With our entire lives packed into five suitcases and my father only having $300 Leave a reply With our entire lives packed into five suitcases and my father only having $300 cash in his pockets, me and my family finally landed in New York City, the greatest city in the world or as they say the city with endless possibilities, which felt so true the day I stepped foot on American soil. I was excited and frightened but I felt hopeful that this country would be the reason I become somebody one day. I had only seen America in movies and television, and it felt unreal to be standing outside of the JFK airport parking lot, hearing people from different nationalities speak their unique languages while waiting for my classic New York yellow cab. It felt like something from a movie and at that moment I realized that I was going to live millions of peoples dream lives, including my friends that I had left in my home country Tajikistan, a small country located in central Asia. As an immigrant who moved here five years ago, at the age of thirteen I can confidently state that nearly everyone who does not live in The United States desires to move here to improve their quality of life I was once and still am one of those people. From a young age, many foreign kids across the world, including me, are taught that America is the promised land that guarantees safety, happiness and financial stability. But why is it the US out of the 196 countries that exist in the world? The answer is simple: freedom, prosperity, and opportunity. In my case, me and my family moved here to escape our countrys poverty, live a comfortable life, and have the freedom to practice our Muslim faith without being discriminated against. Despite the fact that my family and I spoke no English, I was the oldest of three, and it was my responsibility to adjust rapidly to this new environment at a young age.My parents are the driving force behind my determination to reach the great American dream, as I witnessed them struggle to earn a living due to their language barrier. My father spent more time driving people around all day and my mother scrubbing toilets for people than they did perfecting their English because they understood that learning this language wasnt going to pay their expenses or feed their children. I watched them drive all day around the city to deliver packages to only get paid fifty dollars for their hard work, having no days off and still barely affording the monthly rent.They put a lot of reliance on me for translation and adult duties, which made me mature at an early age. As an eighth-grader in middle school, I handled everything from chatting with customer service agents early in the morning before school to the most challenging of them all, filing their taxes annually and teaching myself everything there is to know about the American financial system. Seeing my parents suffer, silently shedding tears at midnight because of poverty, and having no choice but to work hard labor for the rest of their lives taught me that financial security and gaining great education are highly important to me. I promised myself to never want to go through what they did, which is why I have been highly financially driven since my early teens.Growing up as a Muslim, my parents would constantly repeat a verse from the Quran: With every hardship comes ease. However, much like anything in life, thats easier said than done. The majority of lifes difficulties, in my perspective, have to do with wealth. Money is a strange thing; it has the power to make or break your life and is the primary reason why people come to the United States in search of more opportunities and freedom, including my family. That green piece of paper is a universal ticket to happiness. Certainly, it may not provide happiness for everyone, but it does for me From my early adolescence, I was ambitious and provided myself with the things my parents couldnt afford. I continuously worked long hours as a sixteen year old high school student to pay for my braces. It was challenging and shaped my character in a variety of ways, but it also allowed me to discover my abilities and developed my self identity. Soon after I purchased my first car and later on helped my family purchase their home. Reflecting back, I was only a child when my ESL teacher told me that my accent will never go away because of where I came from, but one of my proudest moments was learning English in less than six months of me living in the US. I demonstrated to my teacher that, despite American societys perception of me as an uneducated naive immigrant, I can and will find success. That is how much I have so far but I believe that it doesnt catch the readers attention or make them feel any emotion. I need the reader to feel what I experienced as an immigrant and make me stand out from other applicants. Telling an immigration story is the most common college essay topic, but it makes me who I am and is a big part of my life. I want to tell the admission officers that I am passionate about reaching my goals and continuing my education as a first generation low income immigrant student. The title is called the My American Dream because to me that means finding happiness and pleasure through financial freedom. This entry was posted in Other on December 5, 2021 by .
