My story starts in the year of 2003, when I decided to follow up on my
dreams and go to a far-away land, called America. My journey is full of
surprises and new discoveries of a world so different from the one I am
leaving behind, with its own culture and beliefs. This is the story of a young
lady and her first encounter with a new society, her first time away from
home and family. It was not an easy decision to leave everybody and
everything behind, but I wanted so much to travel and see this new world
that I had seen only in the movies, the land of Columbus, where native
Indians and African-Americans lived unified on a vast territory.
I was 23 years old when I boarded the plane towards the unknown, the
new world that I had always dreamed of. It was my first time on an airplane,
which ended to be an exhausting 12 hour ride, but in the same time it was
exciting, watching through the little window, the blue ocean spreading like
an enormous blanket with no end. I remember the old lady sitting right next
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to me, in a deep sleep, and wondering how she could miss all these beauties
that God created. Finally, we landed in New York City, “The City that Never
Sleeps”, on one of the biggest airport of The United States, J.F. Kennedy,
where my best friend Josaline was waiting for me. I was very happy to be
there after so many hours of no sleep, but that did not matter anymore,
because I had reached my long waited destination. With all the excitement I
did not even care how tired I was, at that precise moment I wanted ...
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...e of my family I am the person that I am
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today, because of them I keep on being here in a far away land where I came
back a year later because I could not stay away. I felt like this was where I
belonged, where I could fulfill my goals and change my life in a better way.
And above all, I had my family’s support in every decision that I made.
Finally, one day they had the chance to come and see this breath-taking
world for themselves. And this is where my new life starts, in a new world,
full of surprises where I have found out that dreams are never too big or too
small. But that is another story to tell.
My personal experience is the time I went on a plane ride for my very first time. It was crazy trying to get to the check points because of all the people that were trying to get to their destination and me going through the TSA checkpoints. Then waiting for the plane to arrive was very annoying and time consuming. Finally the plane ride across the country and arriving in Mexico. In the end it was very exciting and a little scary my very first time going on a plane ride.
things about my journey, mentally, physically, and emotionally, was that I wasn’t sure when or
I live now more secure and bold, like a lion with increased mass and knowledge, not with one, but many packs. I can roam territory that is unfamiliar without feeling lost and alone. Instead, I search for the best way to take advantage of my position in a foreign territory. I can visit recognizable lands and feel at home. This is my, not so new, way of life.
opportunity to create my own world. One day, my parents told me that we were going to move to the
As I opened my eyes, I saw a giant cruise ship in front of my eyes.It took two whole days but we finally reached Florida where we went Rock Gliding.It’s where you have to get past a giant,rocky maze.The winner gets to cans of ice cream.Though my sister won,we all shared the ice cream.Next stop,the Bahamas!!!In the bahamas we went parasailing up 700 ft above water level,it was so much fun.The boat driver even let us touch the smooth,light blue water with our feet.Finally, we ended with a relaxing dolphin swim on the soft,delicate beach of Jamaica.
even if it meant going somewhere that I had always hated going before. When I
It was the only place for me to go that I could forget my mundane day.
It was a beautiful, sunny day in South Florida. I was six years old, playing by the pool with my new puppy. I loved swimming in the pool almost every day after school. I also enjoyed going out on our boat after school or crossing the street and going to the beach. My father came home one evening with some interesting news. Now, I do not remember exactly how I felt about the news at that time, but it seemed like I did not mind that much. He had announced that we were going to move back to my birth country, Belgium. I had been living in Florida for five years and it was basically all I had known so I did not know what to expect. I had to live with my mom at first, and then my sister would join us after she graduated high school and my father finished settling things. I remember most of my earlier childhood by watching some old videos of me playing by the pool and dancing in the living room. It seemed like life could not get any better. However, I was excited and impatient to experience a new lifestyle. I realized that I could start a whole new life, make new friends and learn a new language. Belgium was not as sunny as South Florida but it has much better food and family oriented activities. Geographic mobility can have many positive effects on younger children, such as learning new languages, being more outgoing, and more family oriented; therefore, parents should not be afraid to move around and experience new cultures.
I did not want to leave. I had been here for ten days and I had established relationships and friendships with people from everywhere and all sorts of backgrounds. We all sat in the car preparing to leave. Every single one of us, my parents, brother and me, sitting in silence. Wanting to cry, waiting for someone to say the first word. Each of us had learned something that trip. For me, this experience had taught me what gratefulness was, the impact a good attitude has, what a servant looks like, and really how the relationships we make with our life is the most important aspect about life.
was warm and steamy. I was tan and happy. My dad, my two sisters and I
my family there for the first time when I was about three. To this day I still
It was a bright sunny day, the sky was a soft shade of blue and there
A smile crept across my face as I turned around and watched the land get smaller and further away. The vast ocean lay before us with promises of a whole week with gorgeous views, interesting people, terrific food and freedom. This...is heaven.
I can still remember how excited I was before take off, I mean it felt like forever while we sat in the plane waiting to take off. Just all the anticipation that was inside of me had just made the wait even longer for me. Finally, I heard the pilot say 'prepare for take off'. When I heard those words I was so overjoyed I could hardly contain myself. That rush I got once the plane took off was an experience like no other. The plane ride was about hours long and I enjoyed every minute of it. Little did I know, that was less than half of the fun I was going to have at Orlando.
grandmother’s house because it made me feel safe and warm. There was a smell of