Can We Take Living In America For Granted?

Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat:
I have read a lot of books about refugees from countries that are torn by war and political strife.  Vietnam, Germany, Russia, the Middle East, and various African nations are just some of the regions that have become the setting for popular young adult novels in recent years.  This summer I  had the opportunity to read a few books about refugees from Haiti and Cuba. Learning about the political history of some of the countries in the Caribbean was a eye opener.  I am familiar with the published history book versions.  The books I read gave me a perspective into the hardships of families surviving political turmoil, the desire to move to the Untied States to escape persecution, and the sometimesunderhanded role the United States may have played in the region. This often times leads to new hardships in a country that was supposed to be so full of promise.

Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat is a modern fiction story about the country of Haiti, political turmoil, dreams of a better life in America, and sacrifices made to live that dream. Celiane Esperance and her mother have been surviving in Haiti alone while Celiane's father works in New York in order to support them. The result of violent political elections nearly take Celian's life and opens her eyes to the adult troubles facing her country for the first time.  Celian's desire to move to America in order to live her her father becomes her passion.  Getting to America and them surviving there becomes her next mountain to climb. Her father's communication from New York painted a wonderful picture of what life in America could be like for Celiane.  Was it possible that he wasn't tell the whole truth?

Currently there are many different nationalities that are still trying to move to the United States and Canada with the hopes of escaping an uncertain future in their own country in exchange for new hope here. Immigration has moved to the top of the political agenda each election year. Protecting our boarders from illegal immigrants is not the only issue.  Ensuring a positive, untaxing transition for all immigrants in our country is the responsibility of everyone if we want to maintain our status of, "The Land of the Free." Look around your own classes and school.  How many nationalities are represented?  How many students are you aware of that might be experiencing what Celiane had to deal with when she moved to New York? What can you personally do to promote acceptance of our school's immigrants whether they are new to our country or just new to our community?