September 8 at Lincoln South Rotary - Immigrant to Citizen - Transformation  or Assimilation

On September 8 2023 at Lincoln South Rotary Club we heard from Amrita (Ambi) Mahapatra on the topic of Immigrant to Citizen - Transformation  or Assimilation.

We heard stories about Ambi's family and the history of India and the partition of India by the Brittish. She shared that education was not encouraged by the Brittish as they feared educated people may resist the leadership and become rebellious.

 

Later education became available but initially only to men. And, it was hard for people living in the country - it seemed it was only available to those living in the city.

 

Ambi was happy. She talked about the shared house - where all family members lived in one house. Her father and in-laws, all brothers and the children. Her Grandfather was also there and he had the greatest influence on her growing up. They thought she was the most precious child - so she felt privileged - that she did not need anything more.

 

Her uncles were able to get some education. And, they would find time to go to libraries and get books to learn English. They would learn and read poems and Shakespeare. As they were reading they would share with Ambi. She learned to love the English language - how so much could be described with so few words. Her uncles were very smart - they talked a combination of Punjab and English - she wanted more English.

 

For one of her birthdays, her uncles took her to a book store - she could buy anything that she wanted. She selected an English book about the alphabet - the first alphabet that she learned. She continued her education on her own - reading, listening to her uncles. 

 

Once, while digging in the dirt in the courtyard, her grandfather told her not to dig too deep or she would dig all of the way through the world. She did not know what he meant and asked what was there. He said "if you dig all of the way through the earth you will get to the other side - America".

 

That was the first time she had heard that word - and it stuck with her.

 

She was able to go to school and, by the time she was in 6th grade, she was able to understand much of what her uncles were saying in English and could speak a little herself. When one of her uncles recited the poem Daffodils by Wordsworth - with passion - she became even more fascinated with the English language.

 

Even with all of her interest in the English language and America, she did not see a need to move away from India. She had a great life there - great family support. 

 

Then she married. Her husband was a doctor. He wanted to learn more in his field of pediatric cardiac care and knew that his best opportunity was in America. She was not excited about the move. 

 

Her husband adapted and became an American citizen. She was not prepared to do that. She loved the language and the opportunities that were afforded to them. But, her loyalties were with India.

 

In order to learn all that she could about America, she regularly watched news on TV. That included coverage of activities at the Capital. She told of the story about Carol Moseley Braun stopping a Senate vote - a woman, an African American woman - that stopped the Senate from a routine vote. Senator Braun demanded recognition and a stop to the process to approve a patent to the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) for an insignia that featured the first national flag of the Confederate States of America.

 

She learned of the things that America offer - the strength of women. She was impressed what a difference one person can make when living in a law-abiding place like America. America - where every vote counts - if you feel strongly enough about something you can make a change.