From Afghanistan to America

 My name is Setayesh and my story start In 2021, when the Taliban captured Kabul That night was the worst night I spent in my life. That night a big war happened in front of our house. The were shooting from above and the Taliban were throwing rockets, and the rockets had a loud sound when they and hit the houses that were high at a high speed. I must say that night was so scary that I thought it was my last night But I don't know what happened that night, we got lucky or it was God's grace and we survived But when the Taliban took Kabul, the first thing they did was to close the girls' school .

I was a girl who loved to study and I went to school with enthusiasm , but when the Taliban took over Kabul and did not let  girls go to school and we were very upset because of this, all Afghan girls were upset It was very sad that we could no longer achieve our dreams and our only hope was the dreams that  they are taken from us my dream  was become Doctor. And we had no place to study So. we all like what should we do now How can we study So we had to start study at home.

The good news at that time was that we could come to America and have hope for life again. I knew I could pursue my dreams here, but it was also scary because I did not know anything   about America. I could not speak English, and I must leave my country my family and it is feeling sad, it was my first time on airplane so that feel was And that day when we were on the plane and we were flying over the high mountains of Afghanistan, it was very sad that you didn't know when you would be able to see your country or your family again In the last days, I had become very used to my grandmother and grandfather and it was very difficult for me to leave them.

And when I came to America in 2022, the first school I went to was Mill Creek Middle School and what I expected was that everything was different. The division of class time was different. In Afghanistan, we spent the whole lesson in one class, there were no computers and school hours were very short, there were people who spoke different languages ​​and I didn't know anything about English and every think was sound different , and a new dream was added to my dreams, learning English and making friends but How I start studying hard to learn English and taking with people, and now that we are in 2025, I was able to achieve that dream Now I have many friends who are all from Afghanistan and I can speak Farsi with them and this is a good thing. Now I can speak English, and I am working on ways to get better, and I was able to the American environment.

What I learned from my story is that hope is a particularly important thing and if you do not have it life is boring and if you try you can achieve anything possible. I never thought that one day I would come to America and be able to study here, but now I am here.

So, we should have hopes and dreams and strive for them. I also hope that Afghan girls will go to school soon and be able to achieve their dreams.

My name is Sadaf I am from Afghanistan,   when was  came to America I was 13 years old I want my family who is in Afghanistan to be with me in American  , I love them very much, like my grandfather and grandmother. They are my favorite people. When I was with them in Afghanistan, I got used to them, and they loved me very much. I was very happy with my grandfather and grandmother, and they were like a complete family to me.

And I was very happy with them when the Taliban came to Afghanistan, and we were not allowed to go to school. Before the Taliban came to Afghanistan, I went to school. I was a very good student. My teachers were proud of me, and I was encouraged. My studies were going very well until the Taliban came, and I said, "Maybe we can send our girls to school." When the school holidays were over, they said, "Girls can't go to school." I was very upset and cried a lot, wondering why we can't go to school. After that day, I decided to study at home. My father also works with the Americans. I said that maybe one day I will go to America with my family. My father was also in Afghanistan. Our economy was not good, and things were very expensive in Afghanistan.

Our economy was not good and it was very expensive in Afghanistan. It was very difficult for those who were poor to find food. Gradually, things got better. I came to America. I want to tell you that six months after the Taliban came, my father received an email from the Americans, who said, "You can send your documents in a You can go to the company and share your documents with them. They will see your documents and then they will decide when you can leave Afghanistan. They told us that you can get ready because we don't know when they will leave. We still do not know when you will leave.

 And it was clear when I was going, that is, the date was clear. When it became clear, half of my family who were in Afghanistan were very  upset and we were also upset that I was being separated from half of my family. And so we went to the airport and we were there to see our documents and we got on the plane, that is, from here until we came to Qatar, we were not the only ones in Qatar, but there were families who wanted to come to America. We were there for 2 months until our work or documents were sorted out. The weather in Qatar was very hot. We would go outside at night, which was very hot inside. Well, 2 months passed.

After two months in Qatar, they vaccinated us and gave us a bus to put the rest of our belongings in. We headed to the camp at night, where they tried to pick up the buses. We were on the bus from night until morning until we got to the airport, where we slept a little until our tiredness subsided. After that, we got on the plane, which was easy for us because we had already flown from Afghanistan to Qatar, and it was easy for us and we weren’t afraid. And when we came from Qatar to the United States, it was a long way. When we got here, there was one person, a case walker. They helped me get to the hotel. They put our things  in a car. When we got to the United States, it was dinner time. I was so tired. I didn’t even think about eating, and I slept until morning and had breakfast. We had two rooms in the hotel. We stayed in the hotel for a month until we found a place to live. We came home, put our belongings in, and waited two months to go to school. When I went to school, I didn’t understand English. I was happy there because I couldn’t go to school in Afghanistan. I'm going now, I made a lot of friends and studied at school. I was very happy. I gradually learned English. When I started high school, I was a little stressed about my studies, but I'm still trying my best to get somewhere and achieve my dreams.

The day when I came to America

I was born in Seattle in 2006 and in 2010 I went to Mexico because my bull my mom's mom was about to die and my mom wanted to see her before that then we flew to Nochistlan de Mejia Sacatecas I was there for two years and from there in 2013 we went to live in Tijuana for a year because it was very easy for us to cross the United States to see my dad and my mom and my mom's plans were to buy a house in Tijuana but when my mom went to get the money to pay for the moneyThey kidnapped her and me I don't remember much since I was very young and after that my dad said he would go to Tijuana and from Tijuana we went by car to Mexico City oh I grew up since it is the place where my dad is from we stayed for 4 years and my dad had to return to the United States because in Mexico it was very ugly and we went through many things and my dad in the United States got to work and collected his money and bought a house in Nochistlan de Mejia Zacatecas  and we moved from Mexico City to Nochistlan de Mejía Zacatecas it was ugly for me because I would leave a place to which I got used to and I lived with my brother for 2 years and my dad said he wanted us to go live with him but since we didn't have the passports renewed we went to Tijuana with a cousin oh we stayed a few days because my dad came down from here from Seattle to Los Angeles and from Tijuana me and my brother went by car across the border and already in Los Angeles we met my dad  

I was 7 years old, an age when the world was a vast playground, when our lives took up a sharp tum. We had left Haiti with my mother, my brothers and sister and I for Guyana because my father was already there. After 5 years, a hasty exodus to America, a promised land as distant as a shooting star. My mother, her features etched with worry, searched for a job in vain. Guiana, once our haven of peace, had become a gilded cage from which we had to escape. My father, already settled in the United States, extended a lifetime, a call to a better future.

This journey, however, was no leisurely stroll. It was more like traversing hell, a forced march under a scorching sun. Overcrowded buses, uncomfortable seats like breadboards, tossed us on bumpy roads. We were ghost passengers, traversing landscapes that unfolded like silent films, our faces etched with fatigue, our stomachs knotted with anxiety. Each city was a mirage, an illusory promise of rest. Uruguay and Paraguay, however offered only insignificant moments of respite, oases in a desert of fatigue.

The journey resembled a race against time, an infernal where illness and sleep deprivation were shipwrecked on a sea of asphalt, our hopes dwindling to a sliver. Each day was an eternity, each night a struggle against the cold and discomfort. In Peru, the immensity of the Andes, with their snow-capped peaks, was both significant and cruel. Beauty was a dagger plunged into our hearts, highlighting our own deterioration. Altitude sickness hit us hard, leaving us breathless, like fish out of water. Even the loss of our blanket, our only protection against the biting cold, couldn’t shake us as much as the constant threat of separation.

Then came the Darien Gap, an apocalyptic stage that would forever leave its mark on our souls. It wasn’t a path, but a battlefield, a relentless war against mud, fatigue, and fear. I remember the feeling of mud clinging to my skin like a second skin, a slimy prison. The weight of our bags, filled with meager rations, felt like a mountain on our shoulders. And the irreparable happened: I was separated from my family, lost in an unforgiving current. Anxiety gripped me. Fear, a ferocious beast devoured me. Yet, there was a glimmer of hope, a ray of light: another family, compassionate, welcomed us. This family was kind, reliable, understanding and believing.

After endless days, I found my family, and it felt like I had been brough back to life. After Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala, Mexico awaited us, a land of paradoxes where hope was as fragile as a butterfly’s wing. Finally, American soil, a promised land finally reached, offered us respite after grueling odyssey. The scent of Freedom was almost palpable, even in the modesty of the motel room. We had won the battle, but the war was far from over. Our victory was a fragile flam, but it burned with unparalleled intensity. Finally, after weeks of grueling travel, we crossed the American border. The emotion was indescribable. The scent of freedom was almost tangible. We won. We survived. And that accomplishment, that battle won, was more precious than all the gold in the world. In writing this account, my aim wasn’t to create fiction, but to bear witness to a raw and poignant reality. My family’s story is that of millions of immigrants who risk everything for a better future. What I want the reader to take away is the immeasurable importance of hope, perseverance, and human solidarity. The path to freedom may be strewn with unbearable trials, but the strength of family, mutual aid, empathy, and the deep conviction that life is worth living are lifelines in this turbulent sea.      

]your writing stats to come to life with colorful descriptions and details , would have been wonderful to see you paint even more specific pictures with your words.

When I came to the United States I went with my sister when I was 14 years old we left from Morelos to Tijuana for security reasons we were protected witnesses which put our lives in danger we were traveling by bus for 3 days since we couldn't fly when we arrived in Tijuana we waited about 2 weeks for them to tell us where we had to go when they spoke to us they said that we had to go directly to the border gates when we arrived some people who were police picked us up who told us that now they are safe our calm with my sister arrived again they took us to eat and asked us about what had happened after that they took us to get to know the city a little we were in California and from there before going to the airport we went to eat lasagna we loved it we went to the airport and they took us through a different section where the people who took us spoke with certain personnel who said that they let us pass from before we jumped the lines the waits and after that they put us on the plane we waited like a few 1 to 2 hours before the plane left, I was feeling excited since it was my first time on a plane.When we arrived at the Seattle airport they took us in a car to a place where my mother was. When we arrived we hugged her and cried because we hadn't seen her in a long time and we didn't see her the same. She was in a bad state, she was thinner and with some injuries. After that encounter, they took us to a place, a safe house, where we stayed while they proceeded to capture the person who hurt my mother. That person took us to a place where they were going to ask us questions related to the treatment my mother had. After that, they took us to eat and told us that days later they would take the case and proceed to arrest that person and find a way to keep her from being released on bail.After that we went to the house and we were thinking about that issue if they would let him out on bail because if so we would have to move to another place after 2 to 3 weeks a friend of my mother told us that they caught the person when we heard that a few hours later they called my mother and told her that the person would not be released on bail after that everything ended they told us that everything else was going to be okay I felt good because everything we experienced the bad happened all this changed for us they helped me in school they gave me some benefits and also some gifts I felt good about that we had to say goodbye because of their job I no longer have contact with them but I do not forget that they did for me and my family although later we were in a bad season but I met someone who helped me and supported me his name is Nahum he helped my family with money and at the same time with furniture for the apartment he later showed me a business which helped me he taught me to have control of the money which helped me to get ahead and this person is currently my family is my Brother-in-law is my older sister's boyfriend, he is currently my partner and my family being one of the people who will currently help me. I am currently growing my business and I am trying to give my best version of myself.

I am from Afghanistan and  in 2021 we had a pharmacy in Kabul, My father was a doctor and served the people. I used to be in the pharmacy my self. I would give medicine to every patient who came. I was very happy because I helped a patient. After the Pharmacy, I would go to an English course to learn English. After that, I would come to the pharmacy.    

In  Taliban come to Afghanistan I am so sad because in Afghanistan Taliban kill people and 2023 I leave Afghanistan I going to Pakistan With my family.

The first day in Pakistan I was very sad because I left Afghanistan it was very difficult for me when we arrived in Pakistan, my uncle built a house for us and we played soccer with mu cousin After the first Day my cousin and I to a very nice park in Pakistan and we had a great time. Ofter that we went an Afghan restaurant it was a very testy meal.

In 2023 I come to USA the first Day when I come to USA my fell is not good because I don’t have a friend and I didn’t understand English, its so hard for me and we want come to Seattle but in fly there is problem and I don’t no what is the problem because of that we are Going to Oregan there  is no Afghani to help us to found the Walmart and same Afghani store. 

On July 20, 2023, in Mexico, I told my parents that if they let me study in a place near the ranch, in a place called Zihuatanejo, they said no, because I would have no one to stay with, I would have no relatives, so I told them that if I came On with my brother to Kent Washington, they said yes, just to wait for me a bit.

In November one of my uncles went to the ranch, then my parents told me that I could come with him, in November 29, 2023, we already had everything ready and we took a flight to Kent, it was my second time that I came to the United States, second time because I was born in Renton WA, since I was little they took me to Mexico, to the state of Guerrero, I don't remember how old I was, but I was little, years later my brother and I were sent to the United States alone, that was like when I was 6 or 7 years old, that time, it was the first time I came to the United States, but it was by road, we only lasted about a year here, because my parents told my uncles that our parents wanted us in Mexico.

Well, as I said, that day November 29, 2023, was my first time traveling by plane, I was nervous, I asked myself many questions. What if the plane crashed? Would we die instantly? the trip was long, about 9 hours.

As the days went by, I went to school, Kent Meridian School, the day I entered school was January 3, 2024, everything was a process, I already knew that it was different from how it is in Mexico, because I had already studied here for a year as a child, it was difficult to make friends, because I am not very sociable and more difficult because I did not know English. Now that I have more friends, I feel happy because we can go out together, I miss my friends from Mexico, but I know that I can see them again.

A few months later, I made the decision to look for a job, they didn't accept me anywhere, because I was 17 years old, but I was lucky, they hired me in a fast food restaurant called Burger King, it was weird, because it was my first job, my big advantage was that most people spoke Spanish, they treated me well, they were very nice to me, I felt a little insecure that I could be fired, because I didn't know much English, but I did well, they were patient with me.

To this day I continue working, I continue studying and I want to continue like this, so that I can have my parents proud of me and my brother with whom I am living.

I have learned many things being here, I am already independent, I already know what an adult life is, and that makes me feel proud of myself, because I did not think I would earn my own money, buy my own things with my own money, I did not think that I would be able to recover the English that I had forgotten as a child.

I know that I am still young, I am 18 years old, and I know that I have a life ahead of me and I know that many better things await me.

 And everything in this story was really good, she is now earning her own money and is a complete woman for her self.

 I think her story had everything and if she added a climax point to it and said how she got friends, how does she feel now that she has so many friends?

I loved her story, and if she could explain more about how she felt when she came to America and at this school and how it was different from the school in her country.

When I was 14 years old, I remember that I had to come to the United States. I lived in a town called Coacoyul Gro. The reason why we had to move was because there was a lot of insecurity in my country, more than anything it was because of organized crime. My town was already in the hands of drug trafficking, and it caused clashes between sides sometimes and because our family was also being threatened. We had to move from Guerrero to Tijuana where we stayed for almost 4 months in a house in Sonora. We were renting that time from there waiting to cross. After that, we crossed to another place that was through Sonora where we stayed in another shelter called Mercy and we stayed 20 days there. The food, let's say, wasn't very good but it was enough for me. After that, we crossed into Arizona legally and from there they bought the tickets for the plane.

I felt bad because I left many things that were important to me, my friends, my house and my meals. I felt bad because now they are just memories that remain with me. I liked traveling by plane, it feels great in part, but it is a little scary. When I arrived in Seattle, a relative of ours picked me up, I think it was my uncle, he took us to where we could stay. I felt different since everything was new to me. I was impressed by the large buildings that it had, some that I never thought I would see. I was surprised to see a supercar that F50 supercar. I liked seeing this. I felt like my life took a 360-degree turn, but I had my first challenges, which was a new educational system and at the same time in language, and I did not have anyone to help me much. But with the passage of time, I got used to this and it became my daily life. Although I have difficulties understanding English and adapting to this environment, I was able to move forward, and I did not let my thoughts win me over. Currently, I am practicing English, and I try to give my best work. I also work and I am doing well. I try to be the best version of myself for the future.

One morning I woke up, got ready for school and was about to leave when my dad stopped me and said that there would be no school today because a war had started in our country. I got scared and said, “Shall we go somewhere?” But my dad said no.

During the war, I went to school for 2 years and when there was an alarm, I would come home, I did not like these lessons. These lessons were shortened and lasted only 30 minutes, and when there was an alarm, there were no lessons at all, my school switched to distance learning. I did not like it very much. It was quite difficult to study, I did not do well on tests. I thought I would be like this for a couple of more years.

