ا لعائد من الرماد

            Chicago is one of the biggest cities in the USA that still attracts many immigrants every year for work or school. It’s the home town of many international companies like Motorola and one of the biggest schools in the country, the University of Chicago. It is an international city that hosts many ethnic groups from all over the world. The dominant community among immigrants is the Hispanics, and then the Polish. These two communities are present and active in the public life of citizens and are very well organized. Being an Algerian that has lived in Chicago for a few years pushed me to question myself about the Algerian community in Chicago. Most educated Algerian immigrants in Chicago went through a rigorous education system in Algeria, and when they come to Chicago they confront even more steps to be considered educated in the USA. They go through these steps because they are a small community that wants to grow through education. They already have a degree from Algeria, and they want to pursue their path; also, most of them are young and without family responsibilities.

The Algerian education system is copied

I can still remember parts of my childhood that reflected the type of person I am now as an adult. Moving from one grade school to another, I went through many experiences that ship my personality and made me what I am now, patient and always being prepared. After school, in one of the suburbs of Algiers playing outside sports with my peers, practicing with the school handball team and playing the final meant a lot to me.

In sixth grade, our class was comparing to other classes pretty light. It was not that crowded, but outside in the soccer field, the back yards and the alleys it was. Usually we finished the last class around five pm and luckily the days in summer were long enough for after class’ hang out. When the school alarm went off, we ran home so fast, like someone trying to escape from jail. Carrying heavy school bags loaded with books, notebooks, pencils and pens. When I get home I threw my school bag wherever I find an empty spot, but most of the time by the corridor, it was my short cut because of our yard kitchen that allowed me to grab my

يطلب محفوظ قهوته المعتادة ويجلس على آخر طاولة في مقهى طاسيلي. يستند إلى الحائط الأيمن المعلقة عليه صور تذكارية للجزائر بالأبيض والأسود، يريد أن يخرج سيجارة حتى يستكمل نكهة قعدته ولكنه يتذكر أن التدخين ممنوع في المقهى فيكف. إنها شيكاغو يقول في نفسه لو كنت في الجزائر لكان الأمر غير ذلك. مقاهي شيكاغو ممنوع التدخين فيها وهو لا يستطيع مجارات هذا الروتين وعكسها في الجزائر فكلها ترحب بالمدخنين والشمامين! يأخذ سيجارته وفنجان قهوته يداعبهما خارجا يحتسي تلك القهوة بعنفوان ويتحدث مع أحد أصدقائه عبر هاتفه النقال.

فلم يحتمل حر الظهيرة

فراح يجوب الحديقة، مع زهرتين

اقتطف إحداهن، ومضى يشتم عطرها الفواح

فاقشعرت لها راحتيه

وفجأة وضع يده في جيبه

فأخرج سيجارة

لفها، واشتم عبيرها الوحشي

فكانت له راحة من همه

داعبت غيوم دخانها عرض السماء

وأخذت ترسل رموزاً سحرية،

وحروف هجاء: