Personal Essay Example: Coming to America

When you hear the name United States of America what comes to your mind? Well, I do not know about you, but for me, this name sparks a lot of beautiful memories and experiences. Many individuals will give everything to come and live in the United States. We have all heard about the American Dream, and most people would rather spend a lot of money to travel or use dangerous means just to get to the US. There must be a reason why people are dying to get to this country, if you have been to the US then I guess we are on the same page here and if not wait until I narrate my experiences.

I vividly recall my first day in America, everything I saw seems very strange. The only individuals I knew were my parents. Moreover, the streets of California were secluded and isolated compared to the ones of Vietnam my home country which was always bustling with sounds from all types of people walking up and down. Then I thought to myself, how will I survive in this country full of strangers? Honestly, being a nine-year-old girl that I was, my new environment was very confusing. In fact, after a few days, I was missing my childhood friends, and I remember asking my father if we will ever go back to Vietnam. Interestingly, my father didnt say anything he just stared at me and continued doing what he was doing. That is when I realized that I had to make myself comfortable in the new country. Lucky for me, this new country was ready to surprise me with beautiful friends and a fantastic atmosphere.

I have been in the US since 1997, and since then I have experienced a lot of things. My early days in the country were fascinating. The English language was very confusing for me, the first English word I learned was Thank You this is because I saw it in nearly every shopping center we visited and I was told it was a sign of appreciation. I could hear people talking and laughing, but I never understood what they were saying. Learning a new language can be very hard, but I was inspired to learn new learnings and to understand my environment. I loved watching cartoons, and it assisted me a lot in learning English. A few months later, I was fluently speaking English, and I was making a lot of friends in the process.

There is one common thing about the citizens of the United States they are friendly, intelligent and caring (Nyberg, 2013). The diversity also in the country is overwhelming. I had grown up being around individuals who used the same language as me. However, United States gave me a chance to interact with people from different nationalities and to learn from them. It is amazing how there are a lot of different cultures in one nation alone. These cultures have influenced the country in a wide array of aspects including arts, music, cuisine, etc. The integration of these cultures makes life in America vibrant and interesting (Shaw, 2012). This is because there is often some new type of music, legends, or food to try. Speaking of food, I recall the first time I tried hamburger with Ketchup, it tasted some awful. This is because I was not used to such sourness. But after a while, I got used to its taste, and now it is funny how I have grown to be a big fan of the meal.

Patriotism in America is everything, American citizens just love their nation (Jordan, 2012). They understand the significance of unity and peace. That is why you will never hear cases of violence and civil wars in the US. There is also another factor about Americans; they always have the desire to succeed. This desire has made them be the leaders in the variety of things including technological advancements, economic growth, education sector, health sector, etc. The infrastructure in the country is out of this world; I mean the transport and the telecommunication systems are so advanced that people do not have problems commuting from one place to another. I have stayed in California for a long time now, and I have realized that there are challenges that occur elsewhere in the world that is things of the past in America. Americans often strive to make themselves better people by working hard and building their country. They also have generous hearts, and they will often extend their hand to the struggling countries.

Americas success didnt happen by accident but due to the creativity of its citizens. I believe coming to America was the best thing that happened to me since it opened many opportunities such as safety, education, and stability. Indeed, it is the land of the free and home of the brave. I am forever grateful that this precious nation has given me the chance to further my purpose. God bless America!!

References

Jordan, R. V. (2012). New America. Retrieved September 07, 2017, from https://www.newamerica.org/

Nyberg, G. H. (2013). How Do I ... Retrieved September 07, 2017, from https://www.usa.gov/

Shaw, F. B. (2012). ShareAmerica | Connect with America. Retrieved September 7, 2017, from https://www.bing.com/cr?IG=D440B4445E454EAC83FE096A53559D3E&CID=3BB4925111ED6AA7216198A710EB6B7F&rd=1&h=tJabDWFj1C2fFz5gbsoFB9ABJA28POYshHsN1NtZr10&v=1&r=https%3a%2f%2fshare.america.gov%2f&p=DevEx,5436.1