"No mom. Don't put the salt in now," I commanded my mother while I cooked Chicken Tikka Masala. My mother paused for a moment, hugged me, and started crying. She said, "I can't believe how much you have matured over the past six years." For more than three quarters of my life, I have been living with separated parents. My father came to America in 2001, sacrificing his life in Bangladesh for our future. Nine years later, my sisters and I immigrated here. However, my mother could not because she did not get her visa. We all tried to stay close, but the distance turned us into a broken boat. No matter how many times we try to remove the water from the boat, water comes back in through the leaks in the boat, bring us closer to sinking
…show more content…
Sometimes, my father went to bed starving because the food did not meet his "requirements." Then he would lectured me on how he was carrying big-heavy boxes on his shoulder to earn money. Whilst he played the father role, I took on the unconventional mother role in our South Asian family. Every morning, I woke up at 6am to fix the mess my family made, first fixing the beds, then sweeping the living room. Afterwards, I racked up the books on my shelf in alphabetical order. I often found myself having only five minutes left to get to school on time. Ten hours later, dinner preparations had to be made. "Mom, the Chicken Tikka Masala is burning black! Let me go!" She slowly unwrapped me from her arms while corners of my mother¿s eyes crinkled. I continued, "I might want to dorm for college. Who's going to take care of this family?" Her eyes widened and braced me again, but this time more forcefully. She answered, ¿You have given up enough for your family. You have been playing my role, now let me take my role back. And you go and live your life and become
Sometimes, my father went to bed starving because the food did not meet his "requirements." Then he would lectured me on how he was carrying big-heavy boxes on his shoulder to earn money. Whilst he played the father role, I took on the unconventional mother role in our South Asian family. Every morning, I woke up at 6am to fix the mess my family made, first fixing the beds, then sweeping the living room. Afterwards, I racked up the books on my shelf in alphabetical order. I often found myself having only five minutes left to get to school on time. Ten hours later, dinner preparations had to be made. "Mom, the Chicken Tikka Masala is burning black! Let me go!" She slowly unwrapped me from her arms while corners of my mother¿s eyes crinkled. I continued, "I might want to dorm for college. Who's going to take care of this family?" Her eyes widened and braced me again, but this time more forcefully. She answered, ¿You have given up enough for your family. You have been playing my role, now let me take my role back. And you go and live your life and become