Immigration Story

Life in my home country was very good because everyone lived nearby and I could go to anyone’s house to see my cousins and my friends. We had a big house with 10 rooms; every family had two rooms and my cousins lived together with us. I had so much fun with them.

Our family was big and it was very hard for my dad because he was the only one who had a job and took care of the family. Everything was getting more expensive than it was before. My brothers wanted to work, too, to help my dad. They always looked for jobs, but every time they went they could not find work. But still my dad was a hard worker and he managed. We had a happy life because in Pakistan, the house was our own, not a rented one, so it was easy to live in the house.

My family always heard that my parents wanted to go to America. After 11 years, we got the paperwork from America. My uncle responded for my mom’s family because he wanted his sisters and his brothers to be in America, too. When I was coming to America my mom got very sad because she really didn’t want to go without her three oldest children, who would be left in Pakistan. Just because they were over 21 they could not go to America.

It was a long trip — two days in the airplane. At night we got into the airport and my uncle was happy to see us when he picked us up. We lived with my uncle for three months and then we moved to rent our own house, which is very expensive — $1400 a month. As I mentioned, I have a big family, four brothers and one sister. My four brothers have good jobs, so we can afford that. My dad doesn’t have a job because my brothers won’t let him to do so.

Now we are happy because in America, my sister and I study in high school and my brothers work hard to get our own house. It is very hard to get, but one day we will. We work hard and then we will.

When I first got to America I was 15 years old. My first impression was that I saw every culture and they were from different countries. Then I met Pakistani friends. They were friendly and nice to me. Everything was good. The only problem is that my two brothers and sister got left in Pakistan and my mom really misses them. She always thinks about them. I hope they come here so then my mom will be happy.