Sorry

Cuba is the country where I was born. I grew up there, and I would love to see my beaches and trees again one day, but unfortunately, my family and I had to leave for a better place. Due to the injustice of the Cuban revolution, it became a communist country, and my parents wanted a better life for my sister and me. There were many difficult moments, and one of them was when people went out to protest because of the injustice and hunger in Cuba; they wanted Cuba to be a better place. My parents always worked very hard to give my sister and me a good life.  

 Changing your environment, language, culture, and norms isn’t easy, but it also has its good things. Leaving my country and adapting was very difficult for me because in Cuba I have my friends, the school where I grew up, and those beaches that I love so much. But what hurt me the most was knowing that I wouldn’t be able to return so soon to see my father. I haven’t seen my dad in four years, but I’m studying and helping my family so I can see him again someday. 

In 2021, after I left Cuba, my family and I traveled to several Latin American countries. Although it was fun, there were times when I was very scared. I had a different experience in each country. For example, in Nicaragua, I was able to see those beautiful volcanoes. In Guatemala, I didn’t do much; we just drove to try to get to Honduras quickly. When we arrived in Honduras, we were told to group together and get into trucks to cross the hills. The ground was wet, and the car tires kept skidding, which was very scary, as there was only a very high ravine next to it. Luckily, everything went well, and we arrived at a lake that would take us to Mexico. It was a very calming time because I was very scared of the mountains we were crossing, as they were very high. I remember when I arrived in Mexico, all I could think about was what the United States would be like. I was eager to get there. We stayed in Mexico for a while to see and taste its delicious food. 

I’d always had a dream: I wanted to explore different parts of the world. The trip to the United States was fun, although we also had some scary moments, but my parents will always be there for me and protect me at all times when I arrive. They took us to a screening room and then we traveled to Miami, where my uncle, aunt, and cousin picked us up from the airport. It was very pleasant. My adjustment process was, honestly, very difficult. I didn’t know the language and had no friends. I went through times when I felt alone at school, surrounded by people. But there was always one teacher who helped me, ever since I arrived at school in sixth grade, and I love her very much. Over time, I started making friends and gaining a little more experience speaking English. I hadn’t yet adjusted to the country, but when I finally understood English and could speak it, I gained confidence in communicating with people. 

In a few months, I will have been living in the United States for four years, and I can now say I feel right at home. Change is scary, but sometimes things turn out better than expected.