I woke up many mornings and I think about the long way I cross to be the one who is typing this article, the one who is speaking actually English. When I reach the USA, I came with the hope to achieve my dream, to be an example for my sisters and to do everything so I do not disappoint my parents. It was one year ago but I still remember everything, search for the school, waited for my i20, all the prayers of my mother and finally obtained the visa. For many of us is the first time we travel .we came from everywhere Africa, Asia, Europe, Caribbean …
When you reach Salt Lake Community College, is not what you thought about the USA, everything is different. You immerged very quickly in a different language, a language sometimes you have never spoken ,a different culture ,you have to understand and to make people understand you. Interesting experience because you first conversation sounds weird. Sometimes you just answer but yes or not because you don’t want to do a lot of mistakes or the better things to do are to talk even if you did wrongly. The first weeks your roommates don’t understand why you always feel cold and you put the heater in the maximum. I am from Africa that why.
However, people ask where you from and most of the times they never heard about your country. You began to be proud of being an ambassador of your country. In the same time, you first speak with people who have the same language like you, and when you are more confident you open your little world. The ESL class began to be a big game because you began to like what you learn because it seems more logic now. Each month of your semester is different to your first month. You are so happy to be understood by the others your English is not perfect but you are just proud to improve you’re English.
Certainly sometimes you feels homeless and lonely, you never forget where you from and thinking about your family and your friends push you to worked hard to accomplish your dream and your goals. I am an international student, but I’m really proud to be a Bruins, to be in SLCC and to be part of this big family.