L1_Immigrant Family 1

Orientation

in Space and Time

Week 4 - Lesson 1:
How are families affected by migration?

• how migration has affected them,

• what caused them to emigrate,

• if they had a positive or a negative experience.

• This week we will learn about three different families and talk about...

Guess where the first family is from using the clue on the next slide!

Multiple Choice

The family that we are going to read about emigrated from ______.

• India

• Pakistan

• Syria

• Bangladesh

Meet Mrs. Patel, a woman who emigrated from India years ago to provide a better future for her family.

Read her story and as you read, think about the essential question of the week: How did immigration affect the Patel family?

​Immigration and My Family

As I sit here in my new home, in a foreign land far away from India, memories of our journey as an immigrant family come back to me. Our story is one of courage and hope.

​We were a typical middle-class family living in a small village in Punjab, India. My husband was a farmer, and I took care of our two children, a son and a daughter. We had dreams of a better life for our children, of giving them opportunities that we never had. However, as time passed, we realized that our dreams would not come true if we continued to stay in India.

The lack of employment opportunities, limited access to quality education, and political and economical problems forced us to make a difficult decision. We decided to immigrate to a foreign land in search of a brighter future for our family.

Leaving behind our home, family members, and our everyday life was not easy, but we were determined to create a better future for our children. We sold our land, our only source of income, and said our goodbye to our loved ones, with tears in our eyes and hope in our hearts.

Multiple Choice

Why did the immigrant family from India decide to move to a new country?

• a) to escape political problems

• b) to have better opportunities and give a better life to their children

• c) to be closer to their family members

• d) because of health reasons

Multiple Choice

How did the mother feel about leaving her home country?

• a) She felt sad and nostalgic.

• b) She felt relieved and excited.

• c) She felt indifferent and unattached.

• d) She felt angry and resentful.

We arrived in our new country with nothing but our dreams. The first days were hard. We faced language barriers, cultural differences, and the challenges of settling in a new country. We did our best. My husband did some daily jobs, and I worked as a cleaner, even though I had a diploma as a Maths teacher in India.

​We lived in a small rented apartment in a crowded neighborhood, and our children had to go to a new school and make new friends. They faced their own challenges, but they adapted quickly and became successful students.

Multiple Choice

What degree did the mother have from their home country?

• a) medicine

• b) farming

• c) education

• d) internet technologies

Multiple Choice

What did the mother do for work in the new country?

• a) farmer

• b) cleaner

• c) teacher

• d) strange jobs

Multiple Choice

How did the children of the Patel family adapt to the new country?

• a) They struggled academically.

• b) They refused to learn the new language.

• c) They quickly learned the language and made friends.

• d) They became isolated.

As a mother, it was heartwarming to see our children flourish in their new environment. They learned a new language, made friends from different backgrounds, and had new opportunities that were not available to them in India. They were in a world of possibilities, and their dreams began to take shape.

Our journey was not without sacrifices. We missed our family members and the festivals, customs, and traditions of India. We had phone calls but, they were never enough. We worked non-stop to earn enough money, and there were times when we had to choose between paying the bills and giving our children their needs.

Despite the challenges, our family grew closer. We learned to value the importance of family support and the strength that comes from facing difficulties together. We celebrated our culture through home-cooked meals, festivals, and storytelling, passing on our traditions to the next generation.

​As years passed, our children grew up and studied in high quality universities and became successful in their jobs, something we could have only dreamt of in our homeland. They became the pride of our family.

Looking back, I am proud of our decision to emigrate from India. It was not easy, but it opened doors to opportunities we never imagined. Our family's journey as immigrants has been challenging, but it has also been one of growth, strength, and hope. We are happy for the life we have built, and we continue to celebrate our Indian roots while practising the culture and values of our new home.

As a mother, I am thankful for the lessons we have learned as a family - the importance of patience, strength, and the power of dreams. Our journey as an immigrant family has shaped us into stronger individuals, and we will keep working hard for a better life, for ourselves and for the generations to come.

Multiple Choice

How does the mother feel about their decision to emigrate?

• a) regretful

• b) doesn't care

• c) angry

• d) proud and grateful

One of your friends has just arrived to class because he was in a handball tournament. He wasn't able to read the story of the Petal family so he needs your help to understand what's going on.

Report the sentences on the following slides to your friend, so that he can understand the story.

Tip: The green parts have already been reported for you. You must

report the red parts of the sentences!

Pay attention to the green parts to observe all the parts that we must change when reporting information.

Open Ended

How was the Petal family affected by their migration?

Is it a positive or a negative example?

Write THREE COMPLETE SENTENCES to explain your answer and give examples from the text.