30 years of my arrival in the United States

Yesterday marked 30 years of my arrival in the United States. I came as a participant of Twin Cities International Program for social workers and youth leaders.

The program started on April 25th but I was the only participant who arrived late. In December 2011 Marshall Law in Poland was declared and Polish people couldn’t leave the Country. American Embassy forced Polish government to issue me a passport since the government already signed the contract with Twin City University. On April 25 finally my passport was issued.

The problem was that I could not fly from Poland to the United States because all flies were grounded. I took train to Prague, and then I flew on Lufthansa airline to New York.

Few weeks into the program I was sent to Camp Courage North where I was working as a staff. We were taking care of mentally challenged children, teenagers and adults.

Few days before my planned departure to Poland I found out that I should not return to Poland since I lost my job as a teacher due to my involvement with Solidarity. I shared that news with Chief of the Police Department in Minneapolis, who happened to be born from Polish immigrant parents. He took me to the immigration office on October 22, 1984. My political asylum was granted. I also was employed authorized. A week later I arrived in Chicago, and I started my life as Illinois permanent resident. On June 27, 1989 I became a naturalized citizen of the USA.

Considering the fact that in Poland you are an adult at the age of 18, and I left Poland at the age of 31, I can say that I spent more adult years of my life in this country than in Poland.

Who am I, God? Am I American immigrant? Or by now I am American? This is how I feel about myself. I love Poland and I will never forget my roots, but I will never regret leaving Poland and going through years of spiritual growth in this country.

Now I am 6, and now I am debating where I should stay when I retire.

I remember that after I got my political asylum, for months I had dreams that I was sent back to Poland and there was no hope for me. I remember my first dream in English, and then I realized that I became American.

When I speak t my friends in Poland they laugh at my language because accordingly to them I speak with American accent. When I speak in English several times people throw in my face accusations that they cannot understand me. Am I a HYBRYD? I don’t mind what it is. I am very happy here and nothing can change it.

This is the Poland I left.

P.S. When I was born my parents decided to name me Anna Elizabeth. Because I was born January 1, 1951 my mom wanted me to have the birth certificate # 1. On January 2 my mom sent my dad early in the morning to get my birth certificate. The woman at the office convinced my dad that Elizabeth was more popular name than Anna, and my dad agreed to change the order. When he arrived with my birth certificate # 1 my mom got furious when she saw Elizabeth instead of Anna. She sent him back to the office but it was too late to change the certificate. Women were running my house, so I was growing up thinking that I was Anna. At the age of 8 when I went to school I learnt that it was not my official name, but I still used Anna whenever I was asked for my first name. Finally, when my citizenship was granted I changed my name to what my mom and my grandma wanted to be – Anna. I bet you they were both happy in heaven.