My immgiration exprince

      March 16, 2004: after 13 hours of flight, I arrived on to the other side of the world, from Somalia to the united state. I have been in the United States for seven years, and the three first years were hard for me but I knew there were a lot of potential barriers a head of me.
      

Everything for me was very different language, customs, food, and different people. I was like a new born baby with many things I didn’t know and I had to learn everything again. After a   couple of weeks, since my parents were in Somalia waiting for me to support them, I went out to find a job, where the first things they asked me was: “How long have you been here”? And “Can you speak English?

Even though I had studied some English in Somalia, I couldn’t speak fluently, so after few days, nobody wanted me to work in his or her company. It was very difficult to get a job without knowing the language; it wouldn’t even pass me the first interview. I was very disappointed, because I couldn’t speak English but it was not only because of my poor English but also because of my lack of confidence. As a foreigner, I found it was difficult in meeting new people since I can’t speak English. The level of anxiety and stress associated with moving to a new country can be over whelming and frightening. I had a difficult time when I started school. The school was not like I expected. Although all the student were nice, I was afraid of them because I didn’t know how to say anything back. In a classes, I couldn’t understand what teacher were saying and often didn’t do homework because I didn’t know even I had home work.

               I gradually made contact with American culture, and further experienced cultural differences. The American culture is definitely different from Somalia in many ways. Compared to Somalia people, most American people are friendly. When I walked in the road, I often met some strangers smiling to me or saying hello. As I drove one day in a bad weather and snow and I got stuck in snow I met a kindhearted woman who stopped and gave me help. All of this makes me feel good. This was a very different culture, as In Somali if you didn’t know the person you don’t say hello.