But one morning I woke up, my parents told me to pack my things, I got scared and asked them what happened, they said that we were going to visit relatives in the USA. That day we packed all the necessary things and went to Poland first. That day we drove for an exceptionally long time and when we arrived at the Ukrainian border it was -15 degrees, our passports were checked for a long time, we were afraid that we would not be allowed into Poland. But after a long check we were allowed in. When we crossed the border, it was four o'clock in the morning, and it was difficult to find a hotel that was open at that hour, but kind people helped us find a hotel where we stayed for the night.

 We had already been in Poland for 2 weeks, because we were in such a hurry that my dad forgot to buy plane tickets, and it was impossible to buy them, so all the places were already taken. I really liked Poland. The second language, other people, beautiful landscapes. When I was playing a game, my dad came up to me and said that we were flying to Germany, and from Germany to America, because there we bought tickets to the USA. It took 2 hours to fly to Germany, then we waited 1 hour, got on the plane and flew to the USA. This trip lasted a month, but we arrived in the USA.

In the US, we flew to Washington State because our relatives were there, they helped us. It was difficult, a different language, different people. When I first went to an American school, I was surprised that it was so big and that students were taken to school by bus - everything was different in my country. On the first day, I got lost in the corridors, but a classmate helped me. I already go to KM, and I know English well and I have friends.

My first day of school started when summer vacation ended. I was very nervous about starting high school. One morning, very early, around 5:30 a.m. the alarm went off. I felt too lazy to get up, but I remembered it was my first day of school, and I didn’t want to be late. So, I put my laziness aside and got up to get ready.

I rushed more than I needed to, only to realize I still had a lot of time. So, I decided to stop rushing and calm down. Once I finished getting ready, I felt hungry, so I had a quick and easy breakfast. By 6:40 a.m., my mom took me to the school bus stop. When we got there, I waited inside the car until the bus arrived.

When the bus came, I got on and sat alone. After a short while, my boyfriend arrived and sat next to me. We sat together, talking about how nervous we were. Once we got to school, I felt completely lost because I didn’t even know where to go, so I separated from my boyfriend.

We entered the school, and I didn’t know what to do. I asked my boyfriend if he could ask someone for help because I was embarrassed and didn’t know how to speak English. He asked a teacher, "Where do we have to go?" and the teacher replied, "You have to go to the gym." He said, "Okay, thanks," and we walked to the gym.

At the gym, he met some friends. He got excited and greeted them, but I didn’t know what to do. I just stood there, feeling a bit uncomfortable because I didn’t like his friends. After some time, he left with them and abandoned me.

Later, all the students gathered in the gym, and there were signs with letters (A-F, G-J, K-N, O-S, T-Z). These signs indicated that we had to line up according to the initial of our last names. Since my boyfriend and I had different last names, we weren’t in the same line.

When it was time to find my schedule, I looked and looked for it but couldn’t find it. A teacher noticed that I couldn’t find it and asked, "What’s your name? I can help you find it." I told her my name, and she started looking, but she couldn’t find it either. She then asked someone else to help check in other lines because it might have gotten mixed up with other papers. Together, they searched and searched, but we still couldn’t find it. Finally, after a while, I found it and left.

I didn’t know what to do next. The school was so big that I got lost again. I texted a friend, asking her what we were supposed to do or where we were supposed to go. She told me to stay with her, and I agreed. I think we spent most of the day in the gym, playing in groups with a small ball.

When it was time to go home, I couldn’t remember where the bus was, so I got lost again. On my way out, I ran into my boyfriend, and we sat together on the way back home. We talked during the ride. I asked him, "How was it?" He replied, "Fine, and you?" I said, "Fine too, I think, but I got lost a lot." He admitted that he’d gotten lost a couple of times too, but said it was normal because it was our first day.

When we got off the bus, he walked me home because we were almost neighbors. Once I got home, my mom asked, "How was it?" I replied, "Fine, I guess." Then I went to my room to do what I usually do. My mom called me to eat dinner. After eating, I fell asleep while looking at my phone and woke up close to midnight. I realized it was late, so I went back to sleep. The next morning, my alarm rang again to wake me up, it was the start of another new day at school.

The Corrupt cop                                                               

Weeks after I came to US, my mom asked me if I want to go to a cool place and I said yes, she bring me to shopping because she wanted to show me how shop looks in US and I started to like it, and my mom started to sow me a lot of cool things and places, and a random cop stopped me and my mom, and he start complaining what are we doing there, and my father came asking about what is he doing, and that cop started yelling about us saying, Immigrants should not be there, and my father showed our documents and saying we are citizens, and the cop deny saying that is fake documents and the cop tried to arrest my family, and a supervisor came asking the cop “what are you doing” and the cop started saying lies about, those homeless family tried to stole food and harassing people, and the supervisor said “Can I check the cameras?” the cop got nervous and said yes, the supervisor checked the cameras and saw the whole scene and then he fired the cop and say sorry about everything that cop did to your family, after my family leaved the shopping the same cop that got fired, appointed a gun to my dad but another cop saw that and shotted a electric gun to stop that man, after all this I felt very nervous and I went to my home and slept to forget all the thing that happened  because “balloon about to pop”,  after I slept my mom has fainted and taken to the hospital while I was sleeping, and when I woke up  I was asking myself “where is my mom?”, after this I remembered the day my mom said to me “if one day I die, you need to make your own food”, I was like “no is boring to make my own food, I don’t know how to make a food, oh no” and after 6 hours later, my mom woke up in the hospital and my dad take her to home, when they opened the door I started to jump and being happy because I dint  want to make my own food, and my mom went to bed to sleep, My dad told me he went to the court and the corrupt cop got jailed for 15 years, after I heard that, I got happy because my family finally got justice, and after that I went to sleep because I still was very tired.

Two weeks after this mess, me and my parents went to the same shopping center that all those things happened, and we start to chill and do a lot of things. Months after, we were celebrating my birthday and my dad got a new phone for me, and the day was very joyfully, my parents bring me to a lot of cool places and after all that I got very tiredtired, and I went to sleep to end the day.

In 2021, my family and I made the difficult decision to leave Angola and start a new life in Brazil. For years, we have heard hopeful stories about promising job opportunities and a more secure life but leaving it all behind was not easy. We knew that once we left there would be no turning back.

We took a flight from Brazil and stopped over in Qatar. The flight from Qatar lasted 10 hours. Then we took the second flight, which was from São Paulo. We arrived at the house we had rented.

During the whole time of our walk, I missed my friends and family, I missed my beautiful grandmother, sometimes I thought about going back to see my family who stayed in africa.

I changed my number and then I lost all my friends' numbers, and I also didn't use social media so I could contact them again, but I didn't know how.

In 2023, in the month of February, on a beautiful sunny day, my parents made the decision that we would leave Brazil.

In fact, it was difficult for my brothers and I to accept that we would leave Brazil to go to the USA. In Brazil, we studied and had conditions here in America. We had no relatives or acquaintances who could welcome us.

In the same month of February, we bought a ticket to El Salvador and, as soon as we arrived in El Salvador, we took a bus to Guatemala.

At the beginning of the hike everything seemed so fun, there were also other families so there were a lot of people from different countries. My family and I traveled through some forest trails like Tapachula, Guatemala, El Salvador and Tijuana city in Mexico and then we reached California. During that trip I got tired and couldn't walk anymore and my mother told me, daughter, be strong, I know you can do it, I had to be strong and... I couldn't give up or think about how tired I felt the grueling challenges we faced as we desperately tried to get to America were relentless. Day after day we traveled with little rest, carrying only a few belongings. The trip was exhausting. The scorching heat during the day was unbearable, making every step feel like a torturous struggle, and at night, the biting cold relentlessly penetrated deep into our skin.

Despite our paralyzing exhaustion, we pressed on, knowing that what was to come could change our lives forever.

As the days passed, persistent hunger became a constant companion. My younger brother, who was only six years old, cried desperately because of thirst, but we had to carefully ration the little water we had. Sometimes I wonder: will we ever achieve it?

We didn't have money to buy water and there wasn't even a canteen nearby. We drank hesitantly from the rusty, uncertain taps.

I don't even know if the water was safe, but we had no other choice. There was no money, no canteen – just our growing, relentless thirst.

Thank God, in April we were able to enter America (California). There we were arrested by the California police. We were held for 3 days in a cell, and we couldn't see anything from outside or know if it was already dawn.

After 3 days we were released and put in the hotel, then we bought our ticket to Washington Seattle.] 

I did not write this story to let people know about my life, but to let them know that everything in life is possible if you keep faith in everything you do, you will succeed, no matter what kind of hardship 

 I remember that I was so sad, because I didn't want to leave the life I had in Mexico. Especially my favorite cousin, her name is Fanny. One thing I miss about my cousin Fanny was when we used to go out and have sleepovers with my other cousins, I miss a lot of things like that. The next day we started packing our things like clothes, shoes basically the most important thing.

I remember that from Mexico City we took a bus to Cancun. I remember well that we were on the bus for 3 days. We went through many beautiful places. Those places were Merida, Jalisco and Mazatlan

But I also remember how sick my 2 brothers and I got.

My mom had to stay up every night because we were still very young.

Then we finally got to Cancun. We were with one of my aunts there. I really would have preferred to be in Cancun. We were there for 2 months. It was a really beautiful place. But then my mom gave us the news that we had to go to Tijuana to be closer to La Frontera,

Then we had to travel to Tijuana where we were for 3 months. It wasn't a place that I liked. quite a few bad people, my mother had to work very hard, after 3 months we finally crossed La Frontera legal Mente. it was something very beautiful because we realized that all the effort we made was worth it, then we arrived in Los Angeles where I was for 5 months there I went to school, I remember that when it was my first day I was so scared because I had no idea what people were like, but then I made friends and everything changed, now I am in Washington and I love this new life that I have.

The day we left, I was sitting by the well with my friends, crafting something together. My dad approached me and said, "Let's go." All my friends assumed I was only leaving for a few days and would return soon. Little did they know that was the last time they would ever see me.

We drove for four hours until we reached Pakistan. My emotions were a whirlwind—I was nervous, happy, and sad all at once. I was nervous because it was my first time leaving my home country. I felt happy imagining the possibility of making new friends. At the same time, I was heartbroken to leave behind my old ones.

Once we arrived in Pakistan, we stayed at my mom’s friend’s house for a few days while searching for a place to rent. That very day, my dad found us a home. We lived there for six months, but it was too expensive, so we moved to a more affordable house. After three months in the new place, one of my dad’s friends offered to share a house with us, so we moved again.

Not long after, my parents asked me to find a job. Eventually, my dad helped me secure work at a place that paid me 100 rupees and gave me two pieces of bread for my labor. On my first day, I told myself, "A new country means a new journey." However, I didn’t go to school for an entire year. Thinking about that time now makes me cry. I felt like a part of me was dead—I had no emotions left to feel: no sadness, no joy, not even pain. I worked from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day and kept it all to myself. I didn’t want my mom or dad to worry, so I confided only in my sister. She understood me and kept my secret.

Then, one life-changing day, the U.S. government emailed my dad, asking for our passports. That evening, when I came home from work, my dad was sitting in the room, taking pictures of our passports. I asked him, "Why are you taking pictures?" He smiled, laughed, and said, "We are going to the U.S.!" At first, I couldn’t believe him—I thought he was joking. But he wasn’t. It was August 15, 2021. I was overjoyed, imagining having my own bicycle and phone. I recalled my dad’s words back in Afghanistan when he would say, “One day, we’ll have our own home.”

Our flight was scheduled for September 30, 2021. Those 15 days felt like a dream coming true. My parents told us not to tell anyone in Pakistan for safety reasons. My mom started shopping for items my dad’s friends had requested. The U.S. government sent our tickets just a day before the flight.

On the night of the flight, we arrived at the airport at 9 p.m. for an 11 p.m. departure. The airport staff gave us stickers to put on our luggage so we could identify them in the U.S. I took pictures with my mom and brothers at the airport. When it was time to board the plane, I was filled with excitement—it was my first time flying! My seat was in the middle of the plane, and I spent the time watching movies like The Bad Guys and Atlantis. I tried to sleep but couldn’t; everything was so new.

Hours later, our plane landed in Qatar. Unfortunately, my youngest brother fell ill, and doctors came to assist him and my dad. Because of this, our flight was delayed by five hours. During the wait, I managed to get some sleep at the airport. My mom later woke me up, saying, “Let’s go; our flight is ready.”

Finally, we arrived in the U.S.

 Back in  Afghanistan in a summer 2022  my family and I  visited first to   Kunduz city  where my grandmother was living we went there  for my uncle married I was    think we will be  stay here one month because The place was very far away and we came  there after a long time.. But we stay there a five day . my little sister was not yet come into the world, after a long time my little sister she is born and she didn’t have passport

she didn’t have passport  then with America the are  call with my father to came to Kubel hotel for  coming to America we was don’t have a lot up time we was just having a one week then my father is came to the Kubel for to got it shopping for we and my grand mother  also came she is  not to old l she always do the shopping for us  then my father and my grand mother the are came to the Kubel and my aunt she also came to the Kubel for help with my father .After a while we are came to Kubel hotel we was send to theme aur passport

 but my little sister was didn’t having passport so and we was to hotel but she was to small she was cant stay there then “my mom said I don’t want go America I can't leave my daughter alone”. We was to sad and I said with my self I should go or stay here? because with one said was my mom and to other said was my dead then  I told my mom “I don’t want go” I thought  my mom they’re going to be stressed and sad  and  she told me “You  need to go”  because with Afghanistan  was no school and  After much talk my father said ok my mother and my older brother and my 2 little sister They are should  were staying in Afghanistan for my little sister and my mother said you guys should go to America When my daughter gets her passport, we will also came to  America

 after a while time later we went to the hotel ther we was to sad because my mom was not there  and my father was to worried for we because my mom was not with us  and we were to sad 😔 and we have to stay at hotel. When the call with my father for flight then we should came to the Qatar we was to the hotel and my father tell to the hotel manager my wife can stay with we to time we go to the Qatar they are said okay she can stay  and we was so happy then my father went  to got it passport for my sister the passport office manager tell with my father you should gave to we 10,500 dolor  if you want passport soon then my father gave many to them and he get it the passport and my father send with

caseworker the 2 day ago we was have flight then we was ready the are call with my father your flight is cancel then my father ask to them way the are said your daughter and your wife and your daughter and son can go with you to America we was so happy and we get it celebration

 together we was stay to hotel 4 month then we came to Qatar there we was stay 2 month after that we came to America with America we was stay with my father friend home one weak then we got a home to the settle and we went there but there we was to sad because we was didn’t have the school and neighbor we was stay to the settle 3 month then we came to the auburn we was got home and friends school the villagers from Afghanistan .

My story begins when it was the date 8/20/2022 that we are planning to come with my mother and my aunts to the United States to have a safe place since in our country it is a place of many gang members who raped young girls or killed in our country, so we traveled many places and began to pass through the Guatemalan border asking for help to take them to the closest places like the border of Honduras with Guatemala to be able to
go around the Guatemalan checkpoint we had to walk many days to be able to get to the center of Guatemala and also to be able to pay for a bus to take them to the border of Guatemala and Mexico to be able to go around the Mexican border and walk a lot to get to a place called Tapachula which was a place in Mexico and those of us who live for almost a year to be able to have Mexican papers to be able to pass safely and that no police would stop them until we arrived where my aunt lived which was called Veracruz a beautiful little town where we stayed with her for three months until my mother decided to go back to my aunt's house until we got on the bus to go up to a place called acuñas border to be able to enter the United States but we couldn't get around the immigration because the police always caught us because we were already tired from our feet and we were sleepy my mother looked for a place where we could ask for help with food or a place to stay so we could sleep for a few days and go around again but we changed our plans to cross into the United States we met some people who also wanted to cross like us but we told them to wait a few months to enter the United States again and if it happened we were able to cross but my mother stayed in Mexico alone with some friends of ours my mother planned first that we her daughters would cross first and then she was going to look for a way to enter the United States until we were found by the immigration police and they took them to a shelter immigration and they had them locked up for two months after that time they gave them to our relatives in Miami Florida with an aunt we were going to live with her until my mother arrived with us after three months living with my aunt my mother was able to get to where my aunt lived in Florida Miami a state that was only hot but my mother arrived and we moved them to Kent Washington with a cousin we lived for several months but then we managed to live in an apartment separate from my cousin and in all those months it was difficult to get to the United States and achieve our American dreams and live in a different place and have a more and different opportunity than that of our country to be able to study what you want and not live a life of fear in your country we can manage to get to the United States and others can too but differently because not everyone has the same luck in all those years or months that we went through were difficult for my mother and us as her daughters we watched as other immigrants died in deserts just to be able to cross and fulfill their I dream but now that my family is reunited nothing can separate them only God and my only father in heaven now what I want to ask you or I want you to answer me is if we all go through the same sufferings like going hungry or like walking when it was raining in the streets or sleeping in the streets and then getting up again and walking without being able to stop until they help you take you to a little bit of your destiny because there are good people who give you a ride like the Mexican people who help you with the ride in the trailers to be able to take you to a place and then walk hidden so that the police don't catch you, you have to learn to walk and hide very well so that immigration doesn't catch you and they don't send you deported to your country because it is very difficult to go through that story like I lived it myself and my family .  

