I M Not Home-Personal Narrative

"More than anything, I just want you to know that there is more than one person you can lean on. You may have someone up their who you are relying on, but you have two incrediably strong sons who would never wish to see their mother in pain like this. Whatever the outcome we finally get your boys will be strong for you and in return I'm sure you will be strong for them."[/b]

When I was at school the other day, my band instructor told me, “You are one of the hardest workers I have ever seen, why do you work so tirelessly if you know that you might fail? I was quite surprised because she has been teaching for 33 years. I responded with your book, Almost Home.

Someone broke into my car and about $400 worth of cash and items were stolen.

There are some things that I need to tell you. Things that I will never get the chance to tell you. First, I love you. I always will. When life seems to shut down in my face, I always hold on to the thought of you. Secondly,

"You can't keep holding on to stuff like this, James." Natasha sighed, slipping a delicate hand through her hair. "It's not healthy."

I woke up on a warm sunny Saturday morning and went down stairs and called my friend Joey Gliech and said “Today is the day!”

I HAD BEEN ASLEEP QUITE SOUNDLY FOR A COUPLE HOURS, WHEN I WAS AWOKEN BY AN ALL TOO FAMILIAR SOUND. IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY TIME MY BRAIN REGISTERED CERTAIN NOISES - EVEN WHEN I WAS DEEP IN SLEEP, IT SENT OFF A PANIC TRIGGER THAT FLOODED THROUGH MY MIND. THIS WAS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TIMES.

“I’m going to break you.” She said. “Every single bone in your body and once you recover, I’ll do it again if I have to.”

Without you these past years have been terrible for me I had to move away from the weylin plantation and I decided that their would be no better place than up north, Philadelphia . I've seen horrifying things that would only be seen in nightmares, I've witnessed a pregnant slave get beat to the point where she gives labor. I feel alone not knowing anyone, no family, no friends, nothing. I miss everyone back in california the people from the warehouse, our lousy next door neighbors who always ratted about everything, but most importantly I miss you. At this point i can only imagine not being able to see you anymore and be stuck here

Now that I’m home here in The United States, I’ve become more grateful that I live here. After being in Vietnam and experiencing the way of life there I have far more appreciation for everything, for example, we have a lot of different kinds of food here in the U.S., but in Vietnam food is harder to come by and is limited due to how less fortunate people are. In The United States, we have heaters and cooling systems, while in my ancestral country they don't have these simple things unless you have money. In the U.S., even our housing and clothing are better. It's easily accessible here at home, but in Vietnam, people often steal to have clothes for their family against their will. My culture and tradition affected my point of view of my lifestyle

So I've got a couple of things to tell you, like how ecstatic I am about moving into my dorm in just a couple of days, how thrilled I am to complete the supposed "internship, how life is evolving through the right direction. There's grand felicity in my life during this moment. I'm so relieved that my mother has shown an impressive recovery after her surgery, and I'm nonchalant about the terms that my parents have reached during the past weeks. My sole hope is that this isn't a fleeting thing. We're still unaware of where will our routes take us. Will my father have the cojones to finally leave this life? The life that was set-up eight

I was on my way to school when I heard this low rumbling in the sky. We haven't had much activity in this part of the country, but over the last couple of weeks we have had government leaders setting up bases everywhere. Sometimes on my way to school, I can hear them talking about what they are going to nex to try to stay as far out of the Vietnam War as they can. I am almost to the school, it's such a long walk I can't wait for the school year to be over. Suddenly, I am flown to to the ground. I'm so scared right now, I don't know what to do. I turn around on my back and see a house burning to the ground. It was a bomb. I am so scared and I don't know what to do. Should I go to the school, or should I run home. I look at the sky, it is black

The police just don’t care; I think that’s my new view on them right now. All they do is okay you to death so you stop asking them questions. Personally, I think that in itself should be a law, not properly helping people who need it. It kind of is their job to fight for justice and make the world a better place and what not. So, where are they when a woman who was attacked a few months ago and is pregnant has someone who is literally stalking her?

For eight years, my husband and I had built our life together, adding in children, buying homes, changing jobs, and moving across the country. Our marriage had been built off of a great friendship, and our love had always been strong, full of sacrifices for one another, great laughs, and plenty of grace. But all of that did not stop the question from escaping my lips that morning, “Are we going to make it?”

It has been quite the adjustment not being able to see my baby sister whenever I want, however I am not as distraught as I assumed I would be. Watching you start a new school in a new city, with no familiar faces is an unbelievable challenge that you have conquered. While I do miss you dearly, seeing you thrive in your new environment has only made me proud. It reminds me of when you switched schools in the sixth grade and went to the Academy of Notre Dame instead of St. Patricks School. You were so excited and nervous to start this new chapter of your life, just like you were going into Drexel University. However back in 2008 do you remember how upset I was that you were switching schools? Even though I was two years older, not having