While the astronauts, heroes forever, spent mere hours on the moon, I have remained in this new world for nearly thirty years. I know that my achievement is quite ordinary. I am not the only man to seek his fortune far from home, and certainly I am not the first. Still, there are times I am bewildered by each mile I have traveled, each meal I have eaten, each person I have known, each room in which I have slept. As ordinary as it all appears, there are times when it is beyond my imagination.
by Jhumpa Lahiri
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The narrator reflects on the contrast between the brief but monumental journey of astronauts who visited the moon and his own extended experience in a different, yet equally significant, world. Despite considering his achievements as ordinary, he acknowledges the depth of his journey, which includes countless miles traveled, meals consumed, encounters with diverse individuals, and various places he has inhabited. These elements, while seemingly mundane, collectively shape his unique narrative.

Throughout nearly thirty years in this new realm, the narrator grapples with feelings of bewilderment and wonder. His everyday experiences often transcend the ordinary and evoke a sense of astonishment. This duality—where the ordinary meets the extraordinary—highlights the richness of human experience and the profound impact of time and place in shaping identity.

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