Me name is Brayan and my story star onde day when I was 6 year in Guatemala I was in the field with my grandfather we were carrying loads of wood because the rainy season was approaching and every year before that happened we would take all the wood we could to a warehouse but one day my grandfather and I had to collect some wood that we cut that same day in the morning night caught us and we were still far from home when we could barely see and the sunlight was giving its last rays of light we finished but just when my grandfather grabbed the last piece of wood he jumped back because there was a pretty big snake under the trunk I had a machete with me since in the field it is very necessary I took my machete out of its bay and I was trying to hit the snake with the edge my grandfather pulled me back saying leave it son it's not doing anything to us so don't bother it anymore the snake just went away we finished arranging the last things and left Home, the truth is I was very scared because the truth is it was a snake that if it had wanted to, it could have done us a lot of harm.

Now I'm in America, Ive been through a lot I've already seen places I lived in Houston, Texas for more than 4 years and I saw a lot of things there as well as lived many good times, I also lived many but things change a lot when from one day to the next they tell you that you will move 35 hours away from there to a totally new place that you don't know at all, well that happened and if from one day to the next I was packing my things because I was going to take the longest road trip of my life, that trip lasted more than 4 days since we didnt drive at night and we almost always stopped in places that looked nice to hang out and everything was good so to speak since we arrived here and we managed to settle in and you could have everything we had there and more but not everything can be good and family problems happened like 7 months of living in the state of WA my family had problems which ended in my parents separating something that is difficult to assimilate but it is a decision Adults. I've been through a lot lived through many good and bad times, but deep down, there's something I'm afraid of and that's never being able to see my grandparents again never being able to return to that place, or never being able to share a moment with them again. Now that I'm in the United States, I would give anything to be able to relive that memory and spend time with my grandfather again, since I miss them and I miss the countryside.

There was a war shortly before I left my country which is Iraq. At that time, we were at my uncle's house, we started hearing gunshots at night, and me and my sister, my brother, my brother, and my mother all gathered near a door and sat down, but our uncles were not there, I don't know where they were, and then the kitchen window was broken, and then my mother had the key. I don't know if it was a house or a shop right next to us. We went there and stopped there, I don't remember what happened next.  

The day I came to Türkiye in April 2014 we came with bus it takes 4 days to arrive with 3 buses because of some issues and when we leave in another bus stations the weather was very cold, we take some clothes from our bags. We came with my uncle but one of my uncle he came before us in Türkiye and after we arrive we meet with my uncle he took us to the some family he know them there are also from same country like us we stay 1 day with them in the morning my uncle he rented house before we come to Türkiye it is a big house was enough for us and beautiful the place was also beautiful there a park near us and small mountains, forest and there is a small empty space with grass. We came without my dad, I don’t why he didn’t come with us; we leave our own house in our country my dad stayed in that house my father came 2 months after us. After my dad came, my brother, sister, and older sister we went to register to start school.  There was a very steep hill to go to school. Winter had started and we were having a hard time going to school because the ground was freezing and there were many slopes. There was even snow up to our knees once. When it was winter, most people started to slide down that hill. My siblings and I tried to slide. While I was trying to slide, the school minibus was going up the hill in front of me. I was very scared there. I thought I would crash. It was right in front of me, but at the last moment, the minibus turned onto the other side of the road. I was relieved then.

We were new there, so we didn't know the language. The strange thing was that we would say yes or yes to anyone who spoke to us even if we didn't understand. And my most unforgettable moment in primary school was when I fell while playing in the garden during the afternoon. I had a wound on my head, but my classmates weren't there. When I went to class after lunch, the whole class surrounded me. Then asked me what happened’’, and I told them what happened. At that time, one of my friends was trying to wipe the wound on my head with a handkerchief in his hand and making an ambulance sound. We laughed at that time but the real thing was how friendly they were. It surprised me. It was one of my best memories.

I was very young in Angola and learned to speak Portuguese and my native language, Lingala, at the same time. I stayed with my parents but they separated. After that, I stayed with my grandparents on my mother's side until I turned 11.

After that, I went to live with my aunt on my father's side. At that time, my mother had already left Angola for Brazil  and I didn't know she had gone to Brazil. I spent a year or two and lost two cousins that I liked very much in the same year. [M(1] 

Which was very sad for me as I was only 11 years old. To this day, when I think about it, I am very sad. After that, my mother went to America and was arrested by immigration, having to be detained for 9 months until she was released.

She started talking a lot on her cell phone, then got a job and a place to live, and then[M(2]  started doing the process. for me to get here and she spent a lot of money to deal with my document.

 And I had to go back to my country in Congo and that was a little difficult because I didn't know anyone, but I was adapting.

And when it was all over they gave me a visa from Africa to America and I had to make two stopovers, the first stop was in Ethiopia and another was in Dubai, but I had arrived in Washington DC.

 And I had to sleep at the house of a lady who met on the plane and the next day my mother came to pick me up and we came here in Seattle.

 And I had to get on four planes just to get to America and when I arrived we lived in Federal Way where I studied ninth grade at Federal Way High School.

 It was very difficult because I didn't speak English or understand anymore there it was a lot of fun because me and my classmates used to talk a lot in the room and after that I had to change schools because we had to leave the house where we lived and we went to live in Tacoma where I studied tenth grade at Mount Tahoma High School and it was very good to study in Tacoma because I learned a lot of things there, I learned to speak Spanish, this was very good and I had two friends who spoke the same language, we also lived in the same apartment, but they had to move house, but they still study at Mount Tahoma High School. And I had to move house again and we came to live here in Kent, where I am studying tenth grade in KM. [M(3] 

This is being a little good here, I also have a friend who we are together in the second period. This is being good because I am at Jrotc at Kentwoo High School and it is very good to[M(4]  do this, agent usually has activities such as competition with other schools, which was very good.

 [M(1] I like Daniel's story, the way he tells it because he talks about how she spent time alone with her grandmother and also how her parents left her alone and then her mother looks for her again to be able to enter the United States.

 [M(2]I liked Daniela's story because regardless, she managed to make friends faster than me.

 [M(3]It was difficult for you to learn another language or get along well in other schools and spend long periods of time in different schools.

 [M(4]Daniel lacks nothing in her story, but I would like her to improve her writing a little more so that the story is better.

One day my mother and I decided to travel to the United States because it was my dream and my mother too. I had always wanted to travel to the United States and live there with my family. So, after talking about our idea with my sisters and my father, we decided that we had to try to make a better life in the United States. So, we decided to lend money to a relative of my father so that we could pay the coyote to bring us to the United States.

On January 5, 2024, we began our journey. I was very sad because I would be leaving my sisters and father in my country, but I was determined to fulfill my dream with my mother. That day we said goodbye, we cried because we would not be able to see each other for a long time, but we had the hope of being able to see each other again in the future. That day we traveled to the capital San Salvador to spend the night with one of my mother's sisters (my aunt) so that the next day, January 6, we could take a bus to Guatemala. We were very scared, because they were unknown and dangerous roads, and we did not know if we were going to achieve our goal.

That night we arrived in Tecún, Guatemala. We spent the night in a hotel to rest for the next day to continue our way. The next day, January 7, we traveled by car to Mexico, arriving at noon at a house in Tapachula, Mexico to spend a week there and be able to rest to resume the journey to our destination.

On January 14th we took a taxi to the Tuxtla Gutierrez airport, to be able to take our flight to Mexico City, then we arrived at the Mexico City airport to be able to take another plane to Tijuana Mexico, they were very tiring days, my mother and I were very sleepy, and we were very tired from the two flights in a row.

After arriving at Tijuana airport, we took a taxi to a hotel to wait for the exact moment to cross the border. We arrived at the hotel and took a shower, then since we were very hungry, they gave us food, the food was tacos, after eating we just waited for them to come for us so we could cross the border.

On the afternoon of January 15, at 4 o'clock, they came to bring us so we could cross the border. We arrived at the border in a car. We arrived at 7 at night, we crossed the border, and we had only walked for about 4 minutes when immigration arrived and grabbed us and took us to a shelter to process us. The rooms were uncomfortable. It was very cold, and we were there until the next day, which was January 16. That day we left the shelter to go to our destination, which was Atlanta, Georgia.

We took a flight from the airport in San Diego, California to Atlanta, Georgia. When we arrived at the airport in Atlanta, the people who were going to meet us and take us home were there.

Days later I entered high school, the name was Wheeler High School, when I entered this school I was very nervous because it was a new culture, new languages, new people and I never considered that it was going to be so difficult to start from scratch in a new country but as time went by I was adapting, I met people, I learned a little bit of English, and I could already communicate better with people, all I have learned during this process is to never give up and always follow my dreams.

So, my sisters and I decided to come to school at Kent-Meridian High School. Because our auntie is at this school and is near to our house too. Our auntie is a senior, but the funny thing is about how she’s younger than me. But we both have the same birth in 2007, but I was born on January 31, and she was born on February 2. She’s my daddy sister, and she is the youngest of the 8 siblings.

Anyways, the first day when I came to Kent- Meridian High School. I started my first day at Kent-Meridian High School. Walking through the crowded hallways, I felt like an outsider. Students rushed past me, laughing and chatting in a language that still felt foreign to me. I struggled to find my classes, and when I finally sat down, I could feel the weight of unfamiliarity pressing on my shoulders. But I reminded myself that I had already overcome so much just to be here. As days passed, I began to adjust, making small routine, and finding comfort in small victories.

However, there was a time when everything felt overwhelming. The hardest moments came when I felt homesick, missing the friends faces and warmth of my home Island. There were nights when I questioned whether I would ever fit in, if I would ever feel truly comfortable in this new life. But with time, I found strength in my struggles. I learned to be patient with myself, to embrace change, and to appreciate how much I had already grown. Looking back, I realize that my journey was never about finding a perfect place- it was about becoming strong enough to create one. Through every challenge, I discovered resilience, and today, I stand proud of how far I have come.

My name is Josselyn. I'm from Mexico, I'm 16 years old, and I can say that dreams do come true. Everything started in Mexico at the middle school, it started with a conversation among friends, when we were talking about our future, setting goals, thoughts, ideas, among other things, when it occurred to me to say that my dream was to live in the United States to study, learn English, and get to know new places. My friends congratulated me and told me that these were good ideas and good plans, and my best friend told me “Are you for real going to leave here? You have to take on consideration that is going to be hard, but I know you are very strong, and I said, I don't think so that will be hard ".

But I didn't know I have to go alone, suddenly, after a month my middle school graduation finally came, I was happy, excited and glad to have accomplished one of my goals and to have obtained my first achievement, after the ceremony I returned home and my parents asked me for time to talk to me, everything seemed normal when suddenly, my father tells me,” we have made a decision and we want to consult with you to see if you want or not”, which was we will send you to the United States so that you can study in another country, get to know the culture and learn another language, the news was shocking because I did not expect it, I was very happy, when they told me that this would have to be a sacrifice and I had to go alone, the idea stopped sounding fun. I left and did not give them an answer, and I started think “should I go leave to another country alone?" my best friend was right maybe that is going to be very hard to me!"

This was going around in my head for weeks, I couldn't understand that if I decided to leave I would have to be alone and far away from my family, my friends, my country and my life, I would have to give up all of this to obtain new and better opportunities, until I made a decision, and I decided that I had to take a risk and sacrifice this in order to succeed and achieve all of my goals, even if this was going to be temporary it hurt me, because I have always been close to my parents, and it would be very difficult for me to get used to another country with another language and another culture, but the desire to succeed and be a better person was stronger.

Many questions invaded my mind, how could I get ahead on my own? How would I feel comfortable with another family? How could I avoid feeling close to them even though I was thousands of miles away? There were many questions that invaded my mind, but I also had in mind that if I left it was the best thing for me so I could work, study and learn what awaited me in the future and my goal is to always make my parents proud and what I had in mind was that I do it to give myself a good life and give it to my parents, and this will be the best way to thank them for everything they do for me.

When I arrive on the United States the first 5 months were the most complicated for me, because I missed my family, I didn't understand the language, I couldn't communicate, I couldn't get used to the climate in Washington because it was very cold and in Mexico most of the time it was hot, and I didn't know what to do, I fell into depression, and one of my uncles and my parents spoke to me to encourage me and tell me not to give up.

It was one of the most difficult decisions I could make but I knew that this was going to be the best for me to become the veterinarian that I dream of so much, traveling around the world knowing places and people. This risk I took is paying off because now I can say that I have learned English, met many people from different countries, visited new places, and am close to achieving my goal of graduating and beginning my career as a veterinarian.

I continue learning new things every day. My purpose in the United States was only to learn English because I know that it is something essential for your life. Throughout the world, the two most used languages ​​are Spanish and English, which means that if I master both languages, I will be able to achieve any goal I set for myself and make the best of my life and see my parents proud and happy. I arrived in the United States and began to fulfill my purpose. Thanks to that I can finally say that I now speak English, and I learned many new things and I am achieving my goals.

Today I feel proud of my effort and my struggle to achieve my dreams, thanks to the fact that I am a Mexicans because something very admirable about a Mexican is that we never give up, Mexicans always looks for a way to get ahead and succeed.

I can assure you that it is not easy to arrive in a new country where people do not speak your mother tongue or practice your culture, beliefs and customs. I was born and raised in Guatemala When I was 14 years old, I had to suddenly leave my native country, my grandmother, and my friends. When I was in Guatemala, I was very talkative and outgoing with many friends. When I got here, I wasn't the same person anymore. I became an introvert. I felt like a different person.

A fresh start at the age of 14 is not easy. It was a big change. I thought I would never be able to speak Spanish or English and communicate with my friends and teachers. Living in a colder place was also a challenge. One day, when my family left our house to go to the store, I noticed something I had never seen before. I saw snow and ice on the ground! There was a lot of snow. I was surprised because in Guatemala it never snows. I wasn't sure if I liked the cold weather. When we walked into the store, I saw a lot of new things. There was a lot of boxed food, and the store was huge. I was used to buying food in small open-air markets. The food was always fresh. In the new store, the food was in boxes and packages, so it was not fresh. We picked out some food and went to the cashier. My dad had to pay the bill, but the woman who was helping us didn't understand what my dad meant. I was scared and shy. I wanted to help my dad, but I couldn't do it with my level of English. It was an awkward situation, and the language struggle between my father and the woman continued without my help. Finally, he went to find a person who could translate for us.

After a week in the United States, I started school. I had trouble completing my assignments and finding classes. I found it difficult to make progress in my schoolwork. I had trouble understanding what my teachers were telling me. I felt confused in every class when the teachers’ explained assignments and projects. Because of the language difference, my schoolwork scores were lower than they had been in Guatemala. I felt alone and devastated when no one was willing to talk to me. I also thought that I would not be able to make new friends in the United States.

Unexpectedly, after a week of school, something extraordinary happened in my life. A lemon girl came to talk to me. He was a kind and charming person. She helped me find my classes and helped me finish my assignments that were overdue. At first, I wasn't very talkative with her because I thought she would make fun of my English and my accent. As the days went by, I became more confident. She was the only person at school I trusted or depended on to explain assignments to me.

I am from a traditionally and full of different cultural country that every people just have care on their cultures I am Omar from heart of Asia Afghanistan that have a lots of cities and provinces and different people According to available data, as of 2023, the total population of Afghanistan is around 41.4 million people, with Kabul province having the highest population

Key points about Afghanistan's population by province

Highest population: Kabul province

their major provinces: Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-e Sharif

Data source variations: Different sources may have slightly different population estimates for each province. 

Afghanistan has this highest population I was born in Kabul in at 2008 I was born in a famous city of Kabul Taimani that city was famous around the Kabul in a hospital by the name of children health hospital I have a lot of good memories and bad memories from there that I want to share to the people.

My birthday is at July 27 2008 and I have started the challenging life after 7^th years old I have started after that a hard life and a hard experience with good experiences I was at the end of six years old that I was like a kid which my cousin push me  from one floor to the land he was a kid too when he pushed me his mom washes the clothes with boil water when he pushed me I entered to the boil water and my back my legs was burned I had very bad situation for three month in the hospital it was a challenging beginning than every day my mom my grandfather my aunts and my uncles was taking care of me in the hospital I didn’t have sleep I was in a bad situation at the night times even I was about to leaving this world that my mom and my grandma every nights at two o’clock they had praying for me and then by the prying of them and by reciting of holy Quran that they had for me that bring me back to the live and I had so scared I feel I take out a lots of pains and even until death of myself.

Latterly my situation going to became better and I had feeling better than when I become greater, I started the school I was in first grade that I had second position at the class with a good memories in that year I had a younger teacher when I was in the first grade her name was Zainab I remembered the day of teacher that my mom ready to me she gave me some money she bought a gift for my teacher my mom take me to school.

