Black History Month
WinnerEmigrating to the US
By Izdihar Kabak
Emigrating to the U.S is a dream of most people everywhere in the world. It was a very important decision in my life. I was
living in Syria with my family, and I had been teaching for 28 years, and we had a good life there. But my children had been moving
to the U.S since 1994 to get a chance for a great future. My life changed. I became very sad to be far away from them. I
moved to the U.S in 2000, and my life changed more.
I have been living in D.C since 2000. The best thing I have is the feeling to be free which we lost in all our life in Syria. Here,
we are free to vote for whom we want, and to say what we believe even if it is against the government, and to feel as a people
equal in the law. Of course, I missed every beautiful thing in Syria, I missed our friends, and our relatives, but I am close to my
children, and I have many things to be comfortable: shopping, traveling, and enjoying the beauty and the clean country. And the best:
I am studying English in the great Carlos Rosario School.
Teacher: McElroy, EVE, Level 6
My Personal Crossroads
By Iryna Tykhonovska
Every person in their lives has their own crossroads. Sometimes you have to make very difficult decisions, sometimes not, but
they are in our life. My hardest crossroads were at a time when I had to choose if I wanted to live in the US with my children or
to be in Ukraine. My life in Ukraine was comfortable and I had a job there. Also, I lived in my country for a long time and my friends
lived there.
When I came here at first, I like this country and the people but I didn’t feel comfortable and confident here because I
didn’t speak English. In my country people say, “Old trees can’t be replanted because it wil die.” In the young age youthful people
can adapt more easily than in older age. I thought for a long time and I decided to move to the US because I missed my children a
lot. At first, my life here wasn’t easy. I couldn’t read instructions for a dryer. I couldn’t go to the store or airport. When I got lost, I
couldn’t explain anything and I just cried.
I have lived in the US for 3 years and all that time I have studied English. My progress is not as high as I would like it, but I
hope in the future it will be better. Now I understand that I made the right decision and I feel almost happy because I live with my
children. Maybe sometimes crossroads are necessary in our lives.
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Teacher: McElroy, EVE, Level 6