Lost in Translation

Dreaming my trip to the USA will be successful that I will be involve in life here fluently has changed since I arrived here six month ago. Growing up in a village was such a nice place for me to enjoy life with my family, friends and follow tradition rites and we value these things in our life. However, here in USA, I am experiencing a hard time adjusting to life. I’m always complaining for the lost of my life. Sometimes it feels like I am dying.

First, living in USA, without my family is a loss which affected me. The upbringing my family gave me through my childhood was so important that I never thought to live far from them. As I was growing up my parent taught me what it means to have a good family who cares for it household. The value of family is important to us because family helped each other in time of trouble like sickness to pay medical bills or give food to family member who were starving. My parents also explained to me that in some families violence is their daily life because both parents will beat or abuse their children. The parents don’t care for their children and won’t pay for their schooling. Community life is something I used to live in Togo with my family and we relied on each other for whenever we needed help. It is a loss for me to live in USA, because the lifestyle here is totally different from mine. It seems like that none care for me beside my wife since I left my family.

Friendship is something I loss since I was in USA. In my home country, I have friendship few friends. My friend and I always had good time playing soccer after school every afternoon. Some nights, we meet together to study and once a week each person would tell folk stories to the group. In culture I am allowed to visit my friends any time I wanted and even share meals with them. My friends had contributed to my life with advices and help in many other ways, so that I always think of them now that I am far from them now. It is hard for me to make friend in USA because people here value time more than friendship. People here like to have privacy and do work rather than interact with strangers.

Finally, following the Adja tradition was another thing I loss since I was in USA. In my culture ancestor worship ceremony is part of our lives because we believed that our ancestors spirits follow us in our lives. My family continues the practice every year and each person in my family will give a rooster to be slaughtered to their ancestors. It is a big event in my family and we always enjoy that particularly moment every year to show our attachment to the tradition. The ceremony required that each member of the family participate in it, so that ancestor will be with them and bless them with good health, good harvest and give them many kids. Since I am USA, I can not practice my tradition this year with my family, which means that my ancestor spirit won’t follow me because I don’t honor them with my sacrifice. I wonder how this will affect my life.

In US, my dream to be active in life is facing challenges so much that I still don’t know if I will ever be fluent. I am lost completely in my life here since I cannot have a happy life with my family, friends and continue the tradition rites. My wife always encouraged me to be patient. She remind me that moment will pass soon that I will be active in this country but I still don’t believe it. I’ m looking forward to go back to Togo to enjoy a life that I’m accustomed to.