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Sonia Rumzi

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Gratitude for Freedoms as an Immigrant

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Today’s post is in conjunction with the Blog-A-Licious Blog Tour, a fantastic blog hop that brings together bloggers of all genres, backgrounds and locations. I’m honored to be the first stop on the tour, followed by the expressive writer DK Levick.  Do stop by and say hi, plus some of us are having giveaways and contests. Enjoy!

An Immigrant’s View on Freedoms

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I am an immigrant. Living in the US has been an adventure and a life changing experience.

I came from the wonderful metropolis of Cairo where I did most of the shopping for our family. When I took fruit home, half of it was rotten and inedible. The seller needed to get rid of his produce, hiding the mush at the bottom of the brown bag. I understand.

If we needed chicken, we stood in line and bought the whole chicken. Nothing was touchable. The store workers or the market people handled things and gave them to you. Very few choices.

Then I came to the States and walked into my first grocery store at the age of 22 in 1978:

A woman pawed through the peaches until she found the two she wanted. A man groped the apples choosing the few he deemed serviceable. Another lady, a mother with a child, picked out the chicken breasts and placed them in her cart. Another, man handled the melons, even lifting one to his nose to smell.

When I went to choose, I looked around making sure I was not going to get reprimanded for touching. Having experienced being slapped on the hand before, this paranoia was acceptable.

The wonder of choosing only what you need to eat. Things back home were never sold by piece. You bought by weight when you did not need all that. When I chose an apple and two peaches, I was in heaven!

The package of 8 drumsticks was astounding to me. The bodies of four chickens out there and I did not have to take them home. I walked out giggling with joy at the experience of choosing my own food. Dark meat only? What a dream!

I find myself grateful for my new home. I find myself in awe of my newfound freedoms in this country no matter how small they are in other people’s eyes.

Enjoy The Blog-A-Licious Tour: “What does freedom mean to you?”

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  • Meijers Marja

    I like your view of freedom Sonia, I am an immigrant too and America’s super markets were indeed a big surprise to me too!!

    • Thank you for stopping by. I am thrilled you are here too. 🙂

  • Solid Novel

    That’s exactly why Americans need to get out of the hotels and all-inclusive resorts they vacation to and actually see local culture from food to shopping!
    Shelley W.

    • Thank you Shelley. It has been amazing living here for 33 years.

  • Dian429

    Well said. We in American forget what Freedom means for people that don’t have.  We need to open our eyes and see what is going on around us. Thank you for giving us a look.

    • Thank you Diane. Indeed America is wonderful. It has been a blessing from the moment I set foot in the country.

  • Brenda Moguez

    Well said.  I try to
    travel as much as my budget allows and I am always horrified by my fellow
    Americans that stay rooted inside of their hotels are resorts.  Wherever we go we take local transport, eat
    local, and try to experience the place we are visiting from outside the travel
    brochure.   I want my kids to see more
    than the glossy cover.  Good post.

    • Thank you Brenda. I appreciate that you stopped by. 

  • Anonymous

    Now, who would know choosing your own food was prohibited? I certainly have never given thought to that but seeing through your eyes, I can appreciate that freedom much more. I can imagine the paranoia and your having to ease into a culture where there are many choices you’re able to make. This has given me new insights. I imagine this has changed over time in Egypt?

    • I am not sure. If you go to the old time market place, no. They choose what they give you. If you go to the new fangled American style grocery stores where you pay exorbitant amounts of money, then you choose and pay for that choice.  Not a given freedom. It is bought where most cannot afford the price. Glad to be here. 

  • Kwasylowski

    To see American through the eyes of people who have come here from abroad is always a shock.  We take so much for granted.  Great blog.

    • Thank you Kwasylowski. It is an amazing perspective. I am still in awe when I go shopping. I try to keep that spark of gratitude with me after 33 years. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.

  • Bryan Dennis

    Hi. I’m stopping by for the Blogalicious freedom hop. What a beautiful post! It’s amazing the freedoms we take for granted. You are blessed to have the perspective you do from living in two very different lands.

    • Hello Bryan. True :). Seemed silly when I was writing it but it did happen. I am blessed. Thanks for stopping by.

