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Benefits Of Immigration Essay

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English for me has been not only an advantage but an equalizer. My family immigrated to America when I was only 2 years old. Immigrating to another country is hard enough but not being able to speak the native language is even more difficult. Being raised within a Pakistani family, Urdu was the language spoken around the house while I was growing up. Though my mother and father spoke some English, their English was more British English and was slightly raw.
I found out very soon that if you didn’t speak English or didn’t speak it well, other kids didn’t want to play with you. And this didn’t only apply to kids in school but also to kids within my religion who immigrated from the same country but had been here longer, therefore, were better versed. My mother remembers multiple times where I would come to her crying that no one wanted to be my friend because I …show more content…

Usually, when you have to work to obtain something it has more value to you. As I struggled to learn the language so as to be able to compete with my peers, I found myself studying its intricacies and paying more attention to the details. I would spend hours reading as a kid in order to expand my vocabulary and knowledge. By learning English I was accepted amongst my peers and now I can say that my vocabulary is a lot more diverse than some native English speakers.
I would also say that English helped me be a part of society, because of my lack of accent and my fluency I am not seen as a complete outsider. English is also an advantage for me because in Pakistan it is considered the language of the rich and well educated. English is very respected in my home country and those who can speak it are seen as very important and knowledgeable people. I remember when I visited for the first time at the age of 15 and saw how people reacted to me when they heard me speak, you could see a look of fascination and desire on their

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