Suitcases

When my husband's nephew came to the US for the first time, he got off the airplane with one small suitcase. He was only about 17 at the time, but he was moving to the States. I was amazed that he only had one little suitcase. And it wasn't even full!

I guess the mentality was: Everything is available in America, your dirty, raggy clothes won't cut it anyway. You'll just get newer, better stuff in the US

In fact, this is how almost every Yemeni I know, gets off the plane: With minimal possessions. The suitcase is more ornamental than anything.

However, when Yemenis go BACK to Yemen, that's a different story. Every single time I've known a Yemeni to go back home, he will take at least five huge suitcases. Often these are filled with clothing for children, wives and other family members. And friends will ask them to deliver goods for their own families.

So, the equation goes like this: Yemeni to US = 1 suitcase. Yemeni back to Yemen = 5 suitcases. Yemeni returns to US = 1 suitcase. And the cycle repeats.

My question is: WHERE ARE ALL THE SUITCASES ENDING UP?? I've asked my husband, "Is there a huge mountain of suitcases somewhere in your village?" He thinks I'm joking, but it just baffles me!

So, when one of his friends/relatives (the collective term is "cousin") goes back, we sometimes end up buying him a suitcase. We will fill this suitcase with clothing for my husband's nieces and nephews. But when I'm in Walmart shopping for these suitcases, I always have to ask, "Didn't so-and-so JUST go to Yemen and didn't we just get a suitcase for him too?"

See, my family is not Yemeni. When my mother goes to the Bahamas for a vacation, she takes 2 suitcases. When she comes back, surprise, she brings the same 2 suitcases back. Sometimes, she'll bring an additional bag back because she bought souvenirs. She has had to purchase suitcases maybe once in the past 20 years. I can't even imagine telling her how/why we buy suitcases almost every year.