One day, my father and mother decided to move to Turkey from Yemen because my father was busy with his job in commercial business and had to go there. My mother always wanted to go to Turkey and live there. So, after talking about it, they decided to live in Turkey for five years. They called me, I was only 4 years old then, so I didn't feel much about it. We said goodbye to our families in Yemen and left.

When we arrived in Turkey, everything felt different. The people, the cars, the weather—it was all unbelievably beautiful. It was 2011, and the country's economy was booming, much like America's. We stayed in a hotel for three months because we couldn't find a permanent place to live. My sister and I were excited about living in a new place.

After some time, my father finished his work and discussed with my mother about going back to Yemen. But my mother had an idea—she wanted to stay in Turkey because we all liked it so much. After thinking it over, my father and mother decided to stay.

We enrolled in school, but we were a little embarrassed because we didn't know Turkish. My parents felt the same. However, over the years, my sister and I improved in school and learned the language. My mother became a kindergarten teacher, and my father owned a small furniture factory.

We were doing well until 2021 when a problem arose. Things started to get expensive, including rent, and our business began to slow down. We struggled to make ends meet. One day, when we returned home from the store, my family gathered at the table. They were waiting for me, and I sensed something serious. My father explained that we needed to leave Turkey because of racism and rising costs. My mother worried about the money, but we managed to collect enough money, and soon we were ready to leave.

Our dreams of moving to America were finally coming true. Upon arriving in America, we settled in Kent, Washington, where I enrolled as a 10th grader at Kent-Meridian High School. Life in a new country was daunting at first. Everything seemed different—the language, the culture, the way of life. But as days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, I began to find my footing.

I faced the challenge of adjusting to a new education system and making friends. It wasn't easy, but gradually, I found a group of peers who welcomed me with open arms. Together, we navigated the hallways, shared lunches, and bonded over our shared experiences of being newcomers in a foreign land.

To support my family and contribute to our new life in America, I took on a part-time job as an Uber Eats driver. It was a job that demanded long hours and hard work, but it allowed me to earn some extra income while honing my communication skills and exploring the city streets.

Despite the initial struggles, I found hope and determination in the land of opportunity. Every day, I embraced the challenges with resilience and optimism, knowing that each hurdle was a stepping stone towards a brighter future.

With each passing day, I grew more confident in my abilities and more grateful for the opportunities that America had afforded me. I knew that the road ahead would be filled with obstacles, but I was ready to face them head-on, armed with the lessons learned from my journey thus far. And so, as I looked towards the horizon with hope and determination, I knew that the best was yet to come. In America, the land of endless possibilities, I dared to dream big and to believe that with hard work, perseverance, and a dash of luck, anything was possible.

© Hesham. All rights reserved. If you are interested in quoting this story, contact the national team and we can put you in touch with the author’s teacher.