Reuniting With My Father For The Last Ten Years

I looked at myself at the mirror, drops of water coming out of my eyes like as if it was a rainy day in May. Hearing the news got me so upset and depressed. I sat outside and looked around the place that I have grown up and that meant a lot to me. When I heard that our family was moving to America I was not happy about that.I was angry with my family because I did not want to leave Ethiopia. I did not want to leave my friends and family in Ethiopia. It scared me that I had to leave my old life and start a new one. A month later, it was time to go the airport and get ready to go to the new country. I was nervous; my heartbeat got louder and louder as walked closer to the airport. As I bit my lip, my eyes were dancing to every corner, my legs were shaking, and my hands were sweating. I was sad that I was leaving the place that I called home and that I had to leave all my childhood memories. At the same time, I was excited because I always wondered what it felt like to move to a different country and adapt to a new world, culture, and language. At the airport, I was happy finally come face to face with the big white things that use to fly over my house. I was stunned to see how big they really were. All of the sudden my sadness turned into excitement and I could not wait to start a

The plane took off and were in the air leaving the place I had only ever known. I remember when my parents told me and my two brothers that we would be moving to the United states. At the time I didn’t know where we would end up or how we were even getting there. All I knew was I would be in a totally different landscape with a lot of ethnically different people whom I have never met or seen before.

I only saw him twice within those two months. I hated seeing him there; they replaced the identity of my father with a criminal of the state. Suddenly it didn’t matter that he left his country to give us a better life. All the

I flew from Las Vegas to an airport close to the Caribbean rainforest, this was my first time on a plane, I never would have imagined it would be to start my dream job and go to an exotic place. I mean, who could ever get so lucky on their first assignment. I was expecting to get sent to the middle of a hot desert or a humid rain forest infested with flying and biting bugs. I knew it was time to start my adventure when I got off that plane, but it was also time to start my adult life as well. The plane ride was full of me asking myself questions about this trip that I really could not answer. I kept asking myself what would I encounter when I reached the tribe, would they be accepting of me, would things be hostile or friendly, will I be able to adapt well enough to their style of living to be able to complete my assignment. I could not stop thinking of all the ways this trip could play

My mother, three brothers, two sisters and I began to travel to places to collect all the required documents we needed in order to prepare for our appointment, which was to take place in Ciudad Juarez. I was more than thrilled to go places and tell people I was soon leaving to the United States, because that 's where everyone wanted to go and we were the lucky ones. On the other hand, the rest of them were leaving everything behind – their family and friendships. I didn 't have anything to lose because they were all to me; they had their lives there and now an unexpected letter was taking everything away. The truth is my father had petitioned for us just for the sake of it, thinking we wouldn 't get approved but destiny proved other wise. The plan my parents envisioned was taking this opportunity and returning to Mexico the following year with our residency status

Before we got on our plane we picked up some food and sodas. While eating we began to reminisce in the memories we had in ethiopia. We told our dad we wanted to stay. Holding back a tear he told us this was the best for us. We grabbed our orange sodas and got ready for our flight. I looked out the window looking at the city, all the lights made me think i was looking at what i thought was new york city. I looked out the window and shed a tear knowing i wouldn't be back for a while.

As much as I loved living in Mexico as a child I always missed my father, I spend 6 birthdays, 6 Christmases, and 6 Father’s days without him. Even though he called every single day, my sister and I needed him to be in our lives physically. I know it was also very difficult for my parents to be apart and my dad suffered deeply but he was sacrificing to give us a better future. In the summer of 2007, when

Imagine yourself on a road trip to a place where the weather is different and the places are new to you. In a place where you only know family and no one else. A feeling like no other, that’s what I felt, knowing I was going to live in this new place.

     It started like any other day up on the hills of Rhein, but that day had the scent of freedom floating in the air. The journey ahead of me had been teasing me for weeks, I was just so anxious to get away and start all over again. I had made certain arrangements before I left, our family dog was not allowed on the ship that we were going to be arriving in America, so I had my parents take care of the dog for us. It was a hard thing to do seeing that the dog had become more than just a pet to the children and I, for we almost would recognize him as a family member. Most of our possessions we were able to keep with us, but we had to keep the load light since it was going to be a tight stay in the steerage. I

The last thing I saw before I was whisked away was my brother, a lonely soul with no one left to love him. I left on a Monday morning and by nightfall, I was in what seemed like another world,

On the big road was the car that would take us to Ho Chi Minh Airport. When I was in the car, I cried until we reach the airport. Because, I knew that I would not be able to step on this soil for many years to come. The time for us to get into the airplane came. This was my first time riding on this big machine; it was as huge as an island was my reaction. We sat in the airplane for about 2 days, and then at morning dawn, it reached American soil. My aunt said, “Look at the grass in America, it is green like the rice fields in Vietnam.” Then I took a look. The atmosphere was so peaceful and so natural. That’s what I liked about it. There was a thought that came to me, “We are in the America now, but I still miss

At a young age I departed from Mexico leaving all my friends, memories, and my father behind. Even though my father did not accompany us to the U.S. I hold no grudges or any type of negative thoughts because having heard both sides to why he stayed and why we left I understood that it was for the better. While he was growing career wise my family needed a change that would’ve been selfish to include him. This

Sixteen years ago my parents brought my siblings and I to the United States with nothing but the clothes in our suit cases and the money they in their wallets. Years later, I found out we fled the country. My dad who was a lawyer in Colombia elected to not defend a high profile criminal in a case. Members of my family were kidnapped and killed as a result of my father’s

I have waited eight years to be with my father again. I was ten years old when he had to leave. He figured his salary was not sufficient to support our needs. Like any other father, he wanted to be able to provide for his family and give us a decent life. Living in the Philippines, where poverty is a common predicament, moving to a more developed country became the norm for many fathers. He had no other choice but to take the risk and leave us behind as he left in search for work in Hawaii. Growing up, I would ask my father why he had to leave us behind. Why couldn’t he just stay and be with us? I never really got the answer until I was able to experience the opportunities offered in the United States. After eight long years, my father was finally able to take my brother and I here to the United States. However, in this joyful moment, I know we are about to face another obstacle. We had to be away from my mother. I don’t know how long I would be away from her. But, life has to go on. Great opportunities are more accessible here, in the United States and I know I have to make the most out of it.

The hardest time in a person's life is often following the death of a close family member. Death is hard, losing someone you love and see on a daily basis causes great grief and sorrow. For me that special person I lost was my Dad. My father died when I was twelve and it was no doubt the hardest time of my life. Our relationship was indescribable I was his little buddy and we went absolutely everywhere together, and when he died it was like he just disappeared from my life forever. As a young boy you really do not know how to react to such a terrible situation. Neil Ibrahim a father of four dies young and it's just you and your brother left to carry the family name. Throughout the grieving process one learns who really cares about his or hers well being and the upbringing of their children without a father, losing your father makes you more responsible and a more humble person because you are all they left behind.