Generally speaking, the American Dream reflects the core belief that any individual has the potential to achieve success in a society that upholds principles of honesty and integrity, granting everyone equal rights, regardless of where they hail from. The American Dream is supposed to be achieved through hard work, sacrifice, and determination rather than merely by chance.
If you've ever watched vintage American films, you'll notice that they repeatedly portray the idea of the American dream. It's essentially a theme on which the United States' founding fathers based their practices. It spearheaded the country's success making it stand out globally.
Every year, millions of immigrants arrive in the United States seeking upward mobility and a change in fortunes inspired by the American Dream. But there's a lot more to the story than meets the eye. Birol Bahadir's autobiography Between 2 Worlds is a realistic depiction of the struggles immigrants experience in foreign lands.
Born in a Turkish-immigrant family but raised in Germany, Bahadir's story is about struggle and perseverance. Having lived in the United States illegally for fifteen years, Bahadir faced several challenges that most immigrants face daily.
Over the past few decades, the prospects of achieving upward mobility have significantly shrunk for millions of Americans, especially for immigrants. Some key factors to blame for this phenomenon include stagnant wages, the rising cost of living, and ballooning student debt.
Millennials are the first generation faring less better than their predecessors. According to 2017 research, a whopping 90% of people born in 1940 had higher wages than their parents did at thirty. For individuals born in 1984, that percentage has dropped to just 50%.
But there's a complicated reality at play for the recent wave of immigrants arriving in the United States. Most of these people still believe they can achieve upward mobility through hard work. Though that is true to a great extent, ground realities have changed significantly in the United States.
The American Dream is undoubtedly alive for immigrants, but the challenges to achieving it are getting tougher and more complex by the day.
Language is one of the most significant challenges immigrants face in the United States. Immigrants are usually expected to learn English which affects their ability to communicate with others. Language barriers may also increase the impact of disadvantage in other aspects of their lives. For instance, immigrants may receive poor quality healthcare as they cannot communicate their requirements to the medical staff.
Secondly, immigrants may also face a severe lack of employment opportunities. Most of these problems are ingrained in the assignments' design and management structure. Furthermore, several immigrant workers don't get access to labor and safety protections enjoyed by native workers. Newly-arrived immigrants remain alienated from the job market owing to their limited knowledge of specific jobs.
Wrapping It All Up
If you want to gain an intimate insight into the lives of immigrants in the United States, Bahadir's book is the perfect read for you. It'll make you laugh, bring tears to your eyes, and inspire you to work hard for what you believe in.
