A Reluctant Move
One of my favorite quotes is, “If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it” by Mary Engelbreit. After going through a huge change myself, I have chosen to accept that change is good. It is important to make the best out of the way things turn out, and adapt to it. As I sat there wondering what it was going to be like, I couldn’t help but get tears in my eye. What was about to happen would change my life and outlook forever. This was a big life-changing decision. As far as I knew, moving to America was the opposite direction I wanted to go, but this decision ended-up changing my life.
Why was I so reluctant to move? It’s widely accepted that America is known for its endless opportunities, wealth, independence and excitement. The land of possibilities some say. Many foreigners dream of living in America, but not me. From the stories I had heard, my father was relocating us to a place full of materialistic people and places. We had the same routine, the same places we all hung out, and the same culture that I was so used to in Germany. Leaving my friends, family and home was a huge turn around that I was afraid and skeptical of.
Growing up in Wiesbaden, Germany gave me a great appreciation for European cultures. It was the only lifestyle I knew. Even though I didn’t know much about the American way of life, I had the understanding of most all the countries in Europe. I knew my city like the back of my hand and all the people in it. I knew where I could take my dog for a walk and where the best places to shop were. I knew all the options that my friends and I had on Friday nights and where the fun places downtown were. I was very comfortable and self-reliant in my environment. Wiesbaden was my home and I was very nervous about giving that up.
I think my biggest fear was the fear of the unknown. I like to know what’s going on and what to expect.
There are many challenges that one must face as we go through life. I have faced a few myself, however, none proved more challenging than moving from my country; Jamaica, to the United States and subsequently moving to the state of Wisconsin. Deciding to leave behind family and friends is the hardest decision to make, however, there are a few things that I was not prepared for that made the transition more challenging than expected. Moving away from all that is familiar culturally, socially and economically can be even more of a daunting task than imagined. There are things that are taught to us by our parents and others that are more dictated by our environment than anything else, so when I immigrated to the United States I had three major challenges to overcome.
One day, my parents talked to my brothers and me about moving to United States. The idea upset me, and I started to think about my life in Mexico. Everything I knew—my friends, family, and school for the past twenty years—was going to change. My father left first to find a decent job, an apartment. It was a great idea because when we arrived to the United States, we didn’t have problems.
Life sets out many pathways to decide your future. It can give you experiences and certain experiences in your life can impact you a lot. Today I’m going to talk about how moving to America has impacted me is that the fact that the American culture has changed me completely. One obvious reason American culture has changed me is the fact that I am speaking English right now. Learning English took me awhile even tho I’m still not fluent in it.
There are various changes that can occur in an individual’s life. Some variations are very little and would not affect your lifecycle very greatly. Nevertheless, other events could be very significant and could change a person’s entire life, such as marrying, giving birth to the baby, or losing someone special. The important event that transformed my life is coming to the United States of America to get education and to study. When I first arrived in this country, I comprehended that an incredible change would happen in my life both mentally and physically. After living more than one year in the United States, I definitely believe that moving to the United States is an advantageous change for me. This change offers me an opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle as well as a new way of thinking that are significant for me and the most importantly it provided me a better education in a simple way.
Many folks go their whole lives without having to move. For them it is easy; they know the same people, have loads of friends, and never have to move away from their families. As with me, I was in a different situation. I grew up my entire life, all eighteen years of it, in a small town called Yorktown, Virginia. In my attempt to reach out for a better life style, my girlfriend and I decided we were going to move to Shreveport, Louisiana. Through this course of action, I realized that not two places in this country are exactly alike. I struggled with things at first, but I found some comforts of home here as well.
Nobody really likes moving. At least I know, I don 't. Moving to another place you have no idea about is tough. When I was 14, my father petitioned my family to move to the United States. Upon hearing that news from my mother, I was devastated. Devastated that I have to leave the place that I grew up, leaving all my friends and family. I have to travel 10,000 miles across the glove to live in a place I have never been to. I have very little idea about United States before moving, I have only seen this place through screen, watched movies such as "High School Musical." From what I have heard and seen life seemed so much easier and happier in the US, but once I stepped out of the plane, I knew it would not be even close to what I have pictured in my mind.
the process of moving to a new country and starting over was not an easy one, but it was very much worth it. Being in America has given me so many new opportunities. Looking at my life now, the fact the I am able to go to college, drive a car, and be independent is a blessing. Many people that are my age don’t get those opportunities in Cameroon. The rights that I have here in America as a woman, are not the same rights that I would’ve had if I were still in Cameroon. Through the process, I learned not to be afraid of new beginnings. New beginnings bring with them new opportunities, friendships, experiences, and
A few months before all of this I was pleased with my calm life in a local city of Taiwan. I settled there at the age of two with my family, and things were going well so far. Because I lived there for ten years, the longest time that I ever spent living in one place, I had made really good friends and was not looking forward to any significant changes although my mom had told me a long time ago, we might move to USA to settle with our uncle and grandma. My mom also told me that the other reason we move is for a better education and life there but I was not listening at that time. I thought she was just joking around because my brother and I have always expected to have a vacation to other countries. By the time I finished my first year of middle school I knew that this was nearly impossible. My family was already packing up, cleaning out the house, and reserving four airplane tickets to USA.
Since I still wanted to make friends, I desperately continued to try to break down the barrier between my peers and I and I slowly began to succeed. As I began making more and more friends, my experience in the U.S. started to become a happier one. Although there were still many things about American culture that I did not understand, I chose to face my fears head on which lead to a more content life. I realized that no matter where you are from, what obstacles you had to face, or what social class you belong to, coming to America gives you an opportunity to build a new and better life for you and your family. The journey to learn this lesson was not an easy one, but I’m glad I learned it.
“When you say 'fear of the unknown', that is the definition of fear; fear is the unknown, fear is what you do not know, and it's genetically within us so that we feel safe. We feel scared of the woods because we're not familiar with it, and that keeps you safe.” – M. Night Shyamalan
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