Personal Narrative: The Republic Of America

Studying in a foreign country is an interesting experience of an individual lifetime. One tends to learn a number of things relating to ways of life in a foreign land. Social, political and economic values and aspects are usually different from one region to another. Therefore, through studying abroad one is able to learn different issues about another society such as gender and sexuality issues, social class and race/ethnicity issues. Having come from a developing country studying in the U.S.A has been a great experience personally. This paper will attempt to provide a reflection of my personal experience on studying in the U.S by comparing the history of Angola and the U.S.

Growing up in Ghana, I had heard a lot of things about the U.S. This was a country I had always wanted to visit; my prayer was answered when I got the opportunity to travel there. Arriving in a new environment came with many experiences. Adjusting with food, language and the weather was not easy. With the passage of time, however I have been able to0 adjust and fit it. This write-up therefore is to elaborate on my experiences since coming to U.S.

I vividly remember that chilly night in March as I walked out of Fifer, the building my father now calls home, for the first time. I had goosebumps, but they were not from the cold I felt hit my skin. Instead, they were from the sickness in my stomach. As I got in the car, I began to cry and had to stop myself from running back inside. My entire world had turned upside-down. How could I go home without my father? How could I leave him in a nursing home, a place where he was too young and mentally fit to be confined? I had to fight the feeling that he didn’t belong. I had to remind myself of why he chose to be there, and I hated it.

I didn’t believe in aliens until I was abducted by them. I was put in some kind of contraption and I’m not sure what happened exactly, but it’s clear that I’m not where I was. Everything in 2016 is different, I don’t know if I’m in a different state or not but people are dressing differently and acting differently, and the cars, the cars are all different! I’ve been here for quite some time now and have noticed a lot of differences from where I lived in Oceanside, California in 1940. I’ve been transported to the year 2016 and there are so many things that have changed and evolved and among them are political, economic, social, and cultural changes.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.”

America: the land of the free. Over 300 million people live on this hunk of land and there's a lot to this country if you haven’t already realized from the farms in the Midwest to the big urban cities. There are so many paths to success and happiness in this country: you can pretty much be anything if you try hard enough. This won’t be the case for all people, simply because they aren't good at that certain thing that they want to do. But think of all of the many things you can do. You can have a job in the trades and work with your hands, you could be a graphic designer and make billboards, you can go into the business world and try to open up your own business like opening up a restaurant. Being an American means to be the fullest version

Johnnie, Veronica, Frank et al. do me a solid with all your “knowledge” and “wokeness” step outside your educational privilege and support systems for a minute. I in no place in my post said anything about America being perfect so what you did was hijack a status about the solidarity I feel for the people in my life and in this country who very much will struggle with an intensified troubling life experience in the country to PROVE you have some kind of exceptional wokeness or understanding of America. MISS me with it. No America was not safe for everyone but we just did was extend the people who it was unsafe for. If that’s cool with you then carry on with your bullshit. I have NEVER EVER said it’s a safe place for everyone. I have NEVER

In class we watched a video over a very opinionated male who explained the reason why America is not great. I have a lot of respect for this man and I think that he brought up some extremely valid points that I have never thought about. What I mainly want to touch on is the fact that he accused my generation of being apathetic. He basic says that we could care less and are lazy good for nothings. The best response I can think of is, look at who raised us. Now, I am not saying that it is entirely our parents fault or their parents fault for the reason why teenagers do not care about school, grades, or the world. I am just saying that it is unfair to put the entire blame on my generation saying that we are the reason why the America is not great. He makes it seem that as soon as my

Moving to the United States is a huge step for an immigrant. As an international student, I have been passing through this event that most Brazilian desire to. However, it is hard to adapt with the new culture and lifestyle, knowing that I have my own values. The “Two Ways to Belong in America” illustrates two views of getting used with this new culture, in which I identified myself with one of these ways: my nationality cannot be change with a simple paper called green card. Thus, starting a new life in a foreign country is tough because I have to find a way to readjust to this new culture, not ignoring

I would like to see who could survive as long he did with just books that state some facts. We all have this idea that we could do better then anyone else. For example, the elections are coming up. Numerous people believed that Barack Obama was a lousy president and can not wait to see him leave. The same people also say how they would be a much better president than him. I have no idea how to run a country with millions of people in it and I have a very high suspicion that others who aren’t in politics no either. Just like this not everyone is an expert on how to survive in Alaska.

It was a small thing, the bright green of youth. I planted it on the 3rd, in my freshman year, with the Green Thumb Club at my high school.

America is a nation built on the backs of the weak. People from all forms of faith, belief, and nationalities came together, from persecuted, backgrounds to build the nation we exist in. My family was one such group of people. Irish immigrants, we moved from the homeland to the New World to be rid of a famine that was starving our people. In America we found new opportunities, but also much opposition. Racial classification and prejudice ruled in the mid to late 60s and beyond. This was during the time that Mr. Bernie Sanders began his rise to power. With a platform of protecting the weak, and building the middle class. This man is poised to revolutionize America. In the face of adversity, he stands firm and strong.

The United States of America; this name strikes thoughts into people’s heads. Some are thoughts filled with happiness and pride, others are filled with hate. When I hear the phrase “The United States of America, I have many different thoughts. First, I think of the wonderful freedom paid for by the soldiers who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. I also remember my great-grandpa, who was a soldier in the Korean War, driving a tank. Second, I think about this election. This election has created big schism in our country with people at each other’s throats. Furthermore, there are many other events that have split our country. Some of these include opinions on gun laws, racial injustice, the fight for women's equality, etc. These issues

I have walked this path everyday for almost 15 years now since I was a young child. The path itself is next my childhood house in Doorest; the forest surrounding my house. I walk this path to clear my mind, it helps me separate from my stressful life outside this forest.

I never thought it would happened. My mother’s hands were trembling in mine. The beautiful face I looked at was covered with pain; tears like a broken pearl necklace, cascading down from her black eyes. Her eyes was deep as an ocean, that I couldn’t see anything in the bottom. Gazing to the her, my heart like being ripped into pieces until I could hardly breathe. She shrinked on the chair with her curls black hair spread on her shoulder, pity but beautiful, as a withered rose. Maybe it was just a dream; Maybe it wasn’t true; Maybe, and maybe. I ran through all the possibility in my head, tried to escaped from this reality. But none; none of it could released my fear. When I looked at the emergency room, my heart was beating faster and faster. Like a losing child whom afraid himself would never found the way home. Tears weren’t falling down from my face, but from my heart.