Assignment On Transition And Change
Transition & Change
I chose to interview my mother for this assignment. I chose her because I wanted to get to know her better. Although I know her pretty well already, there are some things about her that I don't know and I it would be fun and interesting to find out new stuff about her that I didn't know before.
For the interview, my mother, Amarjit, and I sat in the living room of our house on a Saturday afternoon. I asked her questions from when she was little, her life coming to America, and finally about her life now. I also asked about any regrets she's had in her life or about people that have inspired her and made her the person she is today.
Where did you grow up?
Amarjit grew up in a town in Machhiwara which is located in Punjab, …show more content…
India. It was a pretty small town so her and her family knew most of the people that lived there, which was very nice because there was always someone to talk to and hang out with. She lived in a pretty big house with a big backyard and had many pets and animals like dogs, chickens, cows, and buffalos.
Was your childhood good or bad?
She enjoyed her childhood because she would play with her friends on the streets or they would go to each others house a lot. Sometimes they would go to nearby shops or places where they could just hang around. She also saw and played with many animals during her childhood. Especially since there were many animals in her backyard, she would play with them whenever she got the chance. One of her favorite memories was when she rode an elephant and recalls, “It was one of the most terrifying and coolest moments of my childhood.” She used to travel to many places in India like New Delhi which she says had a lot of fun things to do, so she enjoyed going there a lot. One thing she did there frequently was go to the mall with her friends after school. Her and her family also went to the Golden Temple often and she really liked that because it was such a beautiful and breathtaking place.
Who are some important people in your life that have inspired you?
There are a few people that come to her mind, but her parents are definitely the ones she would say are the most important to her and are the ones that have really inspired her the most. She says, “Because they went to school and got an education and a career, they have helped support me in every way possible.” They were always there for her and gave her everything she needed even if times were hard.
What kind of education did you have?
Amarjit had a good education and says that she really enjoyed school. She went to elementary school and middle school, like every other person, and did well in her classes. After she finished high school, she went to college. It was in the same city that she was born in and it was called National College. She loved college. She states, “College was a great experience for me. I liked learning new things and meeting new people.” She ended up graduating with a bachelor's degree. It wasn't in any specific field because where she studied you didn't get a degree in a certain subject or field, it was just a degree for graduating and fulfilling all the requirements.
How was it like coming over to America from a different country? Was it hard?
She didn’t think it was that hard coming over to America. She says, “The transition itself was pretty smooth and I didn't encounter any hardships.” For her, being in America was obviously different and felt strange at first, but then she got used to it. She really enjoyed living in America because she got to see so many incredible places that she had never seen before, like the Golden Gate Bridge, Hollywood, etc. She thought it was nice being independent and making her own life here, but one thing that she did not like, and was very hard for her, was leaving and being so far from her family and friends and missing them. She missed her home country, in general, and not being able to celebrate things that she would normally do if she was there.
How did you choose what career you wanted to have?
She remembers applying to different jobs and going to many different interviews.
It was kind of hard for her because she came from a very different place and wasn't sure if she would find a job that would be good for her. She eventually started getting call backs from certain places and started to decide which place would be the best for her. She ended up with a job in a medical company where she has been working at for about 17 years.
What are some important events that have happened in your life?
Coming to America of course was a major thing for her because it was a whole different experience, being away on her own and living a different lifestyle from her family. To her, having kids was also a very important thing to happen in her life and also being able to have a job is important because with that she can support her family and live a happy life for both herself and them.
What type of groups or communities do you identify yourself with?
She is a Sikh so she says she would identify herself with that and also Punjabi communities and/or groups. Sikh or Sikhism is one of the youngest among the major religions. It is a monotheistic religion that is originated in the punjab region of the Indian
subcontinent.
Are there any major events or historical events that you have witnessed in the past?
Well, she was born while Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister and she was the first woman ever elected to lead the nation. Also, she remembers when India won the World Cup for the first time. India also tested its first nuclear weapon during her time and they were one of only seven nations to have done so.
Do you have any regrets?
The only regret that she has the most would be not getting enough education when it comes to technology. She always wishes she knew more about computers and how to use them and just more about technology overall. She regrets not taking classes on things like this or learning it from other people. In her opinion, knowing how to use that kind of stuff is important and would help her with everyday things and even help with her job.
