Sorry

Hi everyone, my name is Anne Chloé, and I’m 15. I was born in Haiti, and things were tough growing up there. My mom passed away when I was very young, and my dad wasn’t around. Luckily, my godmother took me in for a while, but then she had to go to the US. Since I didn’t have my immigration papers yet and I wasn’t her daughter, she was not able to take me to America with her. However, she found a kind friend to take care of me for seven whole years who basically became my guardian. Even though I had a home, I really missed having my own parents. 

Eventually, things in Haiti got worse, and in 2023, there was this chance to come to America. My godmother applied for me, and after about eight months, I finally got to fly here on a Sunday. I was so nervous and a little weirded out because my godmother picked me up, but at that point I felt like I didn’t really know her well. 

Starting school in America was a big shock. Back in Haiti, my school was just for girls, but this school was for everyone! I’m naturally shy, so I was really scared and felt totally alone that first day. Everyone was talking and laughing, and I couldn’t even find my classes. Plus, even though they teach English in Haiti, it’s not the same as how people speak it here. All I could really say was my name and a few simple words. 

When I got home that first day, my guardian asked how it went, and I just said I didn’t understand much. She told me about special English classes and told me to ask student services to sign me up. Even saying ‘I don’t speak English; I need to be in ESOL class’ felt super hard! But I did it the next day. Then, in English class, I heard people speaking Creole! That was such a relief, knowing there were others like me trying to learn English. Even though I didn’t have many classes with them, it made me feel less alone. 

Now that I can speak English better, I have this big dream. I’m going to graduate high school in 2027, and ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to be a pediatrician. If I can, I really want to learn how to do that well and make everyone who took care of me proud. I’m going to focus on school and try my hardest to make that dream come true. America has so many opportunities, and I’m going to grab everyone I can. I want my future self to be a successful woman, and I’m going to keep getting better every day. It won’t be easy, but I’m going to try my best. 

For any other young people who are immigrants like me, I want to say that it was hard for your parents to bring you here, they want a good life for you. So, focus on school, work hard, and don’t be lazy! You’ll have plenty of time for fun later. I hope you all succeed in whatever you want to do!