Personal Narrative Essay: Immigrating To America

Immigrating to America was one of the hardest things for me. Like any immigrant I left behind family, friends and my entire life. In my mind, America was a promised land where everything was given to you on a silver platter. I struggled with my identity and my purpose in life, the American dream wasn’t given, I had to take it. And my bittersweet journey transformed my life forever.
The moment I stepped off the plane I felt like an outsider. I had nappy hair, holes in my shoes and just the worst decorum ever. I felt the eyes of people staring at me and giving me that same look over and over again. My self-esteem took a toll and I felt trapped, I couldn’t escape my situation so I became angry and felt worthless. On top of that, I lived in an overcrowded one-bedroom apartment in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods. I …show more content…
The first day of school in America was a totally new experience. This time, I had a little swag and people looked at me with respect. I didn’t care about my grades and I constantly skipped class to make out with that girl that was turned on by my accent. I didn’t have priorities, goals or much ambition. Afterschool and I would hang out in the parking lot of Sonics with my second family. As time went by I didn’t feel like myself and I felt lost and confused. I watched my mom cry because she found stacks of money in my room and she knew I was heading down the wrong path. Since that day I tried to stay away from the trouble and get my life back but I would always fail and go back to the same person. My breaking point was when I almost lost my life to gang violence. I had to reflect on who I really was and realize no one could change me but myself. I turned away from gang activity and threw away everything of the past. I was determined to become a better person. I accepted the fact that I wasn’t as fortunate as others and I wasn’t the smartest or socially accepted