Being immigrants in Rhode Island since 1970 is apparently bittersweet for Jhumpa Lahiri and her family. Somewhat feeling alienated mixed with a sense of belonging, Lahiri and her parents had been keeping exploring this place and strived to become real Rhode Islanders. As Lahiri growing up and her parents getting older, library and school played important roles and had great impacts on their experience in Rhode Island.
Lahiri, a talented writer winning a myriad of awards, had great affinity for library in her adolescent time. As a new immigrant, it is fairly hard to make close friends, and you always pay much attention to how other people judge you. Lahiri was unconfident and lost at that time, however, fortunately, she found a shelter – the Kingston Free Library, where affairs outside would not disturb and only books mattered. She worked there as a page and helping readers gave her a sense of accomplishment. Probably it is working for the library that led Lahiri to become a shimmering writer in the U.S.
Library is more meaningful to Lahiri’s family because Lahiri’s father had a decent job at the Library of University of Rhode Island. Lahiri described her father as hard working and optimistic. For nearly 40 years, Lahiri’s father got promoted to the head of the department. That is a long and challenging process. The difficulty he had been confronted with must have been torturing and annoying. It seems that he had never complained but silently do his best to overcome all the difficulties. I admire him most for his perseverance and he deserves his success. He is undoubtedly a wonderful father, co-worker and friend.
Lahiri’s mother, a traditional Indian woman, struggled more than anyone else to be accepted by this community. Receiving hate mails and losing support from the Indian community were a hurtful strike for her. She had lived in Rhode Island for more than twenty years, but still felt somewhat isolated. Meanwhile, this ‘melting pot of the state’ embraces people of all kinds. Lahiri’s mother’s hospitality and kindness attracted many friends and many people were willing to speak up for her. A delightful change happened when Lahiri’s mother was sick afterwards, unlike what had happened in school, she received many get-well cards instead of hate mails.
Lahiri and her families’ experience remind me of my first year college year at Emory. It was my first time being away from my hometown alone for such a long time. Nanjing, where I was born and raised, is totally different from Atlanta. Here I have been trying hard to speak a second language, meet various people and get used to different cultures. Everything is unfamiliar but exciting. Last year, when I officially became an Emory student, I was shy and timid. I felt shamed for my broken English and I segregated myself from others. However, one year has passed, and everything has changed. In the last year, I met many great people here, who made friends with me, talked and listened to me and helped me rebuild confidence. They were so warmhearted that made me feel I was at home. Now, I feel more involved and I know I am not alone anymore. Life away from home taught me how to be independent, how to communicate with people you are not familiar, and how to seek help to solve problems.