FREE NEWSLETTER
Go to main Forum page »
It’s been almost 58 years since my parents decided to immigrate to the U.S. for a better future for me. That’s the reason they gave as to why they uprooted our lives in Athens, Greece. I did not like their decision and for years afterward I let them know that I preferred my life in Greece. My parents knew what I didn’t know which was that America was a land of opportunity and I could educate myself and eventually have a better standard of living than in Greece. Well all these years later, they were right and I am happy and grateful they made the decision. I now have the privilege of living 6 months in Greece and six months in the U.S. . There is long story of how I got from a young immigrant child arriving by boat in New York to my retired life now but I won’t get into that now. I just want to thank America for giving this immigrant the opportunity to do something with himself and I want to say Happy 250th Birthday! I’m sure if my parents would say the same if they were alive.
I immigrated here when I was 16. Very grateful to have the opportunity to attend high school in Brooklyn, then college in Chicago area. This is truly a land of opportunitie, and a nation of immigrants. Let’s never forget that, as we continue building a more perfect union. Thank you, America!
Most of us are very thankful immigrants and Proud to be an American. Thanks for the reminder.
Hope you are enjoying the World Cup as much as the millions of foreigners are enjoying America. Thanks to you and others for your hospitality – confirming some of the best things about America, and Americans, too!
Thanks for the post.
I too am a first generation American, whose mom came through Ellis Island just over 100 years ago, July 30, 2025 at the age of 7 months – in the arms of my maternal grandmother – dirt poor, they were sponsored by US relatives to make the trip from Tisinec, Slovakia alone.
We still have the blanket my mom was wrapped in when they approached America on the RMS Berengaria – initially out of Hamburg Germany.
Some of the descendants of family they left behind in Slovakia maintain connections, and they are in a number of European locations and a few in the states, too – including, Tisinec, as well as Bergen, Norway, Warsaw, Poland, and even Cleveland, Ohio.
Last month, we reconnected with the Norway and Warsaw contingent with a trip to Oslo and Bergen, … in additionto singing Ole Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass with an international choir.
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZm4DT7isPf/
For anyone of Norwegian descent reading this, you have a beautiful country with beautiful people. It was my privilege to visit.
My Irish paternal great-grandfather came in the 1850’s and my German maternal great-grandfather came from Germany in the early 1860s.
Like you, Nick, my grateful heart knows no bounds.
Great post. I am very lucky that my grandparents came to the US from Eastern Europe about 130 years ago. If they had not, I would not exist at all. Happy birthday America, the land of opportunity.
Great post for July 4th!
It’s nice to read an uplifting story. We need more of that.
I have traced my family in America to the 1840s when relatives were fleeing the potato famine in Ireland. Others came from Germany, Sweden, and England. Connie’s family all came from Italy through Ellis Island in the 1890s
Many people today seem to forget how the world helped build America. Even Alexander Hamilton was an immigrant.
I would finally agree with my dad’s decision of allowing me to go live in this great country as a 16 years old back in 1969. I was homesick for a little while but the friendliness of the people and the liberty I had to be what I want to become is what make this country the greatest nation of them all. We can’t take her for granted, she gave all of us immigrants a chance to be who and what we want to be. May God blesses America, happy birthday to The USA.
Bring the World Cup trophy home. USA. USA. USA.
Very nice post and appropriate thread to start today, Nick and all who have added to it. As a first generation American, I can appreciate the hardships and sacrifices that my grandparents made to flee oppressive regimes in Nazi Germany and Communist Hungary with my then young parents. Although not unique, this is the story of millions of us who have benefited from the opportunities provided here and who helped build the United States into the greatest country in the world (regardless of how the World Cup turns out).
Thank you to all of the forefathers and generations of Americans before us who had the vision of a country that could provide opportunities to all through hard work and shared values! Happy 4th and 250th to all of us!
I came to the US at age 24 with $1200 and a dream, and have never regretted it for a moment. It’s highly unlikely that I would have had the same opportunities in my home country.
I’m looking forward to retiring next year and doing some slow travel around the US and Canada.
As a second generation American and a veteran who served in many other countries, I’m proud to be an American citizen. I love the USA. I wish others now in 2026 would catch the spirit we had in 1976 during the bicentennial.
You’re right about 1976, August, people were genuinely excited about the bicentennial!
Nick,
Can’t wait for as Paul Harvey used to say, “The rest of the story.” Have a happy 4th, and then sharpen your pencil and get to work.
I try to appreciate living in what most agree is the greatest country in the world. One of the things I’m enjoying the most is the majority of people are acknowledging the positives in the USA instead of complaining about it.
I’m a believer that social media opinions are the minority of opinions but since they are “shouting” the loudest, the more people read it and believe it’s true.
God Bless The USA!!! Happy Birthday!!!