February 5, 2007, Houston Texas, it was 4:20 am when the alarm when off. I was spending the last moments with my family before embarking in the most challenging adventure of my young life yet; I was 20. The rainy morning accentuated the heavy feeling of departure. I gathered my emotions, thoughts and my single luggage, and proceeded to kiss my mother good-bye. She barely moved, the pain of seeing her youngest son leaving without knowing when would be the next time she would see him was unbearable. Her eyes were sparkling, full of tears wanting to explode but were held like a dam holds wild rivers. She could only whisper a simple farewell. The color drained out of my face, I have never felt my throat in such a pain, a feeling I would …show more content…
Saying good-bye to my father and my sister Valeria after what I went through moments earlier was a breeze. My father wrapped me around his arms and with a saddened face masked with a smile gently told me in my ear “Do not be afraid, I believe in you, and I know that you will do just fine”. I could not utter a …show more content…
That marked my first encounter with the true Miami natives, the Cubans. I made my way to the parking lot where a blue sporty Honda was waiting for me. As soon as I stepped outside, the sun stopped burning, humidity spared me a few seconds, or so I thought, the mild warm breeze disappear, my heartbeats went through the roof. All the people around simply vanished. Mildred, the woman waiting for me jumped out of the car and into my arms, I’d never let go of her. Since then, it has been over a decade, and she is still in my arms. Miami became my home and I became fluent in the Cuban version of the Spanish language. I must admit it was not hard to get used to the crystal clear beaches, sunny mornings and its warmth wrapping you every morning. I do miss my parents every now and then, but I do not regret anything one
My father is a doctor and my mother is a teacher and they are very much in love. My parents had been married for two years when the had decided they wanted to come to Miami. They thought it very long and hard when making the decision. But they wanted growth and a place to start a family. So Dominigo Reyes (father) spoke to his wife Ileana Reyes (mother) and explained how he could study for his boards and become a doctor in the United States.
she explained coldly. ‘Now, do you have any last words before we leave you
I kissed my 10-year-old daughter goodbye, but even though she was 10 she couldn’t grasp the reality of what was happening. Next, I said goodbye to my son, he was 13; old enough to take care of himself but we wanted him to stay around a little longer. Lastly, I said goodbye to my wife, my beautiful darling wife with 2 children to raise on her own. I was having second thoughts but there was no chance I could ever change my decision.
He deserved this trip and I knew that, but for some reason, the excitement in his voice that day tore a hole in my heart. His joy was a cruel reminder of everything I had lost, of all the things I would never do again. “Hey, Jennie? You still there?”
After waiting at the airport for 2 hours on June 3rd, 2015 we finally hopped on the plane to Chicago, IL. As I sat in the seat I told myself I’m going to be missing half of my summer, to go be with family I’ve never seen in my life maybe it won’t be that bad. “Come on let's go” my dad tells, “we’re in Chicago already?” I asked, “Yes” my dad replied, wow the plane ride was as quick as lighting. Oh oh
No smiles, no handshakes, or hugs, were needed. Nothing was the same, and as we pulled into my parent’s driveway. I felt content for the first time in a long time. The “fighting days” were
Throughout the 25 minute bus ride, I could feel the nerves radiating off of the 30 something teens and adults. We quickly learned to savor these bus rides, no matter how uncomfortable, as they provided the only escape from the Jamaican heat and humidity, that hung over us heavily wherever we went. Rolling into the village, the first person we saw was a boy, no more than 13 years old, flipping us off while smoking a joint. Looking at those sitting around me, I could see the surprise and astonishment, as well as apprehension towards how the rest of the people living in the small town would act and how receptive they would be to us being there. Stepping off of the bus, the humidity hit me like a wall.
She is no longer in pain. She had been suffering for three years since my Pop-pop passed away. After I heard those words, I was no longer sad about my Grammy’s passing but joyed that she could
December 1986 as families prepared for the holidays of gift giving and traveling to see love ones I embarked upon a journey in my life that I never saw coming nor could have ever imagined. I along with my family were in preparations for the holidays and on a Friday evening as we started out for the mall to finish up last-minute shopping. First there was one stop we needed to make and that was at the barbershop. My older brother had gotten a job there running errands, answering phones, cleaning up, and keeping track of customers in order as they came in. Upon learning that the family was going shopping he immediately quit his job on the spot.
Mom and Dad are dressed up to take me home. It feels the same, though, I 'm wearing what I always wear, khaki pants and my tie-dyed T-shirt and my dressy shoes. Dad has to work so they decided to come early. I 'm frightened as I vision going to school tomorrow, however I 'm excited to start at a new school, a fresh start for a new me. As I 'm about to leave, I look around and can 't believe five days ago I was contemplating killing myself.
“I will miss everyone” were my last words before I get in the car, a sunday at 6:30 pm it was a very sad moment I didn 't have idea about when I was going to come again. The only thing I knew was that I was going to miss everyone and everything. But, I also knew that it was all for a better future and a better life. I left my country Dominican Republic and part of my family even though didn 't know when I was going to see them again.
On a normal, hot summer day my friends and I were having an intense pickup soccer game in an enormous backyard. We were having a sleepover, and hanging out just as any normal friends would hang out, and I wasn’t supposed to be picked up until the next day in the afternoon. Knowing that there was a lot of time on our hands we spent some of our time watching movies, and one in particular was Star Wars. “Why’d he have to die!” , one of my friends would say, when he watched Obi Wan Kenobi get sliced with a light saber who was his favorite character in the series.
Thank you. I know that the tuesday evening was as difficult for you as it was for each of us. But without you, But without you i wouldn 't of had this opportunity to write this now. You 'll never know what it meant to me and the feeling that i felt in the pit of my stomach as i was able to look you in the eyes and hold your hands for the last time. The amount of things that i wanted to tell you and ask you at that moment in time but I didn 't I didn 't want to cause you any more pain or suffering.
As my father dropped us off he gave us one last hug and wished us good luck. My mother was holding my hand as we reached customs, the TSA asking each person if we were bringing any seeds, liquids or lethal weapons on to the plane and everyone responding with “no”. As I stepped onto the
Moving is always hard. It is harder if you are moving from your birthplace to a culturally different country after spending most of your teenage years. I moved from Bangladesh to New York about a year and a half ago and let me tell you, it was not easy. I had to leave the place I grew up in, my friends and relatives and start a new life here in America. Probably the only good part was that at least I was with my family throughout this hardship.