She saw my teacher and said her congratulations and we got some food from home, and I got some snacks and drinks. We shared everything with each other and when we finished, we gave our gifts to our teacher and when we were done, we went home after that I didn’t have the day of teacher we ended.

I got celebrate the day of teacher after long times when I was in ninth grade but that was not like that my teacher was a man and that was at the time of Taliban we couldn’t do better, and then in those times my country was felled. 

and we were about to leaving the country and we had of patience for our works that was so hard for us to wait for coming to here and fortunately we received a call from embassy of United States that was a Afghani guy talk to us and he wanted some documents from my father about his job and his kids than when we finished that he we got a message from him that  he said go to the hospital for medical and vaccinations than after two days when we finished with the medical he send another message about to going in a \token and travel company and we gave us our passports and documents then after three weeks of that he said go to the hospital  for testing covid 19 and we have taken the test for two time then after first test we had some problems and our flight was banned until two week after two weeks we have taken another test and that was good and after two days of that we have flight and our flights was started I had a long flight and I have a lots of experience about my travel to here. I was in Germany for 20 days that was good experience memories of mine and new friends travel to the Texas was also interesting and joyful about living there and knowing a lots of things and now I’m in a good situation which I moved to the Washington I’m working and studying hard. For arriving in high positions.

  Malaysia you heard the go through this thing this thing called MOS so you had to go through it to go to the US so every single asset in Malaysia for 13 years Malaysia you had the roughest times had the roughest things the COVID-19 hit militia the most and in every other country I've ever seen in the news going through all of that in and including MOS was the hardest time of my life and in my family's life every three weeks we will get a call from them asking to have a amount of liter of blood of each and every of us my first every time they took blood from me I was 10 years old and I don't know why they were taking blood but when they did the lady did not put the needle correctly in my arm so she had to twist it around in my while the needle was in my room twist it around trying to find my poles or something and when she finally got my blood I passed out my mom had a video of me cause I think you couldn't record but she still decided to get video because my grandparents wanted to see how I would react to my first time getting my blood tested it was the worst time of my life i was having the worst experience Did something really bad tragically happened me my older brother and my mom both got COVID-19 I'm confused how Abdullah did not get it cause basically in Malaysia I took showers 24/7 so I was just confused how did he not get it so we got it my mom was the one that hit the hardest instead of everyone in my family because she had asthma so it was also a pretty sad thing cause asthma plus with COVID-19 it's like the hardest thing that a person could go through I was there for my mom and she was there for me but it was hard bro mom got slowly rushed to the hospital because it got worse for her me and my brother the COVID left me and my older brother but it got worse for her than in the building that we lived and people started spreading rumors you know as a 12 years old girl hearing those rumors feels like you're getting a knife that they told lies and those rumors basically and it felt like my home so I wrote this crushed into pieces I felt like you had to do this the person who told the lies was a social media influencer and she was friends with my mom I just wanted to kill her the day I saw her because how and then when she came up to me she started acting all nice and I knew from the moment she was fake that's why I never really trusted nobody I knew from the moment that we were goanna leave Malaysia but it was the hardest time telling my friends goodbye and I wish at this point I could and I wish I could go back but I can‘t 

Malaysia was the best place I ever had and enjoyed I lived in a place call guava lemur jkit was the enjoyment the rush man that everything We had a place that was very popular for visitors called the KLC it was the two longest twin towers in Malaysia they have the second or the third record but at all I had friends there I had family members there that I love and I wish I could go back and actually stay a good proper goodbye I couldn‘t if I had the chance to go back I probably will I don't really like America because it's the coldness and the hotness for America it's like too much and Malaysia it doesn't get that hot I had this one friend that I was friends with for 3 1/2 years she was like my sister that I never had and I wish to see her again but it's hard it's hard and just like you grow up somewhere for 13 years and then all of a sudden your mom comes up to you and tells you to call we're going to the US you'll be shocked quiet confused why you're leaving when my mom told me that we're leaving it hit me so hard I just didn't want to say anything But it was also the hardest time because I thought I would stay in Malaysia for the rest of my life because mostly growing up somewhere for 13 years for seeing everything it's just hard to forget about it cause just a year ago I was in Malaysia having fun with my friends we were swimming we were playing tag there wasn't no war there wasn't nothing blue shirt just had a lot of kidnappings a lot of girls a lot of teens my age a lot of the times get kidnapped especially at school that's why they're more safer of their females it's just that if I had the chance to go back to it I would but it's hard it's hard denying all the things that's coming at you while you're just a kid it's hard just sitting there playing with your friends then your mom tells you we're going to the US it's something that you could never ever imagine at all Malaysia was a fun place but at the times I wish I could go back and just say a respectful goodbye cause I couldn't even speak wish I could see my friends again oh sure could just give them the last hug that I wanted to give them I hope I can go back in the future because all these things happen in the in the US does not make sense to me I just want to go and live the normal life I deserve and the place that I wanted to live in find the place that I wanted to die in yes I have family members here yes I have a lot of things that I can build a feature in here but I respectfully want to go back to the place that I grower up the place that I fought my battles in place that I've met new people learn new things in I do miss that feeling I wish I could say bye but I can't anymore

It all started in Honduras. It was May 10, 2019. I was 10 years old when my family and I decided to pursue the American dream and leave our country to go to the United States. We didn't have a lot of money to come, but my mom did everything she could to make us all go. At that time, we came with a coyote that was bringing people to the United States. The coyote we came with joined another group that also traveled this way to make the trip faster. We arrived in Guatemala and stayed in a hotel for several days. Then we arrived in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. We stayed at a restaurant while crossing a lake at night on a boat. Night fell. We cross the lake. We stayed for a while because immigration was just passing through. We hid and waited. Then we went to another hotel. In the morning, we took a bus and all the problems began.

Immigration stopped us in Veracruz. On our way, they took us. They did not separate us. I stayed with my mother in a place where only women and children were allowed, and my father and brother stayed somewhere else. We were very worried about being deported, but we were given the option to stay in Mexico and process the paperwork. So my parents decided to stay here, and the other people we were with decided to go back to Honduras. Some of them stayed. We began to process the documentation. We stayed for about 15 days, although my father didn't want to stay any longer, but my mother had to convince him to stay. After 15 days, we were released and taken to a shelter. We stayed for a few months because I had to go back and sign with immigration to be able to continue. We decided to go to Monterrey. Some people took us to a hotel while we found a house. Months passed. A friend we met at the hotel helped us find a house. We were in Mexico for almost 3 years and they gave us permanent residency.

When we lived in Mexico, there were always people who helped us settle down. They were very good people who always supported us. Even though I didn't want to leave Honduras, my parents told me that we were going to start a new life, and that this time would be different. And the exciting thing was that I had a lot of friends in Mexico, and we were going to be rejected because of our color. It was very different.

I made the decision to leave my country to follow my American dream that everyone wanted. I followed it and discovered new places. I thought there were no other countries, but it wasn't. When I arrived, I met new places and new people, a culture different from ours.

 August 13, 2021 When we arrived in the United States, a new beginning for our lives began. We arrived seeking asylum. We arrived in Seattle, stayed with my cousin in her house for a year, looked for a house, and started our new school.

My story begins on my first day September 18, 2021 in the United States. Well, I came to Miami, Florida with my sisters, Linda is 18 years old and Leticia is 20 years old. When I came to Miami I had some cousins ​​and aunts, but my aunt lived in the center of Miami and my cousins ​​a little further away. And I went to live with my cousins ​​first since my mother had not yet entered the United States at that time since she had to go through a process.

The problems started after a month, I don't remember very well when I lived with one of my cousins, well I didn't know them so that was something that I had to get used to living there, the problem was when she said bad things to them so to speak and also we didn't go to school since they hadn't made them study so once their children started saying rude things to us and since we didn't let them then we saw problems there..

It was when my mother was finally able to come to the United States since without her everything was different since she came because we moved them to her sister's house and she started working for a while to have money and then we came to Kent Washington but a very crazy thing was taking them by car from Miami here to Kent and I have been living here for a long time and I like it here in Kent. That was something that I liked but when we still lived in Miami we were going to help my aunt in her restaurant since we weren't going to school yet so we were going to help her to be doing something and maybe my mom was different but different she had to leave early and we went at any time and what I liked is that it was fun to be with my cousins ​​since they loved them a lot because they didn't have sisters only brothers so we were the only women there..

Well, I learned that you are always going to learn something new, for example when I arrived in Miami it was something very strange for me since I didn't know anything, so it was very difficult for me with English, but in Miami there are several stores that speak Spanish and I liked that too. But when I came to Kent that was the difficult part since I didn't know much English, I only knew a little but I barely understood people and it was all different because in my country it is never cold and when I got to Kent it was snowing and that was something new for me.

Well now we are better, we can go to school, my mom got a job, my sister also works and I study just like my pretty sister, we already have things to do, we can learn a little English and well, sometimes I work and I also already have a boyfriend and right now he is not with me because he went to work six hours from here but soon I will see him again. Linda, Leticia and I can drive a car, it's something new and it's hard to learn because we've never driven but we can now and now we go out to various places, we even went to Texas by car with my sister and mom and it was a long trip but it's nice because you see beautiful places and that's something I like because I know places.  Right now we haven't gone out together but I would like to travel by car again on long trips.

I was born, lived and raised in Haiti for 16yars before I came here. I lived with my family in our house, I went to school, to church and sometimes I went to other places. and one of the things I loved most was spending time with my dad at his job where food and Wi-Fi flowed freely Moreover, it was one of those days that my brother and I announced: "Guys, I know you won't like it because I don't like it either, but I think it would be necessary and better to send you to the USA." And then, I said “when was this decided’’, “last week, I don't need to give you a reason, you see it every day”. Meanwhile four time I traveled from Haiti to United States for vacation. but most of time I stayed at home that’s mean everything was fine for a certain time until 2018 when everything starts to go wrong in my country.

When everything started in 2018, everything still doing fine, I even traveled from Haiti to United states it was my second time here and I passed 3-month June to august more precisely I returned in Haiti august 27 few days before school started in Haiti.

It all started in 2021 when kidnapping was at its peak where every day at least thirteen people were kidnapped from there, my parents were starting to be afraid of the insecurity but remained firm despite everything. they had already planned to send me and my brother to the United States, but they necessarily threw it into the water after a long time. note that also in 2021 I had still come to the United States for the holidays, but my father immediately repatriated us after on month. From 2023, gangs begin to take control of the surroundings of my school, one day during these holidays I was returning from a lesson at school and there I noticed one with his weapon. When I told this to the parents, they immediately took up the subject of sending me to the United States. But my father had a promotion in his job, so he had implied that if he had had this new position during the crisis of the country it was a sign that God sent him not to leave the country and also that the signs do not deceive.

Other than that, everything was fine, my dad was still going to work, I was still going to school, my mom was still going to work too. but at one point there were more and more armed men in the area where my school was, and it was freaking out the parents. once there were all these men around the school that's when they started to have wars between them and the police. And there was another major problem besides that, at one point I was no longer living at home because one of the main roads that allowed me to get home after a while was also occupied by gangs and you know the rest that is war between gangs and the police. so that's when my parents really saw the need to send me here. as if that wasn't enough, the new area I had just inhabited, I spent entire weekends waiting for choruses of weapons that sowed terror in the area so the message was clear, I had to come here.

In the end, my parents made the decision to send me here and here I am.

Many of the most successful people in history-like Thomas Edison, J.K. Rowling, and Steve Jobs-failed multiple times before they achieved greatness. Every mistake and setback teach us something valuable, pushing us to improve and grow. Instead of fearing failure, we should see it as a necessary step on the path to success.                       

                                                                          One of the biggest reasons people give up is because[QS2]  they see failure as a sign that they are not good enough. But in reality, failure only means that you are trying. It shows that you are pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, which is exactly where growth happens. The key is to learn from your mistakes, adjust your approach, and keep moving forward

                                                                          Think of failure as a test rather than an endpoint. If something doesn't work out, analyze what went wrong and try again with a new strategy. Many great inventions, businesses, and ideas were born from trial and error. The more you fail, the closer you get to finding what works. The only real failure is giving up too soon.

                                                                          So, the next time you fail, don't be discouraged-be proud.

It means you are learning, evolving, and getting stronger.

Embrace failure, and let it fuel your motivation rather than destroy it. Success is not about never falling; it's about always getting back 

Mistakes always take us to two roads: one leads to bettering yourself, and the other to repeating the same mistake. These words remind me of my childhood, a time when I learned one of the most important lessons of my life. When I was 9 or 10 years old, I had an experience in my church that taught me the value of resilience and improvisation.[QS3]   

I grew up in a Protestant family, and our church always had special performances during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. The kids in the church, including me, would prepare something to present to the congregation. I loved these evenings because they felt unique and magical. I remember one particular Christmas Eve when the ground was covered in snow, and the church was filled with warmth and light. The air smelled of pine and candles, and everyone was dressed in their best clothes. It was my turn to perform a short speech, and I was both excited and nervous.  

I always sat at these services with my cousins, Vlad and another Vlad, who was my close friend. We would whisper and laugh quietly, enjoying the festive atmosphere. But when it was time to perform, I had to leave my seat and stand in front of everyone. I had practiced my speech for weeks. My parents helped me memorize the lines, and I recited them over and over until I felt confident. My Sunday school teacher also helped me with the words, encouraging me and giving me tips on how to deliver the speech with emotion.  

But as I stood in front of the congregation, my mind went blank. The words I had worked so hard to remember disappeared. I could feel my heart racing and my hands sweating. For a moment, I wanted to run back to my seat and hide. My teacher, seeing my struggle, quietly whispered the first few words to help me start. I took a deep breath and decided to keep going. I started speaking, .. To my surprise, the congregation smiled and nodded along. When I finished, I received warm applause, and my parents later told me how proud they were of me.  

Still, I felt ashamed in front of my parents because I usually delivered my speeches perfectly. I couldn’t stop thinking about how I had messed up. After the service, the church gave gifts to all the children for their participation—chocolates and candies. I received mine, but I was still upset. My mom and aunt noticed how I was feeling and came over to comfort me. They told me how brave I was for continuing despite forgetting my lines and reminded me that everyone makes mistakes. Their support meant the world to me and helped me feel better.  

After the service, our whole family gathered for a Christmas dinner. It was a tradition for all our relatives to come together and celebrate. The house was filled with laughter, delicious food, and the warmth of family. As we sat around the table, I realized that mistakes are not the end of the world. They are opportunities to grow and learn. In that moment, I could have let my fear take over, but I chose to keep going. It reminded me that sometimes, the best moments come from unexpected challenges.  

Looking back, I realize that mistakes are a natural part of life. They push us to think on our feet and discover strengths we didn’t know we had. My experience in the church taught me the importance of staying calm under pressure and trusting myself. It also showed me that people are often more supportive than we expect. The congregation didn’t judge me for forgetting my lines; instead, they appreciated my effort and sincerity.  

In conclusion, mistakes are not something to fear. They are stepping stones to becoming a better version of ourselves. Whether it’s forgetting words in a church performance or facing a challenge in everyday life, what matters is how we respond. Do we give up, or do we keep going? I choose to keep going, knowing that every mistake is a chance to learn and grow.  

It all began on February 23, 2022, when the school district sent a message announcing that we were finally coming out of the COVID – 19 quarantine. The realization that tomorrow I would return to school after several years, now as an 8^th grader, while I had left as a 6^th grader. The next morning February24, 2022, at 7:00 AM, I was sitting in class doing the assignment that was due by the end on the week. My classmates after a long break, discussed the news. “I heard Russian army were gathering at the border of Ukraine. I hope nothing bad happens…,” “ Do you think they’ll  attack Ukraine? That’s not possible!” By 7:04, the teacher had not come yet, which was unusual. Suddenly, one of the teachers rushed into the class and urgently told us to go to the assembly hall. Everyone thought it was just a welcome speech from the school director. But then the director came out and said, I would never think that as a school director I would have to say these words, but the war started in Ukraine at 4:00am today” Silence. It was hard to process, all I could think was “Why?.” The director continues his speech “… so the school will be closed, and we translate to online school from tomorrow, all information will be sent to you and your parents as soon as the mobile network are functioning. I wish you peace and health.” I left school at 7:12 and walked  home, which was about 30 minutes away. My mom tried to call several times, but the mobile network was unstable due to a bomb hitting one of the central stations. Walking down the empty street felt surreal --- there were no people, just an eerie silence.

 I lived in western Ukraine, where the situation was better compared to other regions, especially the central, easters and northeastern parts of the country that took hardest hits in the first  days of the war. For days, I watched the news, hoping it was just a bad dream, but my emergency bag by the door was reminder that it was not. Over a week had passed since the war started, and life had changed extremely. Going outside, it felt like an apocalyptic movie – no people, no cars, and even birds seemed gone, only dead silence was around me. Life’s beauty seemed to fade. I started to value peace and life more than before, even adapting to the new reality. A few months later, my family decided to leave the country. I did not want to go. Despite the war, life in Ukraine still felt good and free. But for our safety, we had to leave.

 August 14, we left Ukraine, and by the 16^th, we were in America. Our grandmother had lived here for 24 years, and we stayed in her house for about a month. After we moved, I started going to school. I started high school. I was sitting on my first period. Since arriving in the USA, nothing has made me happy. All I thought about was returning to Ukraine after war ended and starting a new life there. I felt stuck not going anywhere or talking to anyone. I spent a year just waiting for the war to end, for the dull life to finish. But by 10^th grade, I started to change. I realized I did not want to keep waiting. I wanted to live in the moment, to do things that I would not regret later. I made new friends and began a new life, one without a cage I had left in. I realized that holding on to things, people, or the past was not helpful. A lot of things in life are beyond our control, and life does not ask permission before throwing challenges out our way. We must adapt to challenges and problems as they make us stronger and better. Adapting to new situations helps us to grow more flexible and gain experience.

This city, rich in rhythm and resilience, has shaped me into the person I am today. Kinshasa was not just where I lived; it was where I belonged, surrounded by the love and support of my family. My cousins, aunts, and uncles formed an unbreakable network of mutual support, and our gatherings were always filled with music, laughter, and the irresistible aroma of pondu, saka-saka, and grilled fish. Life in Kinshasa wasn't always easy, but I never felt alone. Every day, the vibrant faces I encountered from street vendors selling fresh produce to children playing soccer on the dusty roads reminded me of our shared spirit of perseverance. This city, with all its challenges and joys, gave me an unwavering sense of belonging. 

However, as the years passed, I realized that life had much more in store for me than its bustling streets. I also stopped eating meat because I learned that eating it was bad, and a new chapter was about to begin. That chapter began when my grandmother and I moved to Muanda, a much smaller city in Congo with a population of just over 30,000. Leaving Kinshasa, with all its energy and familiarity, was difficult, but the promise of reuniting with other family members in Muanda kept me going. 

The journey to Muanda, however, was far from easy. The long bus ride seemed endless, and the winding roads made me nauseous. At one point, I had to throw up, which only added to the discomfort of an already exhausting journey. By the time we arrived, I was completely exhausted. That first night in Muanda, I could only sleep. 

Adjusting to life in Muanda came with its share of challenges and joys. It was much quieter than Kinshasa, but the warmth of the family made the transition easier. I spent my days playing soccer with my cousins and going to school, trying to accept the slower pace of life in this small town. Despite my new surroundings, I often found myself missing the familiar chaos of Kinshasa—the crowded streets, the bustling markets, and the comforting sounds of home. Still, Muanda had its charms, and I gradually found my place in this peaceful corner of the Congo. 

One of the most difficult periods of my life began shortly after, when I had to start traveling back and forth between Kinshasa and Muanda to handle important documents. Each trip was long and exhausting, requiring patience and endurance. I would leave Muanda, embark on the grueling journey to Kinshasa, and return shortly after. This routine of back-and-forth tested me in ways I had not anticipated, but I knew it was necessary to reach my ultimate goal: to reunite with my parents in the United States. The process seemed endless, but I refused to give up. 

After countless trips and endless perseverance, the moment finally arrived when everything was in order. My documents were complete, and I was ready to take the next big step in my life. Saying goodbye to Muanda and Kinshasa was bittersweet. These cities had shaped me deeply, teaching me resilience, patience, and the importance of family. They gave me the foundation to face the challenges ahead. 

The final leg of my journey began with a flight from Kinshasa to Turkey. The excitement of leaving my home country for the first time mixed with nervousness about what lay ahead. From Turkey, I boarded another plane to the United States, where my parents were waiting for me. The journey felt surreal: every mile brought me closer to a new life, but also further from the places and people that had defined my past. 

Arriving in the United States was a moment I will never forget. After years of struggle and preparation, I was finally reunited with my parents. It was a dream come true, the culmination of a journey filled with challenges, resilience, and growth. Although I was far from Kinshasa and Muanda, I carried their spirit with me. They were more than places: they were a part of who I was, a reminder of the resilience and love that brought me to this moment. 

Looking back, my journey from Kinshasa to the United States was more than just a physical journey: it was a testament to perseverance and the unifying power of family. No matter where life takes me, I will always carry the vibrancy of Kinshasa and the tranquility of Muanda in my heart. 

When I was 16 years old I left Ecuador in October, 28  2023, and arrived in the United States in Kent, Washington on October 29, 2023. It was something very new for me because I have never left the country unless it was for tourism, but this time it was very different. I was going to start a new life again. I felt strange because I didn't know anyone, I didn't know how to get somewhere in particular, I didn't know any English.

I was born in Loja, Ecuador, on July 25, 2006, and I lived in a place known for its high levels of crime and danger around every corner, which was one of the reasons we came to live here in Kent, Washington. I had a very nice childhood, but it was very dangerous because of the crime in the country. There were many robberies, many people murdered by criminal groups, extortion, etc. But thanks to my family, we were able to come here to the United States for a better life, which taught me to improve as a person and see life from another perspective.

Since I arrived in the United States there have been many changes in my life, from the peace of mind that my family is not in danger to maturing with time because you rebuild your life, which is a great opportunity. Thanks to all of that, I have met very good people. I was able to study and learn English. Over time, I met a great person who is now my girlfriend, who is one of the people who supports me so I can be a better person in the future. I learned many things here that I couldn't learn in Ecuador because there weren't the opportunities that there are here.

When I was with my girlfriend for 6 months, she had the opportunity to meet my mother on Thanksgiving. I saw a great connection between them and a similarity of character. Since that day, I knew that these two women are the inspiration of my life. My girlfriend for supporting me and helping me with the things I don't understand in life, and my mother because she taught me what real life is, that it is not as easy as we imagine. She taught me to be strong and hardworking like her. and inspires me to be a better person in the future, since I was 8 years old she taught me to realize that life is not as easy as we think but she never gave up she is a great example in my life, when I was 11 years old she taught me how to work in a restaurant with her, my mother is a great example for my life because even if things get complicated she is not one to give up, I will always see her with that smile that makes me happy every day I am lucky to have her in my life and she is my great inspiration.

                                                                                  Noor Shareef

All the memories I can truly call my own began when my family and I moved to Mersin, a beautiful coastal city in southern Turkey. I was just three and a half years old I don’t remember much about my life before that. Mersin was more than just a city to me, it was where I built my dreams, formed lifelong friendships, where I felt a deep sense of belonging and created memories that will stay with me forever. Mersin was the place that truly shaped me. I never imagined that one day, I would have to leave it all behind and saying goodbye to everything and everyone I knew.

 At the end of 2022, my family made the decision to move to the United States. I still remember the day when my parents told my brother and me. It was just a normal day. We just came back from school, tired and ready to relax. Then my mom called us over, her face was glowing with excitement. She told us that we’re moving to America. My heart was a mix of emotions swirling inside me.

“But what about everything here? I asked my voice  a mix of shock.

“I know it’s hard for you and your brother and it won’t be easy at first. But this is the best for you, you’re going to have so many new opportunities and have new friends and experiences.” She said emotionally.

 I knew that she saw this as a bright new chapter of our life but all I was thinking about was leaving everything I had ever known behind, but I knew she was right. The idea of starting over in a completely different country was overwhelming. But at the same time there was a feeling of excitement. Because I knew that I would have a better future. A new place, new beginning and a lot of endless possibilities were waiting for me.

 With a heavy heart I still remember the day I left with my family. In the airport when my best friend hugged me tightly and we knew that this was the last time I would see her at least for a long time, our eyes with tears explained everything. She was whispering words of reassurance and love.  

The journey to America felt endless. Would I be able to get used to the new life?  Would I be able to make friends? How would I understand anything in school? My mind was racing with a lot of these questions. When we landed in the United States, everything felt so different. But the biggest difference was the people I saw with a lot of unfamiliar faces. Also was the language, the way people spoke. Every sign, every announcement, every conversation around me was in English, a language I barely understood. It was overwhelming, but there was also something that make me stepping into a whole new world.

When I started a new school in America, I was touring the school with a teacher to get to know my classes and the school. I sat in a classroom full of students who spoke effortlessly, laughing and chatting while I sat in silence. The teacher spoke, and while I recognized a few words, most of the time, I was lost. I felt like I was so foreign. But then something amazing happened in my science class. One girl was sitting next to me, she smiled and started to introduce herself. She was talking with me slowly, knowing I was still learning English, and asked me about myself and my background. That small act of kindness made me feel welcome.

Over time slowly things started to change, I started paying attention to how people spoke, picking up words and phrases. I made more friends. Some were other immigrants who understood what it felt like to be new. I also began to appreciate the diversity in America. My school had students from so many different backgrounds. I wasn’t the only one adjusting to a new life. We all had our struggles, but we also had our strengths. But the feeling that I miss my friends and the comfort of speaking in my own language never leaves my heart.

All the big changes in my life were in the beginning of 2023. Something special happened to me and to my family life. My baby sister was born. I couldn’t qualify the excitement of my heart when I heard that she was born. The first time I saw her I felt an overwhelming mix of happiness and excitement. She was so small, and she brought so much joy into our family. Her laughter, when she tried to talk, became the sweetest sound in our home. I had a strong responsibility to take care of her. When I struggle with some things her smile always makes me feeling comfort.

Now, when I think about what it means to be American, I still have moments where I struggle, moments when I miss my friends in Turkey deeply. But I also feel proud of how far I’ve come. And I should still follow my dream to be a pharmacist in the future. Also, I learned that being American doesn’t mean forgetting where you come from it means carrying your past with you while embracing the future.

Moving to America wasn’t just about leaving one home for another, it was about growing, learning, and becoming the person, I am today. It was about finding happiness in new experiences while holding onto the memories that shaped me. As I look ahead to the future, I feel excited. I have dreams to chase, friends to share my journey with, and a new place. Because we are America, a place where different cultures come together, where new beginnings are possible, and where every story matters. And so all of these just start  of me.

Before moving to the United States, I attended a private high school called Weston in Playa del Carme, Mexico, before moving with my older brother Junior to Kent, WA with my aunt Galdina. It was a good school with excellent teachers and students who were generally friendly and respectful. However, teachers could be strict at times, which I saw as a positive. Sometimes students can be distracting or even disruptive, so I appreciate having teachers who maintained discipline and pushed us to do our best.

One of the things I liked most about studying in Mexico, whether in a private or public school, was the sense of stability. You spent the entire school day with the same group of classmates, which made it easier to build strong friendships. We became like a small family, helping each other with schoolwork, sharing lunch, and even going to each other’s houses to study or just hang out.

Before arriving in the U.S., I had many preconceived notions about what school would be like. I thought public schools here were very dangerous because of the way they were portrayed in the news. News reports often highlighted incidents of school violence, shootings, and other disturbing events, making it seem as though American schools were unsafe. Additionally, movies and TV shows created an image of high schools full of social cliques, where bullying was a serious problem and where students were judged harshly based on their appearance, interests, or social status.

Even though I knew not everything in the movies was true, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. My mind kept playing tricks on me, making me imagine the worst possible scenarios. I worried about whether I would fit in, whether I would be bullied, or whether I would struggle too much because of the language barrier. I had studied English before, but I wasn’t confident in my speaking skills, and I feared that I wouldn’t be able to communicate well with my classmates or teachers.

However, after just a week in school, my perspective changed completely. I quickly realized that, despite some differences, public schools in the U.S. and private schools in Mexico had many similarities. The students were generally friendly, the teachers were supportive, and there was a structured environment that helped everyone learn. I also noticed that, just like in Mexico, students formed groups of friends based on shared interests, but there weren’t the extreme social hierarchies that movies made it seem like there would be.

Another assumption I had was that most students in my school would be white Americans. However, I was completely wrong. My school is incredibly diverse, with students from many different backgrounds—Hispanics, Africans, Asians, and more. The cultural diversity is one of the most beautiful things I’ve experienced here. Walking through the hallways, I see people wearing different styles of clothing, speaking different languages, and celebrating different traditions. This exposure to so many cultures has broadened my perspective and made me appreciate the uniqueness of each person’s background.

One of the biggest differences that took me by surprise was the way students switch classrooms for each subject. In Mexico, students stay in one classroom all day, and it’s the teachers who move from one class to another. Here, it’s the opposite: students move from one classroom to another after each period. At first, this felt very strange and even a bit overwhelming. Not only did I have to get used to finding my way around a new school, but I also had different classmates in each class. This made it more difficult to form close friendships at the beginning, especially because I was still shy about speaking English.

For the first couple of months, I found it challenging to participate in class discussions. I was afraid of making mistakes when speaking, and I often preferred to stay quiet rather than risking saying something incorrect. However, I gradually started feeling more comfortable. My teachers were very patient, and many of my classmates were understanding and encouraging. They would help me when I didn’t understand something, and little by little, I began to participate more.

After about four months, I felt like I had finally adjusted to the new system. I started speaking more English, making more friends, and genuinely enjoying my classes. One thing I really appreciate about the way schools work in the U.S. is that switching classrooms allows you to meet a wider variety of people. Instead of being with the same group all day, you get to interact with different classmates in every subject, which means you can form connections with more people and learn about different cultures.

Looking back, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to study in the United States. Even though I had fears and doubts before coming here, this experience has taught me valuable lessons about adaptation, resilience, and the importance of embracing change. Not everyone gets the chance to study in a different country, and I feel fortunate to have had this experience. It has helped me grow not just academically, but also personally.

Now, I no longer see change as something scary. Instead, I see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. No matter where I go in the future, I know that I will be able to adapt, make new friends, and find my place. This experience has given me confidence in myself, and for that, I am truly thankful.

Four days passed, and we arrived in Tijuana at a station where they told us to wait for another bus that would arrive in six hours or more. So, my aunt Nati and her husband asked me if I was hungry, and I said yes, so we went to eat at a small stand that sold tacos and other things. So, I ordered a burrito with an orchata. After we finished eating, we went for a walk, and I saw how beautiful the place looked. There were too many people, it was very big, and as we say in Mexico, " me siento como frijol en hoya ."( I feel like a bean in a pot) That's what I said in my mind. After a few hours passed we got back on the other bus and the one driving told me to enjoy the trip and I told him thank you so we headed to California and it was going to take us almost 3 days to get there and my mom and my aunt Nati said that I was going to stay with an aunt there in California and I told them that was fine so the days passed and I arrived and they told me to get off and my aunt Nati and her husband told me to try hard and that if I needed anything I would let them know so I felt really weird when I met my aunt Mireya because I never knew who she was yes they told me that she took little care of me but only then I met her husband and my cousins. My cousins ​​were already in a higher grade than me, so they helped me a little to get used to it. My aunt Mire told me that I was going to meet my grandmother on my mother's side. I missed my grandmother and grandfather a lot because I did know them. The next day my grandmother and grandfather arrived, and they looked at me, cried, and hugged me. I hugged them tightly. After so much time, we went to eat at a restaurant. It was difficult for me to get used to a food that is not the same as that of Mexico, but I knew I had to get used to it. A few weeks passed and my aunt Mire said that she was going to enroll me in school. They told her that a teacher named Ms. Sobonya wanted to meet me. When we got to school and when I entered, I felt strange. Then a teacher came out and spoke to me in Spanish. I was surprised because I had thought that they didn't speak Spanish at school, so we started talking about how old I was, where I came from, what my goals were, etc. Then the teacher offered me her program called "Newcomers," which taught Hispanic children or children from other countries to learn English, so I said yes, and she told me she saw a future in me, so I said, "I hope God listens to you."

So, classes started, and since I didn't know the school, a boy named Jose arrived and he helped me find the class. He was the first one I met when I arrived. The truth is, I wanted to leave school because I felt weird, but after I met Jose, I didn't feel like I did anymore.

After arriving at the class, I met more people, like Ismael, and we got along really well. So I felt more confident and more inclined to stay in classes.

Months passed, and I was going to high school. My parents asked if I wanted to go with another aunt to Washington. I told them yes, that was fine. Then another trip to Washington began, where I went with more confidence because I already knew a little English so they told me the date I was going to leave I remember it was July 24th at night like 8 or 9 at night so it took us almost 10 to 12 hours to get there I had gone with my grandmother by bus again my grandmother and I went out and my grandmother and I saw the landscape it was very beautiful almost arriving we arrived at my grandmother's son's house or an uncle of mine and after 1 or 2 hours they asked me if I wanted to go or if I wanted to meet my other uncle and aunt and I told them that yes so they called me on the phone and said they would arrive in 1 hour so I waited and when they knocked on the door my aunt and uncle came in and I was surprised because there were 3 little girls and my uncle and aunt greeted me they told me that I was going to be with them and I said okay

 then they told me that we were going to go to a cousin's house and well we went but I felt strange again because the family didn't know her and we went and I met my cousin and her children after a few hours there we went to the house and to go rest and they said that they were going to register for school later because the century of school was about to end so I had more time to get to know my aunt and uncle and I got used to it suddenly my uncle always gives me advice as does my aunt.