I chose to interview my mother for this assignment. I chose her because I wanted to get to know her better. Although I know her pretty well already, there are some things about her that I don't know and I it would be fun and interesting to find out new stuff about her that I didn't know before.
For the interview, my mother, Amarjit, and I sat in the living room of our house on a Saturday afternoon. I asked her questions from when she was little, her life coming to America, and finally about her life now. I also asked about any regrets she's had in her life or about people that have inspired her and made her the person she is today.
Where did you grow up?
Amarjit grew up in a town in Machhiwara which is located in Punjab, …show more content…
India. It was a pretty small town so her and her family knew most of the people that lived there, which was very nice because there was always someone to talk to and hang out with. She lived in a pretty big house with a big backyard and had many pets and animals like dogs, chickens, cows, and buffalos.
Was your childhood good or bad?
She enjoyed her childhood because she would play with her friends on the streets or they would go to each others house a lot. Sometimes they would go to nearby shops or places where they could just hang around. She also saw and played with many animals during her childhood. Especially since there were many animals in her backyard, she would play with them whenever she got the chance. One of her favorite memories was when she rode an elephant and recalls, “It was one of the most terrifying and coolest moments of my childhood.” She used to travel to many places in India like New Delhi which she says had a lot of fun things to do, so she enjoyed going there a lot. One thing she did there frequently was go to the mall with her friends after school. Her and her family also went to the Golden Temple often and she really liked that because it was such a beautiful and breathtaking place.
Who are some important people in your life that have inspired you?
There are a few people that come to her mind, but her parents are definitely the ones she would say are the most important to her and are the ones that have really inspired her the most. She says, “Because they went to school and got an education and a career, they have helped support me in every way possible.” They were always there for her and gave her everything she needed even if times were hard.
What kind of education did you have?
Amarjit had a good education and says that she really enjoyed school. She went to elementary school and middle school, like every other person, and did well in her classes. After she finished high school, she went to college. It was in the same city that she was born in and it was called National College. She loved college. She states, “College was a great experience for me. I liked learning new things and meeting new people.” She ended up graduating with a bachelor's degree. It wasn't in any specific field because where she studied you didn't get a degree in a certain subject or field, it was just a degree for graduating and fulfilling all the requirements.
How was it like coming over to America from a different country? Was it hard?
She didn’t think it was that hard coming over to America. She says, “The transition itself was pretty smooth and I didn't encounter any hardships.” For her, being in America was obviously different and felt strange at first, but then she got used to it. She really enjoyed living in America because she got to see so many incredible places that she had never seen before, like the Golden Gate Bridge, Hollywood, etc. She thought it was nice being independent and making her own life here, but one thing that she did not like, and was very hard for her, was leaving and being so far from her family and friends and missing them. She missed her home country, in general, and not being able to celebrate things that she would normally do if she was there.
How did you choose what career you wanted to have?
She remembers applying to different jobs and going to many different interviews.
It was kind of hard for her because she came from a very different place and wasn't sure if she would find a job that would be good for her. She eventually started getting call backs from certain places and started to decide which place would be the best for her. She ended up with a job in a medical company where she has been working at for about 17 years.
What are some important events that have happened in your life?
Coming to America of course was a major thing for her because it was a whole different experience, being away on her own and living a different lifestyle from her family. To her, having kids was also a very important thing to happen in her life and also being able to have a job is important because with that she can support her family and live a happy life for both herself and them.
What type of groups or communities do you identify yourself with?
She is a Sikh so she says she would identify herself with that and also Punjabi communities and/or groups. Sikh or Sikhism is one of the youngest among the major religions. It is a monotheistic religion that is originated in the punjab region of the Indian
subcontinent.
Are there any major events or historical events that you have witnessed in the past?
Well, she was born while Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister and she was the first woman ever elected to lead the nation. Also, she remembers when India won the World Cup for the first time. India also tested its first nuclear weapon during her time and they were one of only seven nations to have done so.
Do you have any regrets?
The only regret that she has the most would be not getting enough education when it comes to technology. She always wishes she knew more about computers and how to use them and just more about technology overall. She regrets not taking classes on things like this or learning it from other people. In her opinion, knowing how to use that kind of stuff is important and would help her with everyday things and even help with her job.