The American Dream

People travel from around the world to achieve their own "American dream." I think my family would agree that we have obtained exactly that. My great great grandparents came from Italy. Eventually, they found their way to E. 119th and E. 125th Streets on Murray Hill and Mayfield Roads; otherwise known as Little Italy. Filled with like-minded people who understood the isolation they were going through. My great grandparents (nana and papa) grew their own successful family, still not getting the luxuries they dreamed of. My papa had a stable job he attended everyday and my nana stayed at home with five kids. She never learned how to drive, never flew in a plane, and never had a job that didn't involve her own children. Their house was filled with tiny trinkets or glass angels, mickey mouse, and Italian delicacies like biscotti's and pinolate. Their son, my grandpa found himself living with his four kids (the youngest being my dad) in Lakewood. Each of my dad and his siblings had the privilege of attending private high school, four plus years of college, and working stable jobs. We now live in "the bubble" where we go to school, sports, and rarely experience hardships. I hope that when my Italian ancestors look down and see us making pizzelles and pasta they understand how grateful we are that they endured what they did so we can live our American dream. My American dream is exactly where I am right now and I hope that for generations to come they understand how we got here and how privileged we are to be where we are.