Daniela Escudero
Eng-101
Prof. David Schleicher
Narrative Essay
5/27/2014
Moving to America Transformed My Life In the past I came across many changes but leaving my country was the toughest change in my life. I had to learn how to live away from people I love and how to start a new life in a new country. Immigration is a life changing experience; learning a new language, adapting to the culture and lifestyle changes are all strenuous things that were thrown at me once I became a part of this country. Even though moving away from my family and friends was a difficult decision, it changed my live for a better. It taught me how to deal with change, how to become an independent and responsible person, and how to feel this country my home. I never imagined living in another country. I remember as it was yesterday when my mom said, “Daniela, I know you do not want to leave Colombia but I have to take you with me, you are my youngest child and I will not let you here” I started arguing with her, saying that how she could do that to me when I already had plans to start college and that I was happy in my country but at the end I gave up and decided to come to America. It was February 10th, 2010, when I left Colombia and was forced to leave my friends, my grandmother, my school, my language and culture to move to this big new country to start a new life. As I took my last look at my home, I remembered all the fun times I had with my mom and sister and friends throughout my life. Tears were running down my face and I just started thinking about how I was going to leave my house, my friends, my relatives, and my country. The place where I grew up, the people with whom I had grown up, how I was going to leave without them? It was going to be very hard for me to leave something that I had used to. On my way to the airport I remained silent only tears came out of my eyes. When I had to aboard the airplane my family stood by big windows waving goodbye. I saw them, my sister cried and suddenly everyone in my family was crying. My heart was pounding as fast as I was crying. Leaving them was one of the most difficult days of my life. I arrived to this country with many dreams and with the idea that I am going to find a better life. When I arrived at the airport in Texas and started to walk to the hallways many ideas went through my mind I felt happiness, but I felt that I left something important behinds at the same time I was scared because I did not know how my life was going to be. Second, my first year in the United States was not an easy one. I felt mad at the fact that I was put in a situation I did not t want to be put in; I did not ask for it, I had no need. At some point I blamed my mom for putting me in such circumstances, of course at that time I had no clue of the actual reason why we moved here. In this year I went through many changes like the language. I felt frustrated when people talk to me and I could not understand what they say. I did not felt comfortable when my stepdad had to come with me at my doctor’s appointments and translates everything for me to understand. All of those circumstances were what made me to learn English. With the help of my mom’s husband I enrolled in an ESL program during the day. English was a very challenging language and I had a very difficult time learning it, however, my hard work did pay off. I was able to communicate with others in less than a year. After knowing how to speak English, my life becomes easier. I begin to make friends and have more confidence in myself. Besides language barrier, adapting to the new culture was other change that I faced. I had to learn body language, which differs from my native language, eye contact, personal space, where in my country we talk close to each other but here I learned how important is to Americans have their personal space, and facial expressions; it took me some time to find out "where cultural difference stops and where personal difference starts". Next, coming to the United States shaped me into the independent and responsible person that I am today. My next goal was to achieve Independence. Which is something that Ι have worked hard to earn. After I learned English, my second step was to find a job to be able to sustain myself financially. I was hired as waitress in a Mexican Restaurant and worked there in the evening. The days were long and exhausting but I knew that was the price to pay for my independence. With time I got a better job and decided to move into my own apartment and more responsibilities I had to take. Now that I was living by myself I had to learn how to manage my monetary situation and the feeling of being alone. There were nights where the joy of actually being in this new country was slowly being overshadowed by the dread of loneliness. There was no guarantee that I would make it. A definite change in demeanor was needed. This was the fulcrum which pivoted me to change, and for the better. I felt the desire to succeed. I had the opportunity of leave my country for a better future and became a better person. Comparing my native country with the United States, I could see how lucky I was of being here. Finally, since I faced all the changes and became an independent person. I stared feeling America my home. It did not happened momentarily but I knew that I needed to go through this period, a period of pain, fearfulness, and roughness. But once I made it through, I saw how a brilliant world came to me and every effort I did paid back. Also, I had to get involved. That was the key part of adjusting to my culture. I knew American food was just not for many immigrants, I knew the football game seems too senseless for many people, but how could I become part of America without involve in it? The answer was I wiped of what I thought about this country and cleaned my mind up to get ready for a genuine America. I did realize that I will not improve my English just by stuck with my own nationality whole day. I also opened my mind and started feeling fresh when I saw real homemade American food; and cheered with the football fans when I watched the game. At the time I started doing all these, I saw how I was on the track of a bright future. Coming to the United States and leaving everything behind, learning a new language, seeking independent living and adapting to the country that would be my home were the factors that determined the person I am today. All those life experiences helped me have a clear idea of how difficult it is to start a new life in an unfamiliar country; I became stronger to hardship. And unknowingly I traded happiness for a promise of a better future for myself.