My father came from Moscow, Russia to America in 1992. He came here for a better life so his family could have the opportunities that were available here.The item I chose to write about for the immigration essay was brought by my father from Russia. He was in the military when he lived in Russia. The soldiers wore this hat when they joined the Russian military. Some of the reasons for my Dad to have chosen this hat for this essay, was because he thought about his journey to America. He remembers wearing it on his head when he traveled from Russia to America since he knew he may not have the space in his suitcase. He wore it on his head during the whole journey. He brought this item with him because he had lots of memories. He was in the military for 2 years and then when he joined the military he got the hat. He played the trumpet and was in the band. It is very important to wear the hat because it shows you are part of the military. It is a must to wear the hat when you are a recruit in the army. He also wore it for fun when he went outside.My grandpa too has a military hat. It is mandatory to join the army and my grandpa joined when he was 18 years old. Now it sits on a shelf inside my house. This hat reminds my dad of his brother who still lives in Moscow, Russia. The memories are precious to him even though they are old memories.

– Jason Polonsky

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant