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Hello everyone, my name is Melany. I was born on January 21, 2007, in Havana, Cuba. I live with my mother, my father, and my little sister. When I was little, I was a very charismatic child—fun, cheerful, and always dancing, always surrounded by the people I loved most in my life. Many of those people are no longer with me, but most of them are still here, supporting me every step of the way.In Cuba, I had my entire family, but as the years went by, many of my favorite people left, searching for a better future than the one available in my country (where there is no real future). My aunt left, my grandparents left, my great-uncles and great-aunts left—until I was left with just my parents and my great-grandmother. When I turned 10, my mom became pregnant with my little sister, which was a blessing for me because I often felt very lonely, spending most of my time at home with my grandmother.My father had always dreamed of leaving Cuba because there was no future, and the dictatorship was destroying the country. When I turned 15, my parents decided we should come to the United States by crossing the border from Nicaragua. I embarked on this great journey on March 31, 2022, with a backpack full of dreams and hope.I left Cuba with many beautiful memories, as I had to say goodbye to people who had been with me since birth, giving me love, support, and affection. My country is a beautiful place; despite its problems, Cuban people are some of the best in the world. No matter where they are, they will always offer you even what they don’t have just to make you happy and comfortable.I traveled through five countries (Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico) before reaching the U.S. It was not an easy journey—we went through many hardships—but thanks to God, we arrived in this country on April 20, 2022.Traveling through those five countries was incredibly tough. Many people can’t even imagine the sacrifices one has to make to get to this beautiful country. From the moment we arrived in Nicaragua, we began our journey the same day. We rode horses and walked nonstop from 12:00 PM until 7:00 AM. And it wasn’t just walking—it was running, jumping, and crouching. And that was just one country—imagine how it continued in the others.In Honduras and Guatemala, I spent most of the trip on buses through the mountains until we had to get off and cross on foot. In Guatemala, the bus left us in front of a ravine, and we had to climb down and then go up a steep hill full of holes—where one misstep could mean losing your life.When we arrived in Mexico, we were taken to Mexico City, where we had to wait for a truck with a trailer carrying about 200 people, including us. We spent 18 hours inside. The air conditioning broke, and people started fainting. It was extremely difficult, harder than any of you reading this can imagine. And I wasn’t alone—I was with my parents and my little sister, who was only four years old at the time.Finally, we made it and fulfilled the dream of every Cuban.When we arrived here, it was a very difficult process because my social life in Cuba was completely different from the one I initially had here. (I have always been a very social person with many friends.) I missed my grandmother so much, the one I had left behind in Cuba. Overall, the first few months were extremely tough.I feel that what the United States lacks compared to Cuba is my people—my community. Back home, people in the streets always treated you with kindness, offering you things even if they had little to give. I miss my Cuban people.I cherish the beautiful moments I shared with my grandmother, as we were very close. I always accompanied her when she ran errands, when we went to the beach (she loved the beach so much). Some of the moments I miss the most with my friends were playing dominoes, sitting on the corner talking, gossiping, playing whatever came to mind—because we were always together.Just when I thought I was getting used to everything, my world fell apart again with the loss of my grandmother. She was 99 years old, but the departure of my parents, my sister, and me from Cuba affected her deeply, and she fell into depression.Over time, I gradually adapted to life in this country. I met wonderful people who have stayed by my side from the moment I met them (and others who didn’t, but that’s just part of life). Today, I can say that I am 100% accustomed to life here. I feel at home (even though I don’t fully know the language yet, but I work hard every day to improve). I am happy with the small group of people who are now part of my social circle.I am incredibly proud of my parents because, from the moment we arrived here, they started working hard to provide a better life for my sister and me. No obstacle ever stopped them.In the future, I want to study at the technical college here in Cape Coral once I finish high school. The career I’d like to pursue is either medical or dental assistant. I feel that I would enjoy that job because I have always loved helping others, and what better way to do that than by assisting people in need?