Personal Narrative: The Transition From Canada To Texas

I can remember it like it was yesterday. My parents left me when I was fifteen years old to go to America. I thought to myself for one year, they left me here to starve, live, and die alone in eastern Europe. When I was sixteen years old I got ready to move to America and start a new life. I thought to myself I wonder if my parents are dead or alive. They really didn't mean anything to me anymore anyways.

One of the hardest days of my life was when I first moved to America. I studied in Canada for one year, but it was totally a different situation that there were teachers who specifically teaches ESL classes, and a host family who was really close friend to my mom. There were people cared about me when i was in Vancouver. But when I moved to America, there was no one that I knew. I had to start everything fresh all by myself. I had been lost, and did not have a clear goal for my future. I did not know who I want to be, or who I could be. So I decided to try everything that was available, so I could find the right thing for me. No one knows what he can do till he tries. I found things that were not right for me, but more importantly I find the

The first eight years of my life, I spent in India where I was born. Growing up I was constantly reminded by my parents that I needed to make them proud by getting a good job and living a good lifestyle. They told me this because they did not want to see me live a hard life like they did. When I was nine years old, I moved from India to the United States of America. The reason why I moved to America was not because I was living a bad life in India, it was so that I could have a better education and more opportunities in life. When I came to America, I had to go through much struggle. First and the most important was that I did not know how to speak English. Apart from this I was very shy, so I didn’t communicate with people frequently.

In this letter tells of how I crossed the border between Mexico and the United States. I left my house in Guatemala at 4:30 in the morning bound for Mexico on 28 January 2002. Arrived to a central bus station in Mexico about 7:00 in the morning, where there was a man who would help me cross the border. I remember very well we took a bus as about 7:30 in the morning, while in the bus the man gave me a passport with a tourist visa for me to use to cross the border. The passport was from Guatemala, if I remember right, I do not remember under whose name was made the passport. The man advise me that if we were stop during the trip in Mexico, to say that I was going as a tourist to Los Angeles, California in the United States. The trip was very long at a time I fell asleep on the bus when the man woke me we were in another central bus station in Mexico that I do not know the name. In reaching this station we got off the bus, to use the restroom, and eat at the same center, we were there for about half an hour. After stopping at that station we did stop 5 more times, which were carrying gasoline and we could eat. We arrived to Tijuana on January 31, 2002 at 7 in the morning. Arriving at Tijuana we got out of the bus and the man who was going to cross me and someone else told us that we were going to need on a bench and wait for 20 minutes. After waiting 20 minutes, we started walking to the border line, the man was ahead of me, and the other person behind me.

obstacle that I have ever faced, especially with the fact that there was a time where I didn’t

What is it like growing up in Texas? I have people always state that their home state is the best place to grow up, but I can honestly say where I grew up was the best. We had some much to do and so much to see. Texas has some amazing history in almost every city. I was born March 20, 1991, on the first day of spring. It was a sixty-nine degrees day. I weighed in at seven pounds two and a half ounces. Texas usually has fantastic weather, so growing up there was a dream. When I say fantastic weather I mean we had every season in one day. Sometimes it got crazy but I would not have it any other way.

Often I hear the phrases “this state sucks or I can 't wait to move” but many don 't know exactly where they want to go. As for me when asked if I could live anywhere, Texas came across my mind instantly .

January 11, 2013, I wake up to yelling, prayers, and crying. I walked into the kitchen where all the noises were coming from and I found my mother on the floor crying, talking on the phone with my godmother. My father was there by her side, trying hard not to cry while supporting his wife. I didn’t know what was happening, this was the first time I’ve seen my mom so vulnerable and broken. My parents didn’t tell me anything other than my grandmother was in critical condition at the hospital, but with god's help she would overcome this hard time. My mom hung up the phone and went to “La Grande” a Mexican store to buy a card to call my uncle in Cuba, to see how my grandmother was doing. My godmother has two daughters who work at the hospital

I am an immigrant. The word that Donald Trump hates. The set of people that receives many blames for crimes or mischief. But after all, thats me. I am like any other person who gets blamed, I am an immigrant.

In early August of 2009, I embarked on a long drive from the beautiful state of Virginia

When I was 14 I had to move to San Clemente, California. I had already recently moved temporarily to Texas while a house was made ready for us on the military base. “The house is ready!” my mother had said excitedly, after being on the phone for a few minutes. “It’s time to go back?” I had asked. She had said yes then left the room. I then had to move from Texas back to California with my mom, sister, brother, and pets. Once we arrived it was quite an adjustment, I gained an injury, a new academic program, and added responsibilities at home. I guess it didn’t have to be so hard, the move, but it was quite a difficult experience.

My life took an interesting turn when my mother told me I would be moving to a different country, fear took over my body because that meant I would have to start from zero. On January 1st, 2011 my mom gave me the exciting news that her fiancée, now husband, had started the process to bring her to the United States so she could become a permanent resident, live with him, form a family and start a brand new life. I remember her face blighting up to every time she spoke a word but that smile faded once she told me I could not come with at that time because of the expense of the process. I understood why she could not bring me with. We had economic and emotional issues going on. She promised that as soon as she obtained her green card (permanent residency) she would start the legal process for me. I could then visit the United States and become a permanent resident.

As a teenager moving to a new country with a different culture, different language, and being thousands of miles away from everyone I grew up with was not an easy change, however, that was precisely what I did in January of 2013 when I came to the United States with my father. My whole world changed since, and shaped my way of thinking. From learning English, adjusting to a new culture, experiencing my first snow and finding my way in my new country, my life has been an exciting adventure.

I’ve completed my move to Houston. I traded in my Maryland license for a Texas one. With that said, I’ve found a new church home. I joined Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church on January 13th. The church is very similar to STCF. It has a long history of community outreach and strong biblical teaching. It even has a strong men’s group. I’m looking forward to continuing my growth in the Lord.

My home state is Texas, and a problem Texas faces is an overall mindset of systemic racism, sexism, and xenophobia. Texas is a very conservative state, thus many of the policies passed by our legislation are written at the expense of women and minorities. Although I might sound highly critical of our state government, I do not believe that these negative mindsets are deliberate attempts to put others down, I feel that it is simply an ignorance to the issues women and minorities face, and a lack of empathy. Ignorance is easily countered by thorough education. The easiest way to solve this is for us constituents of these politicians, to bring the issues that affect us to the forefront. If more minorities would get involved in our political system,