Key Terms

Key Terms

Back home – a place you never return, even if you visit; no longer a geographic location but a before 

Here – always where you immigrated; in relation to family’ story, the United States of America

Gjuhe nenes – mother tongue; the language that comes out when you’re cursing because you forget your keys in the car in freezing weather or need to think fast on your feet

Distance – it is only a matter of time before you see your family again

The American Dream – no more of a myth than what you were told growing up, propaganda they fed

it was greener on this side

green like the grass they fed you like you were cattle 

out to pasture

or was it an airfield?

and if it is all just a myth

or a curse

or superstition, it’s fine

we can still remedy that

as long as no one is dead.