Sorry

Living in my home country of Haiti was wonderful. Going to school was hard, but remembering how fun it used to be with my friends brings back the energy. The environment was heavenly. The cry of the rooster waking me up in the morning was the worst, but also the most beautiful song. Partying, playing games, and eating with my family are my best memories. Amidst the beauty, though, was the extreme violence.

Then came the day I had to leave my country and come to the U.S. My family wanted me to have a better life. Haiti became a country where you couldn’t walk without fearing gang violence, kidnappings, and I couldn’t go to school. My parents had no other choice.

On July 17, 2023, I took a plane to come to the U.S. with my dad. I was sad knowing I would not see my parents every day and that I had to start over. The flight went perfectly because my dad was with me. Two weeks before school started, my dad went back to Haiti. I was so sad and started crying.

Then came the first day of school. I was excited but scared at the same time. The school staff was kind to me because of my language barrier. I tried to practice the language by myself since we didn’t have the ESOL program. It was very hard for me, but I tried my best and received a lot of help. I was so happy to see my improvements. I was on the Honor Roll because I had only A’s and B’s. I won the Spelling Bee at my school and graduated. I made my teachers, my family, and my friends proud of me.

New step, new start, I started high school. I keep moving forward, remembering that leaving Haiti is not a curse, but a chance to have better opportunities.