Finally, we are all immigrants

We come into this world as immigrants!

Untertauern, Austria, July 2020

When we are born, everything is new and different,

nothing resembles what we have come to feel is home: mother’s womb.

So we "immigrate" into “new world.”

We also immigrate into a specific setting,

which is defined by the culture and community of our family.

According to the dictionary, "immigrate" generally means

“to enter and usually become established”

Hence, if we take this general meaning, we immigrate many times over:

when we start school, sport, training, a profession, … .

Only specifically does "immigrate" mean “to come into a country

of which one is not a native for permanent residence” (see dictionary cited above).

Unfortunately, the general meaning of the word has gotten lost somehow,

our view has been shaped by the words “not native.”

Yet, different nations consider “native” differently.

For instance, I was born in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) to German parents.

I am not South African, I am German.

My son was born in the US, he is American by nationality.

He is also German, as he was born to a German mother.

Now what?

Mental Fitness