Personal Narrative: A Trip To Atlanta

My move from my home state of Maryland to Georgia has greatly influenced my goals and perspectives. When I lived in the city area of Maryland, I had a limited viewpoint of life as a person who knew only of the city and had relaxed belief of living only within my comfort zone of what a city had to offer, however that changed when I moved to Georgia. Georgia proved itself to be a very different experience for me. Georgia is a lot bigger than Maryland so there was more place for its cities to be more spread apart and the environment had a more forestry background than what I knew at the young age. The change of setting and accustoms associated from the very different places made me realize that depending on a person’s position one object can be

Change is something the whole world goes through at one point or another in their lives, but what’s vital is what we chose to do with that change. It was the summer of 2005, the weather outside was as heavy as an anvil, nevertheless this was the norm in south Florida. My childhood was one to reminisce. Life was perfect, but that all altered when my parents said we were moving to Atlanta Georgia. Things weren’t as easy as I thought they would be, but my biggest reason was my school

Have you ever dreamed about visiting somewhere and you started thinking your life there? Coming to Miami was my biggest dream in my entire life because I see how beautiful it used to be when someone came anywhere from the US and how other people treated them with respects. I guess all immigrants dream about coming to the US, although not everyone wants to come to stay, but I know for sure everyone in other country would like to visit one day.

Now, the laid back southern life to me, is the way to go! No one is ever in a hurry it seems, just moseying along at their own tempo of life. Sitting back relaxing in the yard with family and friends talking about everything under the sky, laughing and cutting up with one another, having a cook-out or a late night bonfire enjoying the night air, sippin’ on some sweet tea, is what is special in my heart.

It was a cold winter night in Upstate New York. My mom and dad were enjoying a cup of coffee, my sisters were playing video games, and I was editing a few pictures on my computer. My mom brought up the idea of a vacation. She said” We haven’t been on a vacation for a long time”. We all agreed and were hoping for my dad to also agree. Then my father said with a cheerful voice “Where do you guys want to go for vacation”. Me and my sister Rahma wanted to go to Florida, but, my other sister Selsibila wanted to go to California. Since Florida is closer and most of us agreed on going to Florida my parents said, “Ok then Florida it is” and we all ran to our rooms to pack up our stuff. My father quickly went on his computer and started looking for a rental. After we packed up all our stuff my dad said” Everyone go to bed, so we can wake up fresh in the morning and get the trip started”. So, we all went to bed. I can barely sleep thinking about all the fun were going to have. After about 15 minutes everyone was sound asleep and so was I.

This story takes place last summer in the month of July, about one week. My family and I went on a trip out west. Our final destination was in South Dakota. We left on a monday morning and I remember my mom was trying to get me up and they almost left without me. Everyone packed their bags in the car but when I was about to put mine in the car I was informed that there was no more room and it had to get tied to the roof. My dad eventually tied it down and off we went. After being in the car for over three hours my little cousin Maddie had to use the bathroom and I was really hungry.

Crash! Boom! BANG! There was a huge storm in the area. The tornado warnings were on TV. The wind was picking up, and the lightning bolts started flashing. There were great rolls of thunder. The house was shaking and the trash was blowing away outside. Then our family had to go through something we had never experienced before.

Several individuals from different ethnicities, races, and citizenships, compose a society. The United Sates allow us to have a close interaction with numerous individuals from diverse backgrounds. In my own case I have been able to interact with many incredible individuals from all over the world who come from extremely different backgrounds. I am a proud Mexican who cherishes respect towards diversity. Coming from a very suffered country I am able to understand not only what does it means to feel proud to be a Latino, but also I can feel acquainted with the pain and struggle that our community has to face every day.

This year during college summer break, my friends planned a trip to Dallas, TX to visit the place, where former US President “John F Kennedy was assassinated. President Kennedy was shot dead on November 22,1963 by Lee Harvey, Oswald. Dallas is a three-hour long drive from Houston, TX. All of us were excited for this trip. The trip was a success as for all of us it was a learning experience, as we visited the historical landmark of US history which has influenced us all.

I was born in New Orleans, but raised in Brooklyn. For several reasons my parents decided to leave NOLA shorty after my birth. From then on, I was raised in New York state; more specifically Brooklyn. It wasn't until the age of sixteen that I finally returned to my home city. My parents had just divorced and for that reason, my mother no longer wished to stay in New York. We took only the essentials and traveled to New Orleans, where family was waiting to take us in. I didn't like the idea of leaving the only home I had ever known, but I liked New Orleans all the same. During my teen years, I wrestled with the idea of returning to New York, but I found a certain comfort in NOLA and so I eventually decided to stay.

My mom and and dad told me in December that we were going to Gulf Shores, Alabama to visit my grandparents.Gulf Shores is the southernmost town in Alabama, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Mexico. I have been there twice when I was little. I remember that I collected seashells and went swimming with Boppa in the pool. I felt happy that I was going to Alabama again. I like seeing my grandparents and I like that they are still there. I think the weather is going to be warm and I am thinking about having a fun time when I am there. I was very happy to hear my mom and dad tell me that I was going to Alabama.

Growing up in southwest Atlanta, Georgia, I have been surrounded by ‘black success’ instead of just ‘success’ for the duration of my life. The blacks in my area are equally as successful, if not more accomplished than, the non-blacks, but we are always titled separately and put into a captive box. The box we are held in told young girls that they should aspire to be athletes, cosmetologists, or plain unemployed. The same box told young men that they could only be considered “somebody” if they were able to catch a ball well. These are occupations we would ‘best be suited for’; these are occupations that perpetuate the box. My dream since I was twelve years old has been to break down that box. I wanted to be known as ‘great’ and not just ‘great…for a black woman.’

Growing up in a family where my mom was a doctor and my dad was a musician, I was exposed to a lots of things in my life. For example I was able to see Broadway plays and and go on family trips to Disney every year in the winter. A lot of people would say I was very fortunate to be one of the family where I knew both my parents and they did there best to give me a lot of life experiences. But me being an African-American male it seems like I not supposed to how do experiences, I was supposed to not know my father not to be able to go on these trips with my family. It came to appoint where ever African-American in my peer group what tell me I 'm less black than they are because of the experiences I have, the way I dress, and the way to talk.

I quickly got into the vehicle, my husband sensed my urgency and drove away. “You okay?” He asked me. I lit a cigarette and said “Yeah.” As tears leaked down my cheeks and smoke billowed around me and out the window. Heading down the freeway I see the “Leaving Oceanside, CA” sign and my chest tightens. I felt discomfort as we drove through the mountains and through the desert. Three hours later when we reached the sign that read “Welcome to Arizona” the pressure in my chest

5 years ago, one fresh midnight, arrived to a new place in Atlanta Georgia that our life forever changed. There were plenty of cars, trees, and building. It is fairly cold and the wind is blowing like the tree arms dance. Many lights that can be seen shine through the windows of buildings at night time. It quiet outside. Find a place inside where there’s happiness, and the enjoyment will burn out of the soreness. Close the gate to the past, open the gate to the future, and step through a new life. It’s a new chance to rebuild a life, better choices. Nothing is impossible. Wipes away tears. Let go of the past. Look around a place with confident. It went through the inside of the house. Everything has changed. The smell is strange. A place for