my age, a little chubby and he was chewing gum. He said something. I had no clue what. He said something more and held out his hand palm up. On his palm was a small rectangular shape wrapped in white paper with colorful writing on it. I looked from it, to him. He smiled and stretched his arm out toward me as if to tell me to take the wrapped item. I smiled back but shook my head "no". I wasn't sure what was the appropriate behavior for such a situation in America. So many things here were done differently from what I was used to.

The next couple of days, the same thing happened until finally I figured out that he was offering me bubble gum. I really liked Bubble Gum. The next day I accepted. He tried talking to me and I tried talking to him and he continued every once in a while to come over and offer me Bubble Gum and always with that very kind smile. After a few months, things changed, and we were separated. I never saw him again ... but I will never forget his kindness to a lonely, scared little girl.

Looking back at that memory what strikes me the most is how scared I must have been. I actually don't remember the fear but I must have been terrified. The picture I have in my head of his approach, slow and gentle, his face in a very non-threatening smile, his arm stretched out, palm up ... as if feeding a wild animal. I must have been quite the site, might explain all the other kids pointing and laughing. But not him.

By the way, I still love Bubble Gum :)