I was born in Iraq and was forced to leave the country at the age of nine. Suddenly, this night was shattered by my mother's cries. I was jarred from my sleep and sprung from my bed to find her hurriedly packing. My family and my home were being threatened to be razed by a bomb. As we left, my parents could not take their eyes off the home that we would never see again. I was strangled with grief, anguish, and uncertainty. These defining moments have been forever etched into my heart. This pivotal night is responsible for shaping me into the person I am today. We fled in the middle of the night leaving all our possessions behind and never looked back. My family and I spent the next four years in the county of Jordan, where we waited anxiously
