Dilan (Guatemala, Age 16): English 403

Hi my name is Dilan I am from Guatemala. This is my story when I was 12 years old now I am 16 years old now I will tell you about my past in my country. The school in my country wasnt that elegant it was made of adobe but it was beautiful for the people who went to that school. There was good atmosphere , I like went  to school but there was a problem with the teacher it was hard for them to get on time because they were fixing the road and some of the teacher lived far from the school, we had to wait for them, the situation in my country is bad I had to walk sometimes to get there but sometimes I was lucky because my neighbors gave me rides sometimes  but we had to go because our parents wanted a better future for us, The school was far from where I used to live, sometimes we used to go together with my friends and it was fun because we used to tell us jokes on our way to school sometimes we used to take our bicycles to school and feel the fresh air. My school wasnt that big but it was okay for us because a lot of the kids don’t go to school some of them work I was lucky because my parents wanted me to went to school and don’t work, my school had a place where we could play soccer and a place for basketball the teacher gave us like an hour and a half to play it was great we always have fun with my friends they teacher also used to make activities to keep us active all the time, and also they used to celebrate traditional things of my country every time they celebrate things in school it was the best for me because we hang out with my friends and play together, my community worked us a group if the school needed something the community gets together and try to give us the best they can for us sometimes my school makes trips to have a good time together.

  My house was not elegant I think this is not a important thing   i lived far from the city the nearest town was about two hours from where i lived my grandparents go shopping every week because it was difficult to go every day my grandparents had to wait for a car almost 15 or 20 min so it was difficult for my grandparents every afternoon after school i helped my grandpa and grandma in what they needed me and also i used to go out with my friends to the field to play soccer  everything was beautiful  

i miss the sweet smell of wet earth when it rains and then when the sun came out to see the  light rays so wonderful unique moments now that i remember i wanna go back in those moments but its impossible the past is the past i hope one day to go back being a better person

My grandparents were the best people they raised me without them it would not be for me they taught me the person i am now, at christmas was when aunts and some uncles would gather at my grandparents house to live it was very happy because my uncles and friends they were going to buy fireworks and burning tires tires were used as a campfire bought candy and sweets in my country usually cook tameles to it them at midnight all was very happy also used to go with friends to fly kites we were fishing in a river that was out there about the most beautiful and nearby river left us a 20 minute bike ride and December 7th is the day of the devil always pre iva cousins ​​to see them contests and 8 was merely day if you want to go see them have to carry coins because they pinched or paint if you do not give them a quetzal those are the rules all very well controlled.In this part of my life is perhaps the hardest for me a quiet evening and very pretty receive a call my grandparents on my mom hear mourn my grandmother I have no idea after a couple of minutes tell me I have to travel and leave That was very hard for me because I loved them the trip is very risky especially when you're a child arrived at the border between Guatemala and Mexico stayed overnight there and from there the next morning we left there we had to get to a place called Arriaga where we had to take the train called the Beast, after a couple of hours we arrived and were waiting for the train to get to another place called Ixtepec was a little tired because we had to go on the train for 13 hours coming Ixtepec rested the next morning we left there was a little more comfortable reach Oaxaca because it was in a very comfortable bus and then coming to Oaxaca had to take a ADO to take us to the DF was very stressful and uncomfortable arriving at Federal District fuen a relief because we are more than halfway stayed three days there and hence the guide buy tickets and take an ADO to Guadalajar and there to Durango after a long journey we reached the border of Mexico and United States had to stay more than 15 days in the cellar and then ai us out into the desert with enough food and began the long road in the Arizona desert it took nine days to reach Phoenix Arizona.

In this part of my life I'm going to talk about how it is the school here in New York is m did a little difficult the first days of language and I'm still having some trouble with the English hope to improve them ASAP school is nice there is enough support teachers explain very well there is a good atmosphere and is good to communicate with people from different. countries which could not in my country there are many productive things I quite like the English course I do not mean just because I need to learn it.! like GYM is very happy playing soccer with different people learn from them something new outlets I also like a lot because you go to new places and learn many things seen wonderful things also very good because one is always kept in group work Class is also different in the hour break in my country could play soccer instead here you take lunch and get to talk or else less play and that's a bit stressful too, I like the months of school because they are the days when quite cold and you do not feel much for coming to school and when summer begins school ends that's very good that you can do whatever you want and I also like that you can stay after school and also get before school also because one can reach Breakfast also because we can use a computer or dictionary for homework thing in my country not could in my country everything is paid for life is very difficult I quite like this country that enough support to migrants also because one can come to work out in the gym every Tuesday morning and Wednesday afternoon at my school which I also did not quite like because they make us to learn fast the English doing tasks like are writing our past and stuff.

The apartment is nice not so small perfect place to live is very comfortable to live in and everything is easier I tell my sister she becomes easy cooking and other things too that you do not suffer from economy as it was in my country also if you want to take a bath do not have to boil water in my country we have to boil water for half an hour or a little more if I did not have to bathe in cold water and it took more time also to wash clothes in my country one had to hand wash laundry is easier here are the laundries that's a great benefit I like the area where I live because there are so many people and you can go barbecues and also sunbathe on the relaxing patio the parke left me two blocks sometimes go out with my two nephews to play football and that summer is starting is very good to get out to exercise after so much stress of being home alone stores I have left something away that is a little problem in cold weather if you want to go out and buy something makes it a little difficult to think I'm a bit lucky school I is three blocks from where I live and I have to wait for the train or bus takes me four three minutes to get in my country which took me half an hour

New York, is a country with great economy I come to this country 1 year ago there is much support for us migrants assign us plans for us to go to the hospital or other things the school is very good parks work is always compared my country in my country is very difficult to find a job you can achieve your goals your dreams has very beautiful places to go to live in family everything is very clean and organized may seem strange what berry to say but it's true also one can eat whatever you want thing where he lived it was difficult for me because I had some distance the restaurant this is a great country that we benefit us enough I can work and buy what I want That's a great benefit as summer begins I quite like going to the park of Coney Island and spend quality time with my family in this country I hope to accomplish my dreams.! all who read this may not be the best story but ask you not to forget their roots and fight for your dreams.!