The day I lost my best friend forever. I am Zahra, Shaheena from Kunar, Afghanistan. I lived in Kunar for 12 years. I lived in places where I have many memories with my grandparents and uncles and childhood friends. When I was 8 years old, I went to school with my best friend, her name was Husna , she was also 8 years old and we had a great time there, eating together. We were never separated from each other. But one day we went to school and after school I got lost in school, then I went home, she was behind me and she said, "Hey Shaheena , I'm here, we came home, we were neighbors, we had something to eat and then we went to the Quran lesson together and after that I went to my aunt's house, it was noon at that time and she went to her house, a few hours later, there was a strong earthquake that lasted about half an hour and was very strong. This devastating earthquake caused severe structural damage to many residences, making countless people homeless and destitute. When I came home and our house was also damaged but not much, but my friend's house was very damaged and my friend was also injured, I didn't even know that my friend was injured, but I only heard from someone that Husna was injured and she was in the hospital. I was very sad but I said that I hope she will recover. Well, a few hours later, I heard a lot of noise and commotion in their house. I went to her house, and I saw that she was dead, I didn't recognize myself at that time, I thought it was a joke, but it was true. I couldn't cry or speak, but I just went and sat in front of her, and I looked at her, I felt that she was sleeping, I could talk to her, but she wouldn't answer me, it was the most difficult time in my life.

After that time, my heart broke from the friendship and I say that I will never be friends with anyone in my life, time passed and she always came to my mind when I was alone in school, I would think of her during Eid days, we would wear the same Afghan clothes and go on long vacations with our families, we lived happily. But one day I was left alone so life had no meaning for me. Wherever her mother saw me, she hugged me and told me that I see my daughter in front of you.

That time passed when I was 12 years old. Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021 and my father worked with the Americans. Many people who worked with the Americans left their homes and we also left our homes because the Taliban said that if we saw people working with the Americans, we would kill them. We were very scared, but my grandfather reassured us and said, "Don't lose hope, life also has good days, many people died there, many houses were destroyed, girls' schools were closed, the situation in Afghanistan became very bad. Then my parents decided to go to America. We arrived at the Kabul airport, it was very crowded. I was very scared on the plane because it was my first time on a plane for six hours. After we arrived in Qatar,

We stayed there for two days and then we came to Italy, we had a great time there. It was very beautiful. We stayed there for a month, and we came to New Jersey. I made some friends, and we were very happy there, so we stayed for six months and then we went to Kentucky. I was very sad because there were no Afghans there, a month later I went to school in Kentucky.

It was my first day of school and I didn't speak English, and the girls thought I was I am not Afghan. They would not talk to me or help me. One day when I spoke to them in Pashto, they were surprised that I was Afghan. Then they said, "I am sorry, we will not talk to you or help you." We thought, you are not Afghan, we stayed there for a year, we came to Washington, we saw a good life here because my whole family was there.

When I came to KM on the first day, I saw Malala, I meet her, now she is my best friend and I hope that we will be together forever now, I have a better life than before and I speak good English and I will have a good life in the future.

1.  Four years ago, I was in my home in Afghanistan, the country of Dictionary, joy, and blues with my family, without knowing that one day we would have to leave our country, and we would have to face the daunting task of learning a new language and a new culture. We had a good life in Afghanistan. We live in Kabul, we are Tajik people from Panjshir. My father was not at home much and he was on duty or job . We were going to school, or my eldest brother was at home going for a walk or my aunty/uncle house. And In school, I was in the same class as my sister, both were second and third talented students and we were always in competition. A happy life with no concerns.

In 2021 when we heard the Taliban seized control of Kabul, we were in home and hid, suddenly my father called us and told us to pack up and go to the airport in a car at early morning. We arrived at the airport a few hours later. and then flew to Dubai and after a few hours we arrived there. The way many people spoke Arabic or English, and I don’t understand anything. I had a tough time there was hard and we were not capable of going outside, there was no school or anything for us to learn a new language. We had to go outside during nighttime only for one or two hours, which was really hit in the nights too. There was all Afghan people and all buildings that get together in outside it was a real mass. We stayed in Dubai for two months in the same building that we could only walk in the building and couldn’t go outside. After two months we went flew to New Mexico camp, we stayed there for 27 days which was our luck. There was tent made by plastic which separate room for all the Afghan people how immigrate. We had to walk for 3 or 4 minutes to get to the bathroom, it was far away from where we lived. There was a lot of noise from babies or people talking because the was no wall to block any sounds. We chose to come to Washington state because the plane that take people to here was full, they made us to go to Arizona if we not accept to go to Arizona we had to stay in New Mexico until they find home or get the plain to take us in Washington state.  So, we chose to go to Arizona because we could not manage the problems there. After 27 days we flew to Arizona there was hot again. We were so unlucky, just like Dubai, Arizona was hot too[ . We had to go to a school for the first time in another country where no one spoke like us, not knowing the language we had to go to school. Me and my sister went to the same school but in different grades she was seven grade I was eight\ grade we had a hard time there but luckily. we find only three people that were from Afghanistan. After 6 in a half month there we start to be getting to learn English. After 7 months we made money to get here.  It was easy for us, but my dad and two brothers could not fly with us in the airplane, they had to come by car. We got there so fast, and we had to live with my uncle until we found a house for us to live in. We stayed at my uncle’s house for 13 days and the other two brothers found a house for us, and then we went to the house that we live in until now. And in 2023 we start school I went to Meeker middle school for 1 month which was the last month of school. After that I get to this school, I was my eldest sister came first and then me, and I start learned English. My life has changed a substantial change, it gets easier to live here and know the culture and the language. To study, to see what I had to do in the future. To try hard for the future to build my vision board for the future. Coming to United from Afghanistan has its own challenges and problem. I got to do new things and meet new people. I never believed in my abilities and wasn’t grateful, but then with each passing day, I became more confident in my abilities and more grateful. Knowing the road ahead would fill with obstacles, but we were prepared to face them, armed with lessons learned from the journey thus far. Friends gained, friends lost, accepted by friends, and hurt by friends. I went through all of that, and then I realized that family and moving forward are equally important in my life.

In 2022, my family and I left Afghanistan, embarking on a journey that would take us across continents. Our first stop was Qatar, a country that welcomed us with its striking desert landscapes and bustling city life. Despite the intense heat, I found comfort in the presence of my family and the chance to adjust to a new environment. We stayed in Qatar for 45 days, and during that time, I experienced a mix of emotions. Initially, it felt like a new adventure, and I enjoyed the days as they unfolded. However, there was always a sense of uncertainty about what lay ahead.

After our time in Qatar, we moved to Virginia, in the United States. Arriving in Virginia was a stark contrast to what I had imagined. I didn’t feel good there; I felt lost and out of place. I couldn’t help but wonder, “Why did we come to the USA?” Those first days in Virginia were challenging, as I tried to come to terms with the big changes in my life.

Not long after, we relocated to Washington state. This new chapter began with a three-month stay in a hotel. Living in a hotel for that long was not easy, but it was a necessary step in our journey. Despite the challenges, I felt a sense of hope that things would improve. After those three months, we finally moved into a house—a place we could call home. Having our own space brought us a sense of stability and relief.

Once settled, I started school at KM, and this marked a turning point for me. Walking into a new school in a new country was nerve-wracking, but it didn’t take long for me to meet many new friends. Two of my friends even helped me navigate my classes, showing me the ropes and making me feel more at ease. It was heartwarming to realize that I wasn’t alone.

As the school year went on, I worked hard and managed to pass all my classes. It wasn’t just about academics; I was building connections and learning about a different culture. Meeting my teacher was another important part of my journey. They played a big role in guiding me through this new environment and helping me adapt. Each day in school became a step forward, and I began to feel a sense of belonging.

Nooralhuda Al Dulaimi

Loving a friend so much, trusting them and being together no matter what, understanding them, the most important thing is to remember the memories, but living far away from each other is a very difficult situation again and again, but the fact that our friendship still continues makes me the happiest person in the world.

 It was October 8, 2021, it was a weekend in middle school, one of the most difficult and depressing days I've ever had. It was a weekend when I woke up with a message notification, sometimes I think to myself that I shouldn't have woken up that day. I saw that I had a long message from my best friend and her name is Rawan and got curious so I looked at the message and in the message it said she said to me that” I wasn’t the same as  I was in elementary school and that we had both changed and that’s why she wanted to end our friendship and wished me a good day”. At first I thought she was joking but when I looked at the message she seemed serious it wasn’t to be taken as a joke I read the  message many times, I read it as many times as I could count, I didn’t believe it, I rubbed my eyes, I tried to wake up I said “no this can’t be real, there must be a mistake” in fact because I didn’t believe it I went back to sleep and woke up an hour later, I read it over and over again finally I realized it wasn’t a dream, I had wished it was a dream so much but reality had slapped me in the face.

As far as I remember when I was little I was someone who immediately got mad at my friends for no reason. I guess it was because of some psychological and family problems but when I grew up I realized how wrong this was behavior, it was very stupid to get mad at someone for no reason and it was hurting the person in front of me. When I went to school after the weekend, I kept quiet instead of hearing the details and the problem from my friend's mouth. Yes, that was also my fault. Imagine receiving such a message from your closest friend and you keep quiet. It sounds very illogical, doesn't it? I couldn't say anything. I was very hurt and angry. That message was engraved in my head from reading it  every day. I had thought of everything that could come to my mind. Maybe she got tired of my behavior and got upset and didn't want to be my friend, but not asking in the first place was also a stupid behavior. When I think about it, I still try to understand why I didn't ask and why I just kept quiet.

 After that we started not talking to each other days, weeks and months passed time had already passed and it was almost 7-8 monthswe didn't talk at all. Everyday we were in the same class, we who used to hang out during breaks at school started not hanging out, not talking and even our closest mutual friend his name is Ehsan noticed this he was constantly asking what was going on between us but none of us said anything we just kept quiet even when I took my exams and told my family my results, my mom and my sister was directly asking what my closest friend got and I was just said I don't know, because my family knew she was my closest friend but I never told my mom about this problem between us and to be honest I had a hard time then one day my friend Ehsan was with our class teacher and not content with that he told other teachers that we were fighting and he didn't know why and then even the teachers asked us what was going on between us but we didn't open our mouths.

 I was feeling more and more depressed as the days passed because I didn't say a word to my closest friend and I had a hard time. What I didn't expect months later was that my closest friend said she wanted to talk to me when I was free, I was very excited and even wondered what she would say. When we met face to face, she said something I didn't expect and said she wanted us to be friends again and that it wasn't worth this ridiculous event, I couldn't believe it, I didn't think we would get back together because months had passed. I accepted but the hard part was that when we made up, we didn't know what to talk about, there was still a coldness between us. But then, as the days passed, that beautiful old intimacy came back, and we got back together like before. I felt like I was falling in love with life again.

 I am someone who values ​​the person I love no matter what, even though I moved to America, we still talk to each other and care about each other. Distances never matter to me whether I am somewhere else in the world, what matters is that we still feel the same love and respect for each other. If there is someone you really care about, don't throw up because of something ridiculous and worthless. You wouldn't believe me if I said I love them more than myself, but I believe and I know. Right now, I am in one country and they are in another, nothing changes and no one understands how much I miss them, you never know what a feeling is unless you experience it. I am glad we made up, I hope we don't get angry again and we don't drift apart. What I mean is, anyone you love from your heart, this person doesn't just have to be your lover. Family members , friends, teachers, relatives and more. Let's love and appreciate these people.

 Thank you for sharing your story with me, I think its very important to know what going on in the life of others persons, I liked that you express how you were felling in that situation, Its very interesting because There's an unsolved mystery in your story and I liked that.

And I think everything its correct :)

 Thank you for sharing your story with me, this story make me little emotional because the feeling of loosing friend  and how important the friend is. Also have a beautiful ending with having closure with each other.

 I think everything has in this story because I like the end a lot its meaningful.

 One of the thing i like In this story is that i have similar experience before in my life, break friendship for a long time with closest friends is one of the things that have experienced everyone. And last words that i support  "Family members, friends, teachers, relatives and more. Let's love and appreciate these people".

your story is very good. has written all the compositions. it is very colorful, it makes people read more than one time, your story follows the logical and it is thoughtful, your story is build to each other, you just need to clear some of your word in the paragraph. and i like you're ending it is very good story. 

 The end of the story is incredible and happy ending.

 but you need to make capitulation at every sentences.

Your explanation of this writing is very clear and thoughtful. it really describes the events or the moments you've been confronted with your friend.

I was surprised the fact that almost 7-8 months you haven't talked to your friends. it's way too longer.

 Your story is fascinating. it grabs my attention the part when you stopped talking with your friend.

 Your narrative is deeply emotional and relatable the way you describe your felling of depression, excitement, The vulnerability you show makes your story authentic and mowing 6

As i say before i like this end words

My first day to Mexico city was excited

because I was going to see my dads house in Mexico when I was in the airport of Mexico I was crying for my dad because he was in the united states and I couldn’t see my dad no more while I was in the airport eating my grandfather bought tickets for suburban to see my house in the city when the suburban arrive in the city I was tired because the seats were not comfortable while my grandfather was calling a Taxi I was playing with my little brothers and my little sister then the taxi got there and took us to are new house when i got to my new home I was happy and excited then the next day my mom enrolled me in school then the next day I was at school while I was eating in lunch at school there was a lot of kids making fun of me because I was the only one that had glasses in class and I got sad and told the Director to tell the other kids to stop bulling me in lunch when lunch was over I went to my classroom and did my work then school was over I was walking to my house and then I stopped at a store to get snacks for my little brothers and little sister then got home safe and gave the snacks to my little brothers and little sister then the next day I went to a other city because my mom was going to buy a new car then my mom paid $569,200 pesos for her new car then my grandfather drove my moms new car and then we left the city because my little brother was crying for my mom and I told my grandmother to take my little brother to the store so he can get snacks and to stop crying for my mom when I got home it was already night and I had to sleep because I had school then the next day I got ready for school when school was over my uncle picked up me from school because my mom was going to pic up my dad from the airport when my uncle dropped me of at my house I saw my dad and hugged him then he gave me  200 pesos to buy something at the store and I ate with my family then the next day my dad took us to a other city to see the beach while my dad was driving me and my little brothers ate some snacks with my little sister because she was crying for snacks then my dad told us that we got here I opened the car doors so my brothers could get out of the car to go to the beach and swim with my brothers after swimming we went to the hotel to change to go eat at a restaurant near the beach than I went to the  Hotel to sleep then the next day we to a pool near the beach it was so fun playing with my brothers in the pool then I got out of the swimming pool because we where living and I told my little brother to get out of the pool because we were living that Hotel because my house was alone and we thought that someone had broken to our home than we got there fast and my house was in good condition the next day I went to school .

I flew to America from Ukraine on a beautiful day when the sky was clear, and the sun was shining brightly. My dream of moving to another country began to come true when I received a visa. It was not easy, but I was full of hopes and expectations. I packed my things, left my homeland full of memories, and went to the airport.

On board the plane, I felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety. I looked out the window, watching the ground disappear beneath me. We flew over the ocean, and I thought about what awaited me in a new country. When we landed at the airport, I felt a surge of adrenaline.

Everything around me looked different: people, language, even smells. I went through security and went to the waiting room, where I was met by my aunt, who already lived in America. Together, we began to explore the city. I was amazed by the high-rise buildings, noisy streets, and the diversity of people. Every day brought something new: I met people, went to school.

It was not easy, but I felt like I was taking a step towards my dream. Every moment was full of discoveries, and I knew that I had made the right choice by moving to America.

Over time, I began to feel more confident in this country. I have learned to appreciate the diversity that surrounds me and embrace different cultures. Moving to America has opened many doors for me: work, school, a good education that all teenagers dream of. This experience has taught me to be more open and flexible, and I am looking forward to what the future will bring me in this amazing country.

In December 2022, in Monterrey, Mexico, we were having dinner at home with our family. When my dad said, "I'd like to go to the United States so you can have a better life here," he felt sad, but now that's good for a family.

After my dad left the country, my older sister and my mom commented that it would be better if the whole family went with him because we had never been apart and it was better because we could learn English. When my dad was already in the United States, he told me I needed to go with my dad because he missed him. After a few weeks, we found out my mom was already with him. My siblings, my niece, and I were left home alone for about two weeks.

During those two weeks, we packed up our furniture and valuables to take to my grandmother. Then, in January 2023, the four of us traveled together. It was my first time traveling by plane, and, well, it was strange for me. When I boarded the plane, my mind filled with negative thoughts like, "What if the plane crashes and I never see my family again?" and things like that. We arrived in Washington, to a place called Federal Way. On the first day, I felt happy because the whole family was together.

