John Hodaro
Submitted to Los Angeles Garment & Citizen
"Letter Home" Essay Contest, Posted: Mar 31, 2005
Dear Mother,
I hope this letter meets you and family in good health. I am doing very well and healthy. I have adjusted to this beautiful State of California. Ma. I’m writing you this letter to fill you in on my experience in this great State.
The first day I arrived here in Los Angeles from Nigeria, an aura of excitement seem to shimmer around me as I realized that I was finally in the state of my dreams-the great State of California. The cab driver took me from the airport through the city of Los Angeles. The city is so gorgeous: Trees splash with color, streets manicured on end, beautiful cars, the magnificent hi-rise downtown buildings and fancy people can be seen everywhere around the city. The first thing that came to my mind ma, was “I was born to live in this city”, as I wipe the slight mist glazing my eyes with the back of my palm.
I decided, upon settling down in my one bedroom apartment in Hollywood, to learn the ways of the people of California and to assimilate to the culture as quick as possible. The first thing I did was to bring out my little black book that contains all the American slang words I learnt back home from watching those American movies. I put on the gray suit that you bought me and hit the ready to use my slang’s on the citizens. The first person I saw was a young looking white man, I quickly walked up to him and said, “Yo men, I wanna know everything about this town dude, what’s up! He looked at me like I just dropped from outer space. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I realized that people took me more seriously when I talk in my normal ways. They find it intriguing saying that I have an “accent”.
As time went by, I began to realize that the city has a diverse group of people and cultures. There are Mexicans, Europeans, Middle Easterners and African Americans, and other ethnic groups everywhere. This intrigued me because of my previous notion back home, that Los Angeles was populated by black and white people only –Talk about mind rejuvenation. Generally, I find the people to be fun loving a happy-go-lucky people. They can start a conversation with you anytime without even knowing who you are! The other thing is nobody walks in this town; everybody has a slick car or two, zooming on large freeways and city streets with loud music oozing out of their cars. The women here are very pretty, they are like beautiful flowers dipped in the sweetness of honey, and smell like they’ve been immersed in a bouquet of jasmine blossoms. I guess that’s why it’s named the Land of Angels, (Los Angeles) in Spanish.
I have made a few friends here, (you know me, being the social butterfly that I am). Three of them I am very close to, named Josh, Calvin and Jose. Josh is a white guy from a city called Malibu. He is very east to talk to and has shown me the opulent side of the city. There is such a display of wealth in and around some of the cities in Los Angeles County. There is Beverly Hills, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Hollywood Hills and a whole lot more. I have met people that reek with so much wealth through Josh that inspires me everyday. They all seem to talk in movie business lingo-which incidentally, is the business I’ll like to excel in someday. Oh, for your information, if you want to impress your friends back home, just tell them that when you come to see me in California, We are going to shop at Rodeo drive in Beverly Hills. The shopping stores on rodeo drive harbors the most expensive and top quality merchandise in the world.
My other friend, Calvin, is African American. I relate to him more because he is from a city with a comparatively low standard living. He is from Compton- a city in Los Angeles County. He is so much fun to be around with. He has a way with words, fashion and music. He is considered “cool” amongst the girls. I know this town so well because of him, we’ve been to the clubs together and explore the streets when I am not working. Calvin is the one who “hooked”(as he calls it) me up with a job as a staff Accountant with one of the entertainment companies in his town. There is such a display of “Black Pride” in the community that Calvin is from, especially on Crenshaw Blvd. (A popular hang out spot in the area). My plan is to take Calvin to Africa with me the next time I go back home, as he always expresses to me that he’ll love to visit the “motherland” someday.
Jose, my Mexican friend is from East Los Angeles, another poor neighborhood in the county. Jose is very cultured and family orientated, He reminds me a lot of how we are in Nigeria. He has taken me to his parent’s home; they are very warm and friendly people with proud history. “You know,” he always reminds me, “my people use to own this land, they called it Califa, the white men came with their big guns, took it by force and renamed it California”. I have done a lot of research and confirm his story and find it to be partially true. Anyway, there is a festival the Mexicans observe once a year called” Cinco De Mayo” a celebration of Mexican Independence Day, It is a very spirited party with ethnic food and beautiful cultured Mexican regalia are seen everywhere, just like we do back home in Nigeria.
Ma, the bottom line is I found a place that I can call home in California. It is a warm place that has embraced me well. I do miss you and the rest of the family though; especially you’re cooking, as all they seem to have here is what they call “fast food”. I guess they call it fast because they cook it fast and people eat them fast. Everybody here seems to be in a hurry. I am saving money so that I can buy you a ticket to come visit me here someday, so that you can see for yourself what a beautiful place this great State of California is. Extend my greetings to the other members of the family.
Your son,
John
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