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I was raised on the streets in Germany. Stealing, bribing, dealing, and gambling was taught to me as a child, while most were learning how to read. I have to sacrifice my own self everyday to take care of my family. The family I have left is the only reason I haven’t left yet, but now they are gone, and I can’t live here any longer. There are bounties on my head and people are searching for me left and right. Even if I did break the law to try and save my family so they could stay alive, they don’t care, all they want is a few more bucks in their pockets. When I saw the boat for Ellis Island dock I instantly wanted to run to it and get away, but I cannot afford to leave. Even if I did they would find me and arrest me. With a war on the rise and the bounty all I can do is sneak on. I snuck on the boat and waited with all the cargo, trying my best to stay hidden. My heart is pounding so loud I can feel it in my head, but I can’t turn back. This is my only chance of freedom.

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There I was, arriving at Ellis Island made everything seem more real. I was following the crowd off the ship, swarms of people all around me. Trying to enter the gate of Ellis Island was quite a hassle. I felt like I was being suffocated by the large amount of people, but being here felt like a dream come true. Leaving the little family I had left was one of the hardest things I had ever done. Even though I haven’t been in touch with them for years. I had to think about the better life that I would have here in America. I knew that sneaking on the ship wasn’t the smartest idea, but I had to take the risk. My life back home wasn’t the greatest, I was living on the streets. I couldn’t afford a place to live or take care of myself, but this is my opportunity to change things. I didn’t have a plan, but I was going to try to avoid any guards. The absolute last thing I needed is for someone to find out I snuck on the ship to arrive here.

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I was brainstorming about what I would do and what I would become in this new country. Everything seemed like a fantastic dream that would never stop ending. That was until I had to go through an examination with the police. I started panicking, worrying about what would happen next. I decided that it would be unlikely that I would be caught. I looked at his badge which read officer “Lee”. After the examination Lee calls me and asks for my birth certificate, I. D., and boat pass. That’s when everything went downhill.”I haven’t got a boat pass sir” I replied. “Well you can’t get through without proof you’ve came here legally” he said. After that I tried to make a run for it. “Almost there” I thought as i had seen the big glass doors. That was before two security guards had came and stepped in front of the door. While they later checked my bags and things, they found out that I had snuck onto the boat. I knew I shouldn’t have wrote what i was doing in my journal but that’s where I express my thoughts. I was interrogated directly after my search. “Why’d you sneak son” some officers asked. “Germany is in a war right now and a lot of people are migrating to America, we’ve been told that it was a better lifestyle here” I said hoping they’d feel sympathy for me. “Most of my family is dead or have gone missing and the streets are my home now”. “You know your going to have to go back to your hometown right”? Officer Lee asked. I had hoped he wouldn’t say that, but he did. I just shook my head and sat quietly. As the day went on, I was escorted on the earliest boat ride back to Germany. Here I was, back in the beautiful place I had grown up in, it had turned into an unhealthy society. I’ll be back to America because I simply can’t stay here, but not anytime soon will I be traveling back.