Sorry

By Demba Niang

I was born January 4, 1997 in Senegal. My father, Mamadou, came to the United States in 1991 before I was born. My mother, Fatou, lives in Senegal. I have three brothers. Amadou is twenty-seven and lives in Senegal. Sire is twenty-six and lives in Algeria. My youngest brother, Ibrahima, is fifteen and lives in Brooklyn with my father and me.

At home, my family spoke Fulani. When I was six years old, I began to study the Quran and Arabic. When I was eight years old, I began school and learned French. When I was fourteen, I left school to study the Quran again because I wanted to be a good Muslim.

When I was eight years old, I discovered an important interest. I love soccer. When I play soccer, I feel hopeful because I forget about my problems. I played soccer for ten years until I moved to the United States. I miss playing soccer every day.

My brother, Ibrahima, moved to Brooklyn first. He came in March and I came in November 2015. When I started Pathways to Graduation, I felt anxious because the culture is different. In Senegal, the teachers talk and students listen. In America, the students talk together about the work and the teachers help. In Senegal, the teachers sometimes tap the students and in America the students sometimes jump around and are too noisy.

I am also learning to fix bicycles at P2G. I like school. I feel relieved to have so many good friends and experiences. When I finish school I hope to go to college. I feel happy living in the United States but sometimes I miss my mother and my friends back home.