My family and I decided to strive for better opportunities in life, and although it took about two years for the outcome to manifest, I am glad it happened that way. We left all we had in Colombia and embarked on a journey to enter this country.

I remember my brother, my father, and I had been picked up at some highway exit off the New Jersey Turnpike. There was an unbelievable—or at least for me—amount of fog, which simply deepened my anxiety to see what this city had in store for me. There was something about that day I will never forget.
As our family friend was driving from Jersey into the capital of the world, I was expecting to fall asleep after knowing that we were finally in a safe place. But as we were crossing what looked like a bridge to me, I could see the majestic and representative buildings of NYC in the back of the jungle-like roads we were crossing. I couldn’t deny it; there was a patently strong connection yet I couldn’t help feeling somewhat restless about that the fact that I was no longer in the place I had been born or with the people who had seen me grow up. Everything felt strange; it was one of those things you never thought life would put you through perhaps due to the belief that nothing alters the “natural” flow of our lives. But that was clearly not my case when my family first immigrated eight years ago. I was in a foreign city, and a new family awaited me.

After traveling for about two months, the idea of finally staying in one city seemed implausible. Nonetheless, arriving to New York was our goal; it had been the main topic of our conversation that night my parents first decided it was time to leave Colombia. But then, why was it so hard to believe that we had finally reached our new home? Perhaps I do know why, but it’s somewhat complicated to explain; I guess I no longer believed in conceivable, happy endings. It was all because throughout our journey, my father would come through the doors soon after we’d arrived to a new place, ordering us to pack our things once again. It felt like a perpetual cycle of endless traveling through jungle-like roads. It was hard for me to acknowledge that we were home. It would simply take me to time feel like I belonged in this new place. Eventually I did; eventually everything took its place and I created my own space, surrounded by people I learned to love. Besides my parents, there was a new bond I cherished everyday I’d go to school. Her name was Emnet and she became my “sister”. There were also many other special people who have supported me throughout this whole process of assimilation. Ms. Rosenthal, Mrs. Persaud, Shimona, Stephanie, Virginia, Andrea, Jim, Mario, Marcy, and Sussan have been some of the very special individuals that have demonstrated to me in one way or another how important and special my presence is in their lives. But, of course these new bonds took time to develop and grow, and most of them are still developing. Overall, it was not an easy process, especially being away from the ones I had loved ever since I was born. New York demanded me to first adapt and be open to all the different cultures, customs, but most importantly, to a brand new language.

New York shined like a jewel. The buildings that I had once seen in action movies now symbolized a prosperous future. The bridges from those cop-chasing shows now seemed like the paths that led to money, success, and new opportunities, but they also led to places farther away from my Colombia. As time went on, however, I was learning how to appreciate New York without forgetting the place that provided me with an unforgettable childhood. After being accepted to honors classes within three years after my arrival, after realizing that in just one class I could meet such a diverse group of people, after experiencing extreme seasons which caused unprecedented feelings, after seeing and playing with snow on Christmas just like in the movies I had seen when I was little, after being able to go ice-skating all bundled up like Kevin from Home Alone, after going to Central Park and laying down on the grass consumed by the peaceful yet chaotic vibe of Manhattan and simply acknowledging the fact that I was now living in the capital of the world; in a place anyone from my family would have loved to live in, for me, all these things were hard to believe. All of those things had just marked the beginning of my story in this grand metropolis.
Just like many newly arrived families in New York City, we experienced racism, and were turned down numerous times at the public elementary school right by my uncle’s apartment. We didn’t have a place yet, like I said it was a long and hard process, but not impossible. Not only was the security guard making it too obvious that she detested my father’s strong accent—because speaking with him required careful attention to the words that he was uttering—but the assistant principal and some school aids were also blatantly demonstrating their antipathy. After about seven attempts to get in touch with Mrs. Persaud, the principal from the school, she was finally able to see my exemplary report card from my schooling in Colombia. She then shook my father’s hand, as if they had just sealed a good deal, and we headed back home excited for finally accomplishing our first milestone in this country.
My first few days in fifth grade were indeed the best of them all. I didn’t understand anything that was said around me, but that didn’t bother me. My hobby during those days was to express my nostalgia through drawing and coloring; I couldn’t keep the landscapes of some of the places I grew up in out of my mind. A special place was my grandma’s farm in the country side; the flowers hanging from their pots lined up down the corridor would adorn it in such way that you couldn’t just walk passed them without admiring the colors every petal radiated. Back in the city, where I was born, was my dance school. Every Monday and Saturday, when I’d first walk in to the main studio, as the setting sun would make its way through the windows, was the view that remains in my head. Every time, this was the place where I was able to find myself and never have I felt so happily close with my inner dancer. Dancing across that wooden dance floor, producing unimaginable amounts of adrenaline and hearing my heart’s palpations go with the beat of the music fed my boundless, enamored, and happy soul. The subway, or metro as we’re use to calling it, was another special component of my city and when I’d draw it using the “perspective” technique along with any of the other longed sceneries, I was able to relieve some of the frustration from not understanding the words my teachers babbled around me.
It wasn’t until a month after my registration in school that I understood some of the things my homeroom teacher—and only my homeroom teacher—would say to me. Six months after that, I could comprehend most of what ANY person would say and it wasn’t until three years after my arrival that I felt comfortable enough to speak the language. However, even before that, I had started to cultivate ever-lasting friendships with my classmates. I would make them laugh and it did not bother me. I knew that eventually I’d be able to engage in intellectual conversations with them, I just had to give it some time. But my plan was not to be part of a big crowd; I yearned for someone who would eventually become my other half. Emnet was her name. She was the one to stick by me through the end of elementary, junior high, high school, and even now we maintain a relatively close friendship. It’s been thanks to people like her that I’ve felt like I can also belong in this country. She taught me what it feels like to have a candid, loyal, and meaningful friendship. It wouldn’t matter at what time of the night I needed to talk to someone; she’d answer my phone calls when I needed to vent about things like each of my grandparents’ deaths or any arguments with my parents. I will never forget all the support she gave me while I spent my first few years in this country adjusting to what my life would be like in the years to come.
Emnet is only one of the many examples of exceptional people I’ve met in this country. Life has also brought me close to my guidance counselor from junior high, Shimona, to my college counselor from high school, Susan, and on numerous occasions, I’ve had the privilege of meeting some of their family members, creating inevitable bonds with them (this happened after I graduated from both places of course). Just like when a puppy stays by its owner’s side when it feels that sincere appreciation and love, I’ve kept these people close to me; close enough to call them my second family. I can’t express how thankful I am of having them be such a huge part of my life. I’ve always been a family person, and I feel like what has affected me the most has been my separation away from them. But, as a result of that, I was able to really get to know other people and they’ve been amazing people.
New York City has had a big part in the amount of satisfaction I’ve felt for working hard. This place has provided me with the certainty of knowing how much this hard-to-hate-and-easy-to-love city has to offer me, which has led me to conclude that this is where I should be. Colombia symbolizes a past that will forever remain in my heart. It was my birthplace, where I learned how to speak, how to dance, how to create bonds with people; it was the place that first allowed me to enjoy the learning of new things. It is a country that will never be replaced given that it was my first country to love. But New York has opened its arms to welcome me regardless of any cruel experience I had endured throughout those two months of my life. It was as if life was giving my family and me new opportunities to be happy and obtain what we deserved. So, it is time that I acknowledge that my life has taken its turns, many of them quite painful, but rather worthwhile. In spite of being more than 2000 miles away from my native home, I must take advantage of having the means to enjoy limitless experiences and continue learning about life since it’s something we do until the day we depart Earth.