Five years ago my family and I immigrated to the United States, which was believed to be the land of hope and opportunities. We emigrated from a country far a way in North Africa named Egypt, which was where my brother and I were born and raised. In the beginning, my brother and I didn’t like the idea of leaving our own country, where we grew up with friends and neighbors. We couldn’t envision leaving our own house, where we grew up to play and cherish many memorable moments and times. But, my brother and I had no say or choice, but to immigrate to the land, which was known as the United States. So, on March 6, 2001 we left the Egyptian Airport in Egypt and took our direct flight to the United States, lasting fourteen hours.
With the pictures of the rest of my family, friends, neighbors, and even the grocery store owner still in mind, I couldn’t think of anything else but of them for the first few months. After arriving in New Jersey, we were accommodated in a nearby motel near the city, which was located along some deserted highway. I can remember the shrivels and shakes that I had in the bones of my hands and cheeks, when I walked through the cold day. Unfortunately, the new surroundings I quietly observed gave me just another reason why I wouldn’t want to be here. To forget all of this pain and agony I waited my time by sitting in my bed watching my late night shows. So, as a few months past and we moved to another state that went by the name of Virginia, the more I missed the voice of my grandmother, whom I called a month earlier on a prepaid phone card.
On the other hand, the more I saw of the United States and I observed, the more I opened and gave my heart a chance to adjust. But, I didn’t feel that I belonged here until I started attending school in Virginia, where I began to adjust my social life.
My parents on the other hand, who gave up everything they had including their jobs and their most valuable possessions, had to find alternate jobs that didn’t have anything pertaining to their own professions. Keeping that in mind, I started to adjust quickly to school, making new friends and working hard to achieve high grades. The image of my parents doing other jobs that took the joy and smiles away from their faces, made me think that there was a reason for my brother and I to be here. The sacrifice that my parents made to provide my brother and I a better education is something that we cannot repay back to my parents even if we were to grant them millions of dollars. But, the gift that my brother and I could give my parents for the sacrifice they made was to obtain a high education and advance our studies in a prestigious college.
When school started in September, I slowly adjusted to the new atmosphere of new friends, school teachers, and most importantly myself being. I began to enjoy learning, as I started learning new facts and information I have never heard before. I made friends that came from different backgrounds, who shared many of the interests I possessed. This feeling reminded me of the many friends I had back home, which gave me a welcoming feeling that flowed like a river inside of me. Nonetheless, I still longed to see many of my family members, whom I admired a lot and called from time to time to make sure that they were doing well.
As the years flew by rather quickly, I maintained high grades throughout my elementary, middle, and most importantly high school life. But, being a high school student now, I had to work harder to maintain a high GPA, which I hope I will keep. Today, is the day that I can truly say that the United States has provided my family and I a second home, which I plan to keep throughout my life. But, the first home I opened my eyes to was Egypt, my homeland and native country. The country that will always have its joy, memories, moments, and blood running through me, where ever I travel and go. So, as I am writing about my journey to America, I have learned to love, accept, and be loved in order to adjust.
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