Two months after our arrival, my parents went to register my brother and me for school. Unfortunately, they assigned us to different schools because my brother is two years younger than me. The first day I started school, I was very nervous because I didn't understand the language. The school was very large, and it was quite an adjustment. This change was new for me; making friends was a little difficult because I was embarrassed to talk to them or ask questions. I got lost several times because I couldn't find my classes. This change was also difficult for my brother, as we both lived in Mexico for a long time and didn't know much English, only the basics my older sister taught us.

This change happened so quickly that I didn't have time to say goodbye to my friends and family. A month passed, and I started missing my family, my friends, and the beautiful place where I lived.

It's been two years since I arrived in the United States, and I've adjusted to the culture. I've learned a little more English and can almost understand it. This change helped me discover that sometimes change isn't as bad as it seems.

By: Evelyn Edith Rupan Perez.

If I had never moved to Kent, my life would probably be completely different. Maybe I would still be in Guatemala, with my old friends and in a school where I felt comfortable. I wouldn't have gone through the challenge of learning a new language or adapting to a different culture. The routine would have been the same, without the discomforts and challenges I faced in the United States. However, I also think that I would not have grown as much as a person. The move forced me to step out of my comfort zone, face my fears, and discover strengths in myself that I didn't know I had. I met people who marked my life, such as my paternal family and the boy who became my first love. If I hadn't come to Kent, I would have missed out on experiences that, although sometimes difficult, made me stronger. August 12, 2022, was marked in my life as the day when everything changed. After spending six months in Boston after leaving Guatemala, my father and uncles decided that we would move to Kent, Washington, where my entire paternal family lived. I didn't know what to expect, but deep down I hoped to find something that would make all this change worthwhile. 

When we arrived at the airport, we were greeted by my aunt's husband. I already knew my aunt Zeidy, but there was someone I had never seen in my life: my aunt Liliana. I had heard of her, but I had never had a chance to see it in person. The moment I hugged her, I felt a mixture of emotions, joy, nerves, but, above all, a warm sense of belonging. That summer was unforgettable. For the first time in a long time, my paternal family was reuniting, and every day was a new adventure. Walks, laughter, meals together... It was the perfect summer. But, like everything good in life, that time also came to an end.

The end of summer brought with it something that filled me with anxiety: my first day of school in a completely unfamiliar place. I didn't speak English, and I was afraid I wouldn't fit in. My aunt helped me with the registration and, the hardest thing was feeling completely lost, as if I was invisible in the middle of a world I didn't understand. Not knowing English made everything seem more complicated, from asking for help to simply introducing myself to others. Every day was a challenge, and sometimes I felt like I would never fit in. I remember September 12, 2022, it was time to face one of my greatest fears. The school was immense, very different from what I was used to in Guatemala. I felt tiny in the middle of so many people speaking a language I didn't understand. Luckily, my cousin John was there to help me find my classes. I also had a hard time adjusting to cultural differences.

In Guatemala, people are closer and warmer, while here I felt that relations were more distant at first. It took me a while to understand that it wasn't that people were cold, but that the way they socialized was just different. Learning to navigate this new environment was a slow process, but over time, I found my place.

In my second class, the fear began to dissipate a bit. There were several students who spoke Spanish, which made me feel a little more confident. It was there that I saw him for the first time. I won't forget him: a boy with a deep gaze and a smile who seemed to hide a million secrets. He was my table mate. At first, I thought he didn't speak Spanish because he was shy, but when the teacher put us to work together, I found out that he did. Still, at first, I didn't like him, but over time, his way of being began to catch my attention in a way I didn't expect.

The days passed, and every time we were in the same class, I felt his gaze on me. It was as if he was trying to decipher me, as if in the midst of all the confusion I felt, he was the only one capable of seeing beyond.

October brought with it the homecoming dance, a night I will never forget. I decided to take a chance and tell him how I felt. I confessed that I liked it, but he didn't say anything. He just hugged me and kissed me on the forehead. The silence felt like a stab, so I changed the subject, pretending it didn't hurt. However, at the end of the night, something in me couldn't resist it anymore. I approached and stole a kiss from him. The unexpected thing was that he gave it back to me. But there was confusion in his eyes, as if he wasn't sure what he felt.

Time passed and we got to know each other better. In November, he was the one who took the initiative and asked me to be boyfriend and girlfriend. From that moment on, I lived one of the most beautiful loves of my life. With him I learned what it was like to feel loved, what it was like to have someone who looked at me as if I were the most special thing in the world. For two years, we shared unforgettable moments, laughter, dreams and promises that at that time seemed eternal. This love taught me a lot about what it means to love and be loved. Before I met him, I was afraid to open my heart, to trust someone completely. With him I learned that love can be beautiful, but also that it is not always enough for two people to stay together.

It helped me discover what I really value in a relationship and, above all, understand that self-love is the basis of everything. I learned that, even if someone is important in my life, I shouldn't get lost in the process. Thanks to this experience, today I know that love is not just about being with someone, but about growing together and, when necessary, knowing how to let go.

But life is unpredictable. Sometimes, even the prettiest love isn't enough to keep two people together. We separated, and although it hurt, I learned that there are loves that never disappear completely. I still love him and will always remember him fondly. But now I know that true love is not only being with someone but also learning to let go when necessary.

Today, I look forward with gratitude. I'm excited for what's to come, even if it's not with him anymore. I have myself, I have my family, my friends and I am certain that, no matter what happens, every experience, every tear and every smile has shaped the person I am today.

The day I came to USA it was in July 2020    in summer I was in California, and I move to Washington   I was whit my mom and dad and my siblings and it was so cold outside of airport because we were waiting for my aunty. And she took so long to come. We were waiting for 3 hours outside of the airport and she came to pick as up and   we went her house and we stayed there for a few months   and my dad start looking for jobs and he find one and we move to are first apartment.

And  I was so glad to live to my own place and I was too happy when my dad say we was about to move to a new house my apartment  was in Burien and I had good neighbors and I made some news friends and I was so happy but the problem is when I move to my new apartment I wasn’t able to spik English  whit my friends.   And I started with a whirlwind of sights and sounds as I arrived in Kent, WA, and immediately noticed the friendly faces and the bustling energy of the city, followed by a delicious lunch at a local cafe, and a relaxing afternoon exploring a nearby park. 

One day I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood, and I was struck by the diversity of the people and the architecture. I saw everything from modern apartment buildings to charming old houses, all nestled among lush green trees and parks.

One day me and my dad we   stopped for lunch at a cozy cafe, where I ordered a delicious sandwich and a refreshing iced coffee. The friendly staff and the lively atmosphere made me feel right at home.

This is the feeling. My first day in the USA was a mix of excitement, trepidation, and a sense of possibility. It was a day that marked the beginning of a new adventure, a chapter filled with the promise of growth and discovery.

The day I came to the US. I am Malala Ahmadzai. I am from Afghanistan. I lived in places where I have many memories with my family and friends. I am a resident of Kabul province in Afghanistan. I was 6 years old when we came to Kabul from our province of Paktia and continued our life in Kabul. Those were great times. I went to a private school for my 4th year. I made many friends there.

This is my dream that peace will come in Afghanistan. Over time, everything changed. The Taliban took over country. Many difficulties and hardships came. It was a difficult time for the people of Afghanistan. It was a danger for many people to leave Afghanistan. It was a danger for our family as well. when my dad came home in a hurry and said, “Pick up your suitcases in we are living and five minutes to go to the airport.” I said we're moving today. Don't you think it's too late at night? We packed our things and headed for the airport. It was a very difficult and painful scene. We had to leave our house. After that, we went to the airport and waited there for three hours. After that, when they said it was To ready fly, it was the worst moment of my life. I thought I was dreaming, but it wasn't. It was true that we were going far away from Afghanistan.

Our first flight was to Dubai. When we arrived there, we also waited for two hours at Dubai airport. After that, our second flight was from Dubai to Kuwait. We also waited there for three hours. After that, we flew to Qatar. When we arrived in Qatar, we were taken to a camp where all the Afghans were. They gave us two rooms. We spent the holy month of Ramadan in Qatar, and we also celebrated Eid there. Camp Qatar was a really good place. We spent 40 days there. It was a good place. I made a lot of friends there. After iftar, we would go to the park. In short, it was a nice and peaceful place. When we came to America, my friends cried a lot. It's very difficult to make friends in life and then those people leave your life. It's almost impossible to see them again. After 33 days, our US visas arrived. Then, after some time, we received tickets. We stayed in the Qatar camp for 40 days.

After a very long journey, we arrived in Virginia City. It was a very tiring and long journey. I was very tired. I wanted to sleep for a long time, but unfortunately, there was still another journey ahead. We waited for three hours at the Virginia airport, which was very crowded. After that, the flight was Ready, and we headed towards Washington State.

When we arrived in Washington, we went to a relative's house. After a week, we found a house in Federal Way. We went there. It took us 18 days to find another house. School was also on vacation. After the vacation, when school started, I didn't want to go to school because it was too difficult. When I came to KM on the first day, I saw Zahra, I met her, now she is my best friend, and I hope that we will be together forever now. I have a too many problems It was a new language, and my English wasn't that good. But when I made friends, we helped each other and solved any problems we had at school together.

My name is Amin Hassan. I am from Somalia, mainly from Kismayo region. I am 17 years old, I have one older sibling, named Hanan. My story started after my parents died. I really had a hard life, my mother died when I was 10 years old, after that my older sister took over my mom’s responsibilities, then she took me to her house to live until I knew a better future, after that I live a good life, Because my sister always made me feel happy, good, and in the afternoon we would go to the market so I wouldn't feel lonely. My sister always encouraged me to be a hard worker and put studying first.  My sister always encouraged me to be a hard worker and prioritize my education above all else so that I could achieve a bright future, but everything happened unexpectedly, and it was Abdisalam, who was behind it.

Her husband's name is Abdisalam. He is a good man who has always been there for me, but Abdisalam has joined a terrorist group called Al-Shabaab. My sister told me about this, but at first, she hid it from me, but then Abdisalam started missing several nights at home. My sister, worried, said, "Abdisalam, where have you been all night? Why haven't you come home?" He didn't answer me. After some times, my sister learned that Abdisalam had joined a bloodthirsty and brutal group called Al-Shabaab. It came as a surprise to her. My sister opposed him.  My sister confronted him. She said to Abdisalam, "Abdisalam, do you want me to be part of the group that is shedding people's blood? “Then Abdisalam told my sister, "That's none of your business." After that, family conflict began, and trust and happiness disappeared, because Abdisalam began to beat my sister every time they argued. One night, I came to my sister's house, and she was sitting alone and crying. After I came to her, she told me that Abdisalam was part of Al-Shabaab and that her trust and love for him had been shattered. After that, I calmed my sister down and told her to calm her heart. After two nights, Abdisalam grabbed my sister's hand and I heard my sister screaming and saying, "Brother, go away." After that, I went to the room where the two of them were. Then my eyes caught Abdisalam beating my sister with a belt. I was very angry and could not control myself. I immediately left the room where they were.  I entered my room and asked myself for a while, crying, what brought this sadness to me. After that, my sister came to me. She said to me, "Brother, tell him good intentions, everything will be fine," she said to me, while smiling and She is trying to hide the sadness burning in her womb. She also told me to be patient until we get out of this situation. because there is corruption in Somalia and the region where I live is one that is prone to terrorism.

After a while, he said, "I can't see Amin at my house because I don't want him to stay at my house.”  He's just trying to intimidate my sister. Then my sister said, "Amin is young, he is not a man who can support himself today, he is 13 years old, so what is wrong.?" Then my sister said, "Amin and I are leaving your house, but Amin is not leaving alone." Then my sister said, "We left this house. “I said, "What happened? She told me that her husband said that he didn’t want to see me. Then I asked where we would sleep if we left the house.  She told me that we were going to her friend’s house, and she talked to her friends and told them everything. Then the man came to her and felt that my sister was getting ready, so he asked her where she was going, while hiding her plans. She said, "I'm not leaving." Then they went into the room and argued, then he said “Amin, I will kill you right away!” He brought out a pistol. After that I ran out of the house and went outside, and I don't know where to go, and I don't know where Najma's house is, I don't have a phone to call my sister from, and I don't know where to sleep. Then I went to the mosque and slept for two nights, then the mosque administration came to me, and they asked me where I came from and my family, and I told them everything, they said, do you have my sister's number, I gave it to them and Then the administration and my sister talked to each other, she came to me, then they took me to Najma's house.

You worked hard to think of and write about a powerful personal topic, and crafted key details and your present powerful lessons and essential ideas for us to grapple with.

Nooralhuda Al Dulaimi

Loving a friend so much, trusting them and being together no matter what, understanding them, the most important thing is to remember the memories, but living far away from each other is a very difficult situation again and again, but the fact that our friendship still continues makes me the happiest person in the world.

 It was October 8, 2021, it was a weekend in middle school, one of the most difficult and depressing days I've ever had. It was a weekend when I woke up with a message notification, sometimes I think to myself that I shouldn't have woken up that day. I saw that I had a long message from my best friend Rawan and got curious so I looked at the message and in the message she said to me that” You wasn’t the same as in elementary school and that we had both changed and that’s why I want to end our friendship and wished you a good day”. At first I thought she was joking but when I looked at the message she seemed serious it wasn’t to be taken as a joke I read the message many times, I read it as many times as I could count, I didn’t believe it, I rubbed my eyes, I tried to wake up I said “no this can’t be real, there must be a mistake” in fact because I didn’t believe it I went back to sleep and woke up an hour later, I read it over and over again finally I realized it wasn’t a dream, I had wished it was a dream so much but reality had slapped me in the face.

As far as I remember when I was little I was someone who immediately got mad at my friends for no reason. I guess it was because of some psychological and family problems . but when I grew up I realized how wrong this was behavior, it was very stupid to get mad at someone for no reason and it was hurting the person in front of me. When I went to school after the weekend, I kept quiet instead of hearing the details and the problem from my friend's mouth. Yes, that was also my fault. Imagine receiving such a message from your closest friend and you keep quiet. It sounds very illogical, doesn't it? I couldn't say anything. I was very hurt and angry. That message was engraved in my head from reading it every day. I had thought of everything that could come to my mind. Maybe she got tired of my behavior and got upset and didn't want to be my friend, but not asking in the first place was also a stupid behavior. When I think about it, I still try to understand why I didn't ask and why I just kept quiet.

 After that we started not talking to each other days, weeks and months passed time had already passed and it was almost 7-8 months we didn't talk at all. Everyday we were in the same class, we who used to hang out during breaks at school started not hanging out, not talking and even our closest mutual friend his name is Ehsan noticed this he was constantly asking what was going on between us but none of us said anything we just kept quiet even when I took my exams and told my family my results, my mom and my sister was directly asking Rawan got and I was just said “ I don't know”  because my family knew she was my closest friend but I never told my mom about this problem between us and to be honest I had a hard time . One day my friend Ehsan was with our class teacher and not content with that he told other teachers that we were fighting and he didn't know why and then even the teachers asked us what was going on between us but we didn't open our mouths.

 I was feeling more and more depressed as the days passed because I didn't say a word to my best friend and I had a hard time. What I didn't expect months later was that my closest friend said “I  wanted to talk with you , tell me when you free “I was very excited and even wondered what she would say. When we met face to face, something I didn't expect and she said “I want us to be friends again and that it wasn't worth this ridiculous event,” with excitedly , I couldn't believe it, I didn't think we would get back together because months had passed. I accepted that we will not be friends anymore but the hard part was that when we made up, we didn't know what to talk about, there was still a coldness between us. But then, as the days passed, that beautiful old intimacy came back, and we got back together like before. I felt like I was falling in love with life again.

 I am someone who values ​​the person I love no matter what, even though I moved to America, we still talk to each other and care about each other. Distances never matter to me whether I am somewhere else in the world, what matters is that we still feel the same love and respect for each other. If there is someone you really care about, don't throw up because of something ridiculous and worthless. You wouldn't believe me if I said I love them more than myself, but I believe and I know. Right now, I am in one country and they are in another, nothing changes and no one understands how much I miss them, you never know what a feeling is unless you experience it. I am glad we made up, I hope we don't get angry again and we don't drift apart. What I mean is, anyone you love from your heart, this person doesn't just have to be your lover. Family members , friends, teachers, relatives and more. Let's love and appreciate these people.

When you and your family first arrived, your plan was to make Seattle your home. However, something happened during your flight, and instead of reaching your intended destination, you ended up in Oregon. This sudden change must have been both disorienting and frustrating. Arriving in a completely unfamiliar place, without knowing the language or the area, added to the difficulties you were facing.

