My Emigration to the United States and Achieving the American Dream

My Emigration to the United States and Achieving the American Dream chronicles how Glenn Chelliah achieved the American dream through hard work, his Catholic faith, and the kindness of many American benefactors.



Glenn grew up in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) when the country was still under British occupation in the 1940s and 1950s. He was one of thirteen children in his family. Glenn's family had strong connections to their native Tamil ancestors, but they were also deeply Catholic and identified with the Western culture brought to the island by the British in the 1800s. Glenn's faith and English education were reasons he was able to attend St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia in the 1970s.



Despite arriving with only eight dollars in his pocket, Glenn established himself in the United States quickly, becoming a citizen in 1981, starting a family, and achieving professional success in the pharmaceutical industry. He also worked to bring his mother and siblings to the United States from Ceylon when the country was facing political upheaval.



This is the story of the many blessings Glenn found in America, detailing the obstacles he overcame as an ambitious young man seeking a better life in a country he had dreamed of since he was a teenager.