Personal Narrative: The Immigrant Child
The day started off as any normal day. My mother woke me up and said “we must go.” Her voice sounded very urgent for what I thought was just a trip to the grocery store. My mom laid my outfit on my bed and packed by book bag; that’s when I figured out that I was starting school. I wasn’t entirely oblivious to the fact that I was going to familiarize myself with a completely different environment, but I just thought I had a little more time to prepare. Well, it turns out that I was wrong. You see, I wasn’t your average pre-schooler who was nervous about making friends. I was the immigrant child who had never spoken a word of English.
Rewind two years prior to that moment where we have an outspoken three-year-old girl accessorized with pink
nail polish and red lipstick. I hadn’t a care in the world, but at the time, I lived in Muriqan, Albania. I saw nothing wrong with my living situation in Albania, but my parents disagreed. Unfortunately, my parents grew up during a communist regime where their freedom was limited and their decisions predetermined. My father was forced to work on the cornfields while in school, which left him little time to receive a proper education. My mother walked half an hour to and from school with one pair of shoes, pants, and hand-knit sweater for four consecutive years. They had always dreamed of better circumstances and constantly asked themselves “what if,” but finally took action on moving to America once they started a family. In 1996, my father applied for the annual Visa Lottery. He entered our names into the lottery for five continuous years. At the time, visas were nearly impossible to acquire without waiting ten years to be put in place. The lottery allowed families to instantly receive a visa without the long delay. After five years, we finally won! My parents were overjoyed at the fact that my family would experience a significantly better life. Come 2002, we arrived in America holding trash bags as luggage, yet optimistic of the future.
Fast-forward to my first day of preschool. After finding out my mother wouldn’t be joining me, I hopped on the bus anxiously and cried until I arrived. There I stood, as the gates gradually opened, I began to run toward the school. Then WHAM! I clumsily fell onto the broken concrete. When I entered the classroom, all I received were stares from my fellow students. I wanted to explain why my nose was bleeding profusely, but was incapable of expressing those words in English. I sat discouraged at my seat until I saw my mother waving and smiling at me through the classroom window. She had followed the bus by foot, then stood outside of the room. A stream of tears came rushing down my face and I slowly smiled back at her. When I got older and dwelled upon this moment, I realized what seemed to be one of the worst days of my life, happened to be one of the most hopeful for my mother, because I began to live out the life my parents were unable to.
I constantly find myself always reminiscing on that moment, because despite all the hardships my parents faced in their lives, they have managed to build a life through those obstacles. After just six months of pre-school I began speaking English fluently and faced my biggest fear. My parents have proved that hard work and sacrifice are essential in life. Growing up with their influence and beliefs has instilled in me a strong work ethic and an open-minded perspective. I have learned to appreciate the power of education and preparedness for the future. I am a true believer that we create our own opportunities, and I look forward to the day where I can create my own.
Rewind two years prior to that moment where we have an outspoken three-year-old girl accessorized with pink
nail polish and red lipstick. I hadn’t a care in the world, but at the time, I lived in Muriqan, Albania. I saw nothing wrong with my living situation in Albania, but my parents disagreed. Unfortunately, my parents grew up during a communist regime where their freedom was limited and their decisions predetermined. My father was forced to work on the cornfields while in school, which left him little time to receive a proper education. My mother walked half an hour to and from school with one pair of shoes, pants, and hand-knit sweater for four consecutive years. They had always dreamed of better circumstances and constantly asked themselves “what if,” but finally took action on moving to America once they started a family. In 1996, my father applied for the annual Visa Lottery. He entered our names into the lottery for five continuous years. At the time, visas were nearly impossible to acquire without waiting ten years to be put in place. The lottery allowed families to instantly receive a visa without the long delay. After five years, we finally won! My parents were overjoyed at the fact that my family would experience a significantly better life. Come 2002, we arrived in America holding trash bags as luggage, yet optimistic of the future.
Fast-forward to my first day of preschool. After finding out my mother wouldn’t be joining me, I hopped on the bus anxiously and cried until I arrived. There I stood, as the gates gradually opened, I began to run toward the school. Then WHAM! I clumsily fell onto the broken concrete. When I entered the classroom, all I received were stares from my fellow students. I wanted to explain why my nose was bleeding profusely, but was incapable of expressing those words in English. I sat discouraged at my seat until I saw my mother waving and smiling at me through the classroom window. She had followed the bus by foot, then stood outside of the room. A stream of tears came rushing down my face and I slowly smiled back at her. When I got older and dwelled upon this moment, I realized what seemed to be one of the worst days of my life, happened to be one of the most hopeful for my mother, because I began to live out the life my parents were unable to.
I constantly find myself always reminiscing on that moment, because despite all the hardships my parents faced in their lives, they have managed to build a life through those obstacles. After just six months of pre-school I began speaking English fluently and faced my biggest fear. My parents have proved that hard work and sacrifice are essential in life. Growing up with their influence and beliefs has instilled in me a strong work ethic and an open-minded perspective. I have learned to appreciate the power of education and preparedness for the future. I am a true believer that we create our own opportunities, and I look forward to the day where I can create my own.