  • roy durham

    as much as i dis like beans, i have an aunt the came here from post war Germany she was Scared to buy fresh green beans and more the one loaf of bread. she thought she and my uncle would be arrested.  i was young and could not understand her fear. some one being arrested for beams . that sounded stupid to me . but then i have seen people who have never tasted a bean smile at the taste of a bean.  is freedom a a bean? thank you for a great post and reminder of what freedom taste like god bless

    • Thank you Roy. I keep things in perspective and remind myself never to get used to the blessings I have been offered. They are a gift. Thanks for stopping by.

  • Nannussa

    Not an immigrant however raised by one, I have learned through my upbringing to be grateful for all that I have. Astonishing that even knowing, reading, and learning about the history of many nations, we, Americans continue to take for granted the so many freedoms handed to us. However, even those “freedoms” that we take for granted are not free. Here in the US our friends, family, loved ones, brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers stand guard on this great nation with their lives. They ensure we keep our freedoms.

    Freedom to me are those that have dedicated their lives to give me the choice of…….everything!

    Thank you Sonia.

    • I am so glad you get it. Thank you for stopping by to see me. I am grateful.

  • Janaki nagaraj

    Freedom to choose…….one of the basic rights. Even the right to choose the type of food means so much to those who have been deprived of this….though I have not experienced this, I fully understand what it must have meant to you.
    Nice read….am your follower now.

    • Thank you Janaki. That was very kind. I am thrilled you visited. 

  • Sonia, your post touched my heart. Freedom does mean a lot of different things to people. thanks for sharing your story with us.

    • As usual you are lovely and kind. I appreciate that you stopped by. Thank you Sulekha.

  • We take so many things for granted (and gripe about them anyway).  Thanks for this peek at American living through your eyes.  Quite refreshing.  If more of us understood conditions elewhere we would better understand just how good life is here (and hopefully gripe less).

    • Allan you are too kind. I never find you griping. I find you refreshing and delightful. Your Prattle always makes me smile. Thank you for stopping by.

  • Ryderislington

    Even though I’m only meeting you online, I’m so glad we met. You give me another reason to not take the U.S. for granted. I’m so glad you have found a home here. 

    • Ryeder your welcome is most welcome. My new home has been a magical time. I am glad to help people NEVER take the US for granted. Thank you for stopping by.

  • Jennifer Bogart

    Sonia, having lived in Canada my whole life, where grocery stores and produce markets abound, I cannot imagine not being able to hand-pick everything I serve to my family. Thanks for sharing this memory of your first shopping experience in North America. 

    • Thank you Jennifer for stopping by and leaving me a message. It still gives me great pleasure to shop in the States. When I visited Montreal it was the same. Such amazing freedom of choice, even such a simple thing as dark or white meat. 🙂

  • Marcia Mayne

    It doesn’t take much sometimes, to bring us joy. Does it?

    • Very little sometimes Marcia. Thank you for stopping by and commenting. :0)

  • Anonymous

    So true, the many things we take for granted. Thank you for your wonderful post and for joining the blog tour.
    Best wishes – Dora
    http://pandorapoikilos.com

    • Thanks Dora. It was fun! I never forget to be thankful for being here.

  • Dklevick

    Great post Sonia. Choice is freedom. Freedom is choice. Unfortunately so many take it for granted. thks

    • Glad you stopped by DK. Always good to see you.

  • Les Floyd

    I can picture the magic of walking into that grocery store… you write so well. 🙂

  • tasteofbeirut

    We have experienced America at the same time, I landed here in 1979. I did not realize how much I appreciated living here until I went back to Lebanon to live there last year and spent 5 months there; suddenly, the wide freeways, the large malls, the friendly smiles from strangers, the convenience-living, all struck me back as jewels I had left behind; as I am getting ready to go back again to the Middle East, I am wondering how long I will be able to stay there this time. 

    • How true is that! Precious jewels our freedoms and conveniences in the States. On the other hand I have not visited for the last 20 some years. The last time I was in Cairo, the passport guy accused me of ruining his fast during Ramadan. I took it to heart Juomana. I never went back. Wishing you a safe trip there and back.