718 Sarak Algalbb (Yemen, Age 19): English

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Sarak_Algalbb

19, Years old

Yemen, Sana’a

Once long ago, before the people came on to the Earth, the people were not the same as it is now. There was a big building, 3 floors. It’s been red, white from the outside, but inside it’s been lot of different color in the different floors. I lived there In Yemen, with my mom, 3 sister, aunt, and grandmother. I was 9 years old when I was in Yemen Sana’a. My sisters went to school. My dad he were in America, when my dad was with us, he worked in a college. First he was a teacher then he become principal but life was hard, and getting hard because he were having lot of children. Once time he decides to move to a different country, to get better job and more money. He went by himself he could work because his sister and mother lived with him. I was the youngest girl from my sister. My aunt she was so closed to me more then my mom. She was the one who care about me, and take care of me like a daughter and Mother. She has a girl from her husband, but she was the same age like my sister, so my mom knows how to take care of them. We all live together like any family. Once time my dad told to my aunt she have to start think of it. A man came to our house he was short, black hair, brown eyes he came to ask for her hand, but she didn’t accept him but he was keep asking for her hand, that time I start thinking how can I live without her. Who gonna keep caring of me, but the end she will get married. When she talked to the man, she starts thinking about it because he was nice with her.

            A time and life go so fast. I just slept and woke up one time and she was with the white dress. It’s been hard for me to accept it. My grandmother who start who stand beside me, she was one and only I loved her more then my aunt, because when my aunt left me I feel so sad, and angry the same time, that time I hate the man so much because he took her from me, she was only one who understand me more then my mom, so its was hard time when she left.

            My grandmother started understanding me. My dad he was in America. He came to my country in every year or two year. Last time when he came to my country, my mom  get a pregnant and it was a girl. When I was 5 year old I start school. I start kindergarten the teacher was so nice. We learn there, we play. We had playground. We went out to playground two times a day lunch time and before I go home.

            After school, I played with my friend. We also had a lot of homework. At my house, we all have our own table, we sat around the table, and my Mother helped us with our homework. There was a nice thing about school. All the teacher were good, it’s was only one mean teacher in the school.

            In the Yemen culture men are more important, than women. Men have more right to get marry more than once. It is very important to have a son. Women can’t work outside of the house. I have 2 brother and sisters from step Mother. Nothing different about us we all same, I love them more than my other sisters because they are older, and we learn how to love each other whatever happen.

            One day there was no moon and the sun was alone in the sky. The sun was lonely, and would wander day and night through the sky, it’s was really scary. At the time my dad start thinking about reply for us, to come to America, but I can’t because he didn’t had enough money. My older brother that time he was 10 years old, so my dad think if he reply to him he could help my dad and work together. My dad reply for him. He just had to wait for the paper. He waits like 3 years. He could go and help my dad. At the time he was already 13, so he could go to school and same time work. My dad pushed him to work hard in high school and think about college, but my brother doesn’t like school. My brother thought that work is easier, so when he finishes high school he just works with my dad. My dad reply for my oldest sister. I loved her more than all my sister because, she used to help me a lot and do whatever I want. It’s been time for her to go. I was really sad. It’s been the second person will leave from the people I loved. Start thinking that family and dignity is over everything if I win they win that’s why I was thinking to be a good person when I grow up and be something in the future.

            My grandmother she was so nice. I used to sleep with her and we live together. We went together like copy and paste. She was one and only when my aunt left. She the one who stand by my side all throughout life. I don’t know any other way of loving every moment with her is amazing.

            One day I slept and wake up and find my brother and sister, my dad with us like happy family. We were together like any family I was really happy to see them. Especially when my dad came over, because when he came he use to take us to other city in Yemen we travel all around. I went to every place in Yemen. When my dad went back to US, he had money to reply for his rest of the family, like my other sister, my mom and me. There was one more baby in the way. We kept waiting for the paper like 5 years, because it’s not easy to come from Yemen to USA. My mom get tired to keep going to in egregiously, so she was gonna cancel everything, but the consul told her that he will give us the papers to come to America except my new brother  he have to wait. At the time she get angry and she throw the paper at the consul, and she said I’m not going anywhere without my kid. If my baby is not going with us then, none of my kid and me goes to USA.

            I was 4 grades. My school was only for girls. My teacher was mean with me because I have been absent for a month, because it’s was my uncle death. My mom brother. He was helping us when my dad was in America.

            What I find out that there was a point in time where I have a best friend and you literally told them everything and now they don’t even text you to see if you’re okay or even text you period. It’s just weird how time changes everything. When my mom tell me that we are going to move to USA I’ve heard of different statistics about the percentage of people that move every year. I don’t think people change. I think they definitely mature. But I think the essence of what I am today is the same as when I was five years old. Its just maturity. I’ve because a healthier fuller expression of that essence.

            Finally we got our paper to come America. It’s been summer time. When my mom told me that we are going to America for vacations. That time I was happy because it was just for month’s, and it’s was time to have fun with my dad.

            At that time my dad send my brother to bring us to America. He was 21 years old. So he get engagement from my cousin, he was happy that time, when it was time to go to America. I started feeling missing someone, like my grandmother, friend, and family.

I close my eyes in the airport and started talking to myself that it’s was just a vacations to go, I don’t have to feel that feeling. I have to be happy to see my dad and have fun with him. When I look back on my life, I can see the pain. I have endured, the mistake I have made and the hard time I have suffered when look in the mirror. I can see how strong I have become, the lesson I have learned, and I am proud of who I am.

I and my mom, sisters and brother to get to the airport. What I saw it’s was really different, I saw black people, and Jensen people from all around, big building, tresses all over, flowers it’s was beautiful place I never saw in my whole life. I was feeling happy at the beginning, then my dad makes us stay year then he said one more year he doesn’t want us to go back. What I felt was sad because I start school I remember everything in my old school. I had lot of problem. I faced lot of problem first year because, when anything happen student was blame on me because, I didn't speak English. I make my dad in big problem in the first year of school because of the student. At the time I hate USA. I want to go back to my country in any time, but I have to stay at USA to finish my school because I was 5 grade. I graduate from 5 grade. I thought we are gonna go back to my country in summer, but we didn’t. I start middle school in USA, it was long, white and brown color from outside, but inside it’s was green and white and blue, the classes was big. I love how teacher teach us, and she were so nice. I stay like 5 years to go back my country, at the time I was happy, but we faced lot of problem not family problem, but country problem that time we have to come back to USA. I start thinking about my future and how to become something important so I could help my country.