123cupcakes
Nov 24, 2013
Undergraduate / What if I did not come to America? ; U Texas/ people whose experiences differ from mine [2]
From time to time I wonder to myself. What if I did not come to America? What would my life be like right now? Would I still be in school? Would I be the same person if I had not moved from Cambodia? Even though it has been seven years now, it still feels as if yesterday was the first day I stepped my foot in America. The opportunities here allow me to explore and discover myself. My experience growing up and living the U.S has shaped me into who I am today.
The first year living here, I was skeptical and hated everything. It was completely different from what I had experienced. The people are different, the city is too big, and everything is too far from one another. Even the climate is different. I lived in Massachusetts for the last 7 years and the cold weather was not something I enjoyed. Despite the fact that I hated the cold weather, I anticipated snow every year. Over the course of living in Massachusetts, I began to really enjoy winter. I look forward to Christmas every single year. Houses are bright with lights and when the snow falls, it lights up the whole city even if it is 3 o'clock in the morning. Winter in Cambodia is completely different from the winter in New England. I would not have been able to experience white Christmas ever if I was still in Cambodia.
I begin to fall in love with my surroundings and city. I love the loud noise of cars driving by and the smell of coffee from the corner coffee shop. What is great about America is that, everyone is different. But at the same time, we are all the same people. As an Asian immigrant, I had always felt left out. But where I am from, our city is filled with many other ethnic groups of people with the same experience as me. We all started the same. We came from somewhere.
The diversity in this country allows me to open my eyes and view others in their perspective. It allows me to understand other cultures. Why people act the way they do and why they talk the way they do. If I was still in Cambodia, I would not have met people of different cultures and nationalities and my perception would be opaque. This country has taught me many things about life and it would not have been the same if I was any other country. The diversity allows me to be who I am. As an immigrant, moving here was like being born again. I had to learn a new language, I was afraid I would not fit in. But when I look around me, I am not the only "exotic" person here. All the countries in the world make up this one country I call, home.
I would not have climbed a 35 ft rock wall at a camp if I was still in Cambodia. The 35 ft rock wall allowed me to feel confident in myself. Even though I was not the first person to climb that wall I am still proud of myself. I left camp with nothing but confidence and the feeling of independence.
These events in my life would not have occurred if I did not have the opportunity to come to America. Although it seems scary, I am looking forward to the future, to what this country has to offer, to college, and to what I can achieve for myself. I am proud of the person that I am today. I feel confident enough to say that I am not afraid of what is in front of me. Life is vast and mysterious, but I am up for it because the only direction in life is to keep moving forward.
From Cambodia to America
From time to time I wonder to myself. What if I did not come to America? What would my life be like right now? Would I still be in school? Would I be the same person if I had not moved from Cambodia? Even though it has been seven years now, it still feels as if yesterday was the first day I stepped my foot in America. The opportunities here allow me to explore and discover myself. My experience growing up and living the U.S has shaped me into who I am today.
The first year living here, I was skeptical and hated everything. It was completely different from what I had experienced. The people are different, the city is too big, and everything is too far from one another. Even the climate is different. I lived in Massachusetts for the last 7 years and the cold weather was not something I enjoyed. Despite the fact that I hated the cold weather, I anticipated snow every year. Over the course of living in Massachusetts, I began to really enjoy winter. I look forward to Christmas every single year. Houses are bright with lights and when the snow falls, it lights up the whole city even if it is 3 o'clock in the morning. Winter in Cambodia is completely different from the winter in New England. I would not have been able to experience white Christmas ever if I was still in Cambodia.
I begin to fall in love with my surroundings and city. I love the loud noise of cars driving by and the smell of coffee from the corner coffee shop. What is great about America is that, everyone is different. But at the same time, we are all the same people. As an Asian immigrant, I had always felt left out. But where I am from, our city is filled with many other ethnic groups of people with the same experience as me. We all started the same. We came from somewhere.
The diversity in this country allows me to open my eyes and view others in their perspective. It allows me to understand other cultures. Why people act the way they do and why they talk the way they do. If I was still in Cambodia, I would not have met people of different cultures and nationalities and my perception would be opaque. This country has taught me many things about life and it would not have been the same if I was any other country. The diversity allows me to be who I am. As an immigrant, moving here was like being born again. I had to learn a new language, I was afraid I would not fit in. But when I look around me, I am not the only "exotic" person here. All the countries in the world make up this one country I call, home.
I would not have climbed a 35 ft rock wall at a camp if I was still in Cambodia. The 35 ft rock wall allowed me to feel confident in myself. Even though I was not the first person to climb that wall I am still proud of myself. I left camp with nothing but confidence and the feeling of independence.
These events in my life would not have occurred if I did not have the opportunity to come to America. Although it seems scary, I am looking forward to the future, to what this country has to offer, to college, and to what I can achieve for myself. I am proud of the person that I am today. I feel confident enough to say that I am not afraid of what is in front of me. Life is vast and mysterious, but I am up for it because the only direction in life is to keep moving forward.