Page 29 - IJSA, Vol. 2, No 1-2, 2019

International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 2, No. 1-2, 2019

In the context of migration, and especially in the context selecting and choosing memories from her home
of child migration, things can have a particular country to take with her. And those memories are put in
significance. The significance of things becomes a thing, which she is able to carry with her trough out
especially relevant in the moments of departure from the her journey to the new country, the country, with no old
native country and arrival at a new country. Things that friends, no relatives and no memories, she used to have.
are important to a child may be left when they are Meanwhile, the things that are left behind and cannot be
leaving the home country. Maybe the child had certain taken away may be still in connection with the child
memories related to them or they might have also even after one’s departure. On the one hand, the things
created his or her routine and daily life. They were used left behind become alienated; they are considered no
by the child, had lain nearby, were constantly available longer belonging to the person. However, such
and therefore were taken for granted, such things could alienation occurs not immediately, or may not appear at
be a favorite book from the library to read before bed, all. The left things still have an intimate connection that
old sneakers to play on the wet grass, a tree house to hide does not disappear in one day or just after leaving the
from the parents, even an old bench in the backyard, things: my former house, my bed, my wardrobe and my
where the first cigarette was tried. All these things were desk. The thing is called “My” even if it no longer
always nearby and always “available”. When leaving officially belongs to me, but may belong to another
the home country, things, their shape, volume, person now. From my own perspective, I spent my
functionality, and even the human relationship with childhood and teenage years in an apartment uptown,
them receive a different meaning. Things and everything and even though it is already 15 years since I have lived
that is associated with them are again evaluated by the there, every time I have a chance to drive through that
child; they are no longer taken for granted: the book is neighbourhood, I am trying to see how my old room’s
left at the hometown library – there is nothing to read window looks like, repeating in my head “my room”. A
before bed, old sneakers are thrown away – you cannot similar connection between a thing and a child can be
play on the wet grass with the new ones, the tree house seen in the following anecdote. Roma, a migrant girl
is sold together with the house, where the bench is shared how much she misses her bed, thus, revealing
placed. All these things are left at the home country, and how important this left thing was to her.
only a few are taken with me and I need to decide which Most of all I miss my bed. I have a new bed in my new
ones. country, but I can’t sleep in it. I can’t sleep deeply: when
Leaving a country people ask themselves: will I need or you close your eyes and it’s already morning. In my bed
use this thing? What does it mean to me? Does it bring I always slept like this, I knew how to. Now I don’t
me important memories? In the reflections person (Roma).
“touches” each thing – asking himself whether he or she Roma describes the connection between her, as a
will be able to or should take it with him or her or not. human, and a bed, as a thing. While living in another
And if one thing has material value (if its price is high – country and using other things she remembers how
it cannot be left; if it is convenient and necessary – it will important the things are that were left in her homeland.
be useful in a new country), others have emotional value In other words, the left thing no longer belongs to a child
– remind of the connection with people who are left in but the connection with it remains even after losing it.
the homeland; such case is described in the anecdote Heidegger (1971) pointed out aptly that a person may
provided below: appreciate home (the home world) more when he or she
In one box I have two little glass angels and two walnuts, loses it: perhaps then he or she becomes fully aware of
sprayed with silver paint. I received them from my aunt what home is and means in his or her life. A child who
and cousin for Christmas, and I have been putting them has just lost or intends to lose things reflects on their
at a visible spot. I really can’t leave them, so I want to meaning, and in such a way discovers them anew and
take them with me. I have a little sun drawn by my the thing is no longer taken for granted.
stepfather. When I was a teenager, I came up with a All in all, upon arrival at another country, new things
nickname for myself: “Little Sun”. He and my mother may yet have a different meaning. New things may be
always knew how to make fun of me and when it was inevitably “discovered” in a new country in the course
my birthday, he drew a little sun on a small piece of of migration. They force us to reconsider our place in
paper – but it’s me, really. He drew an upturned nose, the new space and to recall memories; they make us
this dimple on the chin; he drew big thick eyebrows, nostalgic, fearful, or even remorseful. Things become
protruding ears. That’s me. I will never throw it away symbols that show the former life and future
(Agne). opportunities and reflect the current emotional and
Agne tells about some things, some bagatelles that she existential state. In this context, a question arises – how
has brought from her home country. For many, these a migrant child experiences things when he or she has
things may appear with no value; but to her, who has left just arrived at the new country?
not only her home country but also her friends and Things without Connection: Strangeness
relatives; these things have meaning provided by Having left one’s native country, in a new country, the
memories and relations with the left ones. Each thing has migrant child may face new things. These things have to
its own story and is related to a certain event in her life replace the usual (old) things in their purpose and
moment. A child sees in those things not a bunch of function. The first encounter with some new things may
rubbish, she sees memories, faces of her friends, and she make a child feel confused or even uncomfortable.
sees her old life in them: she is examining the things one However, the question is what does a child experience
by one, and she is making decisions on each piece, like when acquainting with new things in a new country? In
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