Jorge Prieto

Personal Narrative Essay Assignment

People may think that talking about the situation Venezuela is passing through these days is a topic everyone is using so its not unique at all or is to cliché but for those who have been leaving for more than half of there life as unstable as it can go, running from city to city and leaving their families and love ones behind in the search of a better life and future this topic is actually very relevant and important.

The political, economical and security problems Venezuela is facing nowadays has forced me, and a million of other Venezuelan citizens, to look for a future outside of our country of origin. I have to admit, even though a lot of people that remain in Venezuela believe that those who left took the easy way out of the problem, I believe is the complete opposite.

I left the country where I was born but my heart and soul are still there. Even though more than 4 years have past I will always have the hope on going back to implement in my country all the amazing things I have had the opportunity to learn in Boston and Miami to make Venezuela the country it was 20 years ago, a country worth leaving in.

When I first left Venezuela I had a mix of feelings I had never felt before. I had the sense as if I had a knot in my throat that didn’t let me breath properly and an emptiness in my chest as if my heart was not there anyone. I was afraid of leaving and been alone in a place I had never lived before and not be sure when I was going to come back. I was stressed that I all the work I made in my country had to be all left behind to start all the way from the beginning to become “someone” in a place I was literally no one. Most of all, I was horrified to leave all my love ones in a country where there are more murders than in war. Maybe it was going to be the last time I will ever see them.

My first destination Boston where I leaved for one whole year to improve my English since it was not my strongest skill. I studied in an institute called EF where I made friends for all around the world such as Russia, France, Italy, Africa, and so on, which I believe has been a great factor when it comes to expanding my social networks. I really had a great experience, not just in how much progress I made in my English but also in how much I learned from different cultures and adapting myself to the academic system in the United States that is totally different than the one I was used to in Venezuela.

After spending the first winter of my life, I realized that Boston, even though is a spectacular city with the best college life experience, was not the place I wanted to live in so I decided to look for new opportunities in a warmer place and that is when South Florida came to my life plans. For this reason, I arrived to Miami three years ago. Great wheatear all year around and tons of Latin people, just as Venezuela is, was exactly what I needed.

Overall I have had a great experience. I am doing great in college, I have met great people and I can see my parents more often since Venezuela is only a 3 hours’ flight from Miami. I feel blessed for having the opportunity of a second chance of becoming someone even though its not in Venezuela as I would have wanted to but since I know I am a one in a million with this kind of opportunities I feel very motivated in giving all I can in becoming a great professional and making my parents proud so they can feel that all their sacrifices where worth the effort.