One of the immediate challenges you encountered was the language barrier. Not being able to communicate in English made everyday tasks much more complicated. Finding something as simple as a store became a daunting task. For anyone, not knowing how to ask for help or read signs can feel incredibly isolating. These small but essential parts of daily life likely became major obstacles for you and your family. However, you demonstrated resilience in seeking support, and a caseworker stepped in to help guide you through this difficult time.

With the assistance of the caseworker, you and your family began to adapt to life in Oregon. The support they provided must have been invaluable as you navigated these early challenges. During the six months you stayed there, you likely faced more learning curves as you adjusted to your new environment. Though Oregon wasn’t your original plan, it became a temporary home where you worked to find stability in an unfamiliar world.

When the time finally came to leave Oregon and move to Seattle, the journey wasn’t as smooth as you might have hoped. After months of adapting to life in one place, preparing to transition to another must have been a mix of excitement and nervousness. Unfortunately, this significant move was accompanied by illness. Being sick during such an important time must have made the experience much harder for you. Coping with illness while managing the stress of a move is a challenge on its own, and it highlights just how much you had to endure.

Despite the hurdles you faced, your determination to move forward never wavered. Your journey from Oregon to Seattle was not just a physical transition but also a testament to your strength and perseverance. You were determined to provide a better future for your family, even when the odds seemed stacked against you. Overcoming language barriers, adapting to a new environment, and dealing with health challenges—these were no easy feats, but you faced them head-on.

Now that you’re in Seattle, I hope you’ve begun to find a sense of stability and belonging. Adjusting to a new place takes time, and I imagine that your resilience and determination have continued to guide you. Learning the language, building connections, and exploring your new community are all steps toward creating a better life. While the journey may not have been easy, your story is a powerful reminder of the strength and courage it takes to start over in a new country.

Your experience is one of perseverance in the face of adversity. From the unexpected detour to Oregon to the challenges of navigating life as a newcomer, you and your family have shown incredible resilience. Moving to Seattle, even while dealing with illness, was a testament to your determination to overcome obstacles and create a better future. As you settle into your new life, your story will continue to reflect your strength and the progress you’ve made.

First our family my 3 brothers , sisters , mom and  dad trip start from Afghanistan to Qatar when we were in Afghanistan we had a case to come to America that looks a big trip and too much time to stay in different places  so  first we  had to come to Qatar and then come to America but when we start the trip from Afghanistan to Qatar  it was 2019 we got a call from  Siv  case management  and told us we had to get ready for flight and they told us that we had to go to a restaurant and wait there for next step the time was passing in restaurant waiting for call to get out from restaurant because it was hard to stay and small place for a long time with no sports not internet no tools to hang with it but one day at night we got a call to get ready for flight from Kabul to Qatar and they gave us the date to be ready on that date so the time came and we came from Kabul to Qatar and we thought we wont stay there for long time and we wont be bored there but as we thought it wasn’t the  same lowkey it was worse then Kabul it first time but as long we stay there we had love and we found friends there we had soccer filed we got everything there and we loved to be there but after long time we got another call to get ready for flight from Qatar to Washington that was a bad day some of my family was happy because they wanted to get education and come to Washington but some of them they had friends there and don’t wanted to lose their friends so they was kind of sad but we had to come to Washington so we didn’t care of sad or happy then we get ready for flight and the flight day came and we come to Washington state but as I said before we were still sad4 there the problem we get why we were sad because of changing places losing friends and getting depressed so as long we stay and start schools start jobs fiend friends then we come to normal life but we had problems in language places we didn’t know about a lot of stuff but we learned we tried and we learned about too much things but my favorite time. Was Qatar time because when we get there to Qatar at fist times the weather was hot the food was different that wasn’t nice but after a few weeks I found a friend he was a nice and chill guy he was doing soccer and he told me to start soccer with him to have fun but I didn’t know how to do soccer but my friend teaches me how to do it and then day by day I learned the soccer then we include into a soccer team so we made our schedule at the morning time we woke up and went run for 30 minutes after that break fast then sleep and at the evening time start soccer we were doing soccer for 3 hours then after that sleep . that how we did there for 3 months and that was the reason I liked Qatar and that’s the point I missed Qatar too much  but now I got friends here I got job here so I love here and I want to be here .thanks

When I was 14 years old, I remember that I had to come to the United States. I lived in a town called Coacoyul Gro. The reason why we had to move was because there was a lot of insecurity in my country, more than anything it was because of organized crime. My town was already in the hands of drug trafficking, and it caused clashes between sides sometimes and because our family was also being threatened. We had to move from Guerrero to Tijuana where we stayed for almost 4 months in a house in Sonora. We were renting that time from there waiting to cross. After that, we crossed to another place that was through Sonora where we stayed in another shelter called Mercy and we stayed 20 days there. The food, let's say, wasn't very good but it was enough for me. After that, we crossed into Arizona legally and from there they bought the tickets for the plane.

I felt bad because I left many things tha t were important to me, my friends, my house and my meals. I felt bad because now they are just memories that remain with me. I liked traveling by plane, it feels great in part, but it is a little scary. When I arrived in Seattle, a relative of ours picked me up, I think it was my uncle, he took us to where we could stay. I felt different since everything was new to me. I was impressed by the large buildings that it had, some that I never thought I would see. I was surprised to see a supercar that F50 supercar. I liked seeing this. I felt like my life took a 360-degree turn, but I had my first challenges, which was a new educational system and at the same time in language, and I did not have anyone to help me much. But with the passage of time, I got used to this and it became my daily life. Although I have difficulties understanding English and adapting to this environment, I was able to move forward, and I did not let my thoughts win me over. Currently, I am practicing English, and I try to give my best work. I also work and I am doing well. I try to be the best version of myself for the future.

My name is Abdullah, and I’m form Afghanistan 3. years ago, I was just chilling and my room with my brother and this time Afghanistan Falling, and 2021 Taliban come to my country and this time I was so sad and difficult feeling and this time they are goon to kill my family and, but my dad say I won to leave my country and then I come Qatari.

 When I come to Qatar I have encountered many things I have never seen before, Among the beauties of the city of Qatar,   was and Qatar like 3 months and then I take tickets to come U.S., and I was so happy when I come to the New York then we stayed for  2 weeks and then I come to the Washington and then I stayed and my uncle Home.

 When I come outside to see I Washington, how is it like it was so snowy outside and I like it but 3 days after I take  my green cards and then I feeling successful and then I looking for the  house and the I find in Auburn when my family see the house it was my family like t and I like to and then TO the new house and then 4 day after I came with my father to I enrolled and  school and the first day I found some friend Afghan I was so happy but when I go to the calls I can’t find the my calls that’s was so hard for me to ask teacher because I was don’t know English but I told my Afghan friend  then he show the calls and then I sit and  my class.

 but my dad don’t like Auburn after one year I leave  to the Kent and then I come to KM  I was so happy and when I come inside and school I see my  Afghan friend and then I Taki with my friend about school this time I feel happy and then I find some friends Afghan this time I was  feeling so happy, and I was just chilling with my friend and happy.[M(1] 

And I’m and KM I’m doing learning English and  I’m happy and KM .

 [M(1]this was a good story because he was chilling with his brother when the Taliban came to his house in 2021 in Afghanistan .

My name is Josselyn. I'm from Mexico, I'm 16 years old, and I can say that dreams do come true. Everything started in Mexico at the middle school, it was a beautiful sunny day, we were in lunch it started with a conversation among friends, when we were talking about our future, setting goals, thoughts, ideas, among other things, when it occurred to me to say that my dream was to live in the United States to study, learn English, and get to know new places. My friends congratulated me and told me that these were clever ideas and good plans, one of my friends tell me “Do you think is fun? Tell us the truth, is that your real dream? If you said before you want to take a career of veterinarian when your ideas change?” And I just said” we’ll  be veterinary is my bigger dream, but if I could get in a opportunity to go to USA, I’ll take it, I want to try new things, something out of my zone of comfort, something what can show me the live is hard see the life from another perspective” and they just looked at me and said I’m really strong to had thoughts like this one.

It all starts a week after my high school graduation, my parents had a talk with me, which was about my future and what I wanted to do "Josselyn what do you want to do for your future" "your uncles and I have talked about giving you an opportunity where you can go to the United States to study, but you have to go alone we can't go" and this would have to be two days after your party, and no one will know about this just you will leave, it was shocking news, I was grateful for it but I was sad because I would have to move away from them and my friends, and that would be very complicated for me because I did not master any other language only Spanish, this It was going through my head all night, but I had to stop thinking negatively because in two weeks it would be my dream party "my quinceanera" that I had been preparing for years and waiting for years, but even so this decision was still in my head, the day of my party arrived, I was happy and distracted all day long, I didn't think at any time about my decision to go to the United States, and I just enjoyed my party. The day of my party was beautiful, and I enjoyed it a lot with my friends since I wouldn't see them again for a long time. When my party was over, I hugged my whole family and started to cry, they were confused, but I didn't say anything to them. I already had my luggage ready to leave the next day, I got home, finished packing what I needed and started my trip to El Paso, Texas where my parents would drop me off to take a plane to come to Seattle, Washington, I didn't know what clothes to take because I didn't know what weather I would encounter, when I said goodbye to my parents it was difficult and I couldn't cry because I knew that if I did I would get scared and wouldn't want to get on that plane, after the worst goodbye of my life I got on the plane and my trip began. I arrived in Seattle Washington on August 20,2022, a day after my party ,the weather was very cold and I wasn't warm, I took an uber and went home where a beautiful family was waiting for me.

The first 5 months were the most complicated for me, because I missed my family, I didn't understand the language, I couldn't communicate, I couldn't get used to the climate in Washington because it was very cold and in Mexico most of the time it was hot, and I didn't know what to do, I fell into depression, and one of my uncles and my parents spoke to me to encourage me and tell me not to give up, Thanks to that I can finally say that I now speak English and I learned many new things and I am achieving my goals, I became very close to them and thanks to their support and that of my parents, I am here today. I continue learning and I have learned many things that they have taught me.

I was born and raised in Kinshasa, the vibrant heartbeat of the Democratic Republic of Congo. With over 17 million people calling it home, the city pulses with a rhythm all its own. Its bustling markets hum with life, its vibrant streets teem with stories, and the majestic Congo River flows endlessly, carrying the spirit of a resilient and thriving community. Kinshasa is more than just a place it is a living, breathing force, shaping those who walk its lively streets and embrace its untamed energy.

This city, rich in rhythm and resilience, molded me into the person I am today. Kinshasa was not just where I lived; it was where I belonged, surrounded by the love and support of my family. My cousins, aunts, and uncles formed an unbreakable network of mutual care, and our gatherings were always filled with music, laughter, and the irresistible aroma of pondu, saka-saka, and grilled fish. Life in Kinshasa wasn’t always easy, but I never felt alone. Every day, the vibrant faces I encountered from street vendors selling fresh produce to children playing soccer on dusty roads reminded me of our shared spirit of perseverance. This city, with all its challenges and joys, gave me an unwavering sense of belonging.

However, as the years passed, I realized that life had much more in store for me beyond its bustling streets. I also stopped eating meat when I learned about its impact, and a new chapter was about to begin. That chapter started when my grandmother and I moved to Muanda, a much smaller city in Congo with a population of just over 30,000. Leaving Kinshasa, with all its energy and familiarity, was difficult, but the promise of reuniting with other family members in Muanda kept me going.

The journey to Muanda, however, was far from easy. The bus ride felt like it lasted forever, stretching to nearly 17 hours and 16 minutes on some trips. The endless winding roads made me nauseous, and the boredom only intensified the discomfort. To make matters worse, the smells inside the bus were unbearable fish being transported, items people bought at markets, and other pungent odors mingled together. At one point, I simply couldn’t hold it anymore; the overwhelming stench and my motion sickness caused me to throw up. It was one of the most exhausting journeys I’d ever experienced. By the time we finally arrived in Muanda, I was completely drained, and that first night, all I could do was sleep.

Adjusting to life in Muanda came with its share of challenges and joys. It was much quieter than Kinshasa, but the warmth of family made the transition easier. I spent my days playing soccer with my cousins and attending school, trying to accept the slower pace of life in this small town. Despite my new surroundings, I often found myself missing the familiar chaos of Kinshasa the crowded streets, the bustling markets, and the comforting sounds of home. Still, Muanda had its charms, and I gradually found my place in this peaceful corner of the Congo.

One of the most difficult periods of my life began shortly after, when I had to start traveling back and forth between Kinshasa and Muanda to handle important documents. Each trip was long and exhausting, requiring patience and endurance. I would leave Muanda, embark on the grueling journey to Kinshasa, and return shortly after. This routine of back-and-forth travel tested me in ways I had not anticipated, but I knew it was necessary to achieve my ultimate goal: reuniting with my parents in the United States. The process seemed endless, but I refused to give up.

After countless trips and unwavering perseverance, the moment finally arrived when everything was in order. My documents were complete, and I was ready to take the next big step in my life. Saying goodbye to Muanda and Kinshasa was bittersweet. These cities had shaped me profoundly, teaching me resilience, patience, and the importance of family. They gave me the foundation to face the challenges ahead.

The final leg of my journey began with a flight from Kinshasa to Turkey. The excitement of leaving my home country for the first time was mixed with nervousness about what lay ahead. From Turkey, I boarded another plane to the United States, where my parents were waiting for me. The journey felt surreal: every mile brought me closer to a new life, but also further from the places and people that had defined my past.

Arriving in the United States was a moment I will never forget. After years of struggle and preparation, I was finally reunited with my parents. It was a dream come true the culmination of a journey filled with challenges, resilience, and growth. Although I was far from Kinshasa and Muanda, I carried their spirit with me. They were more than places; they were a part of who I was, a reminder of the resilience and love that brought me to this moment.

Looking back, my journey from Kinshasa to the United States was more than just a physical journey: it was a testament to perseverance and the unifying power of family. No matter where life takes me, I will always carry the vibrancy of Kinshasa and the tranquility of Muanda in my heart.

It was December 31, 2018, my family and I were celebrating the new year in El Salvador when suddenly they told me that they were going to blindfold me and that they had a surprise for me, so they blindfolded me, and then they counted to 3, and I opened my eyes and the surprise was that I was coming to the United States. Well, the truth is that I was somewhat happy because I knew that I was going to come and I was going to leave my family and friends, and that I was going to arrive in a different country, that the United States was never going to cooperate with El Salvador, although I was going to meet more Salvadorans but it was not going to be the same, but anyway I decided to come to the United States because I also wanted to get ahead, since it is difficult in El Salvador, one is that barely in 2018, we were getting out of all that gang stuff, and because of all that there is not much opportunity to get ahead in El Salvador, that is why many people decided to travel to the United States uu, then the day came to come, it was April 22, 2019, I took a flight from San Salvador to Mexico and from Mexico City to the border, I moved by bus, crossed the desert, walked for 3 days, two nights, I arrived in Texas but I don't remember exactly where and from there they were attracting me by car because my destination was Houston, Texas, so it was close, I was there for a year and from there I traveled to New York, I was there for 2 years and from there I decided to come to Seattle and I have been here for 2 and a half years and I am working to do the things that I want and thank God we are moving forward.

Our family decided to leave our home, friends and familiar life to find safety in another country. This decision was not easy, but the choice was obvious. A long and difficult journey began. The first stop was Turkey, where we spent two days in Istanbul. I found the city stunning with its life, contrasts and energy. The Blue Mosque, with its majestic domes and interior, seemed to transport us to another world. We also walked along the Bosphorus, where we met people willing to help and listen. Even though we were there for only two days, I realized that Turkey is a country where history intertwines with modernity.

Then our path lay in Germany, in the city of Aachen. This place was completely different, calm and cozy. Medieval buildings and cobbled streets told stories of past centuries. We were lucky to visit the Aachen Cathedral, which amazed me with its beauty and grandeur. But most of all I remember the locals - kind, patient and ready to help. It was a city where I felt for a moment that life can be bright and calm, despite everything that surrounded us.

After Germany, we went to Ireland, to the city of Swords. Its quiet streets, cozy parks and green lawns immediately attracted my attention. It was a city where you could hide from the chaos of the world. However, the holidays turned it into a completely different place - loud parties, music and laughter echoed through the streets, and it was wonderful. The people of Swords seemed happy despite all their worries. These contrasts made the city special to me, as if it combined the best of calm and fun.

Finally, we arrived in the USA, in the state of Washington, in the city of Kent. This was our new home. Unlike the previous cities, Kent looked modern and fully developing. Wide streets, diverse neighborhoods and cultural diversity made the city vibrant and dynamic. It took me a while to get used to it, but gradually I began to feel part of this new world. In Kent, I found a school, new friends and, most importantly, hope for the future.

The war changed me. It taught me to appreciate peace, freedom and the people around me. Each city we visited on our way left a mark on my soul. They became not just points on the map, but also parts of my new life. Turkey gave me warmth and inspiration, Germany – fortitude and peace, Ireland – harmony and joy, and America – a chance to start over