Hina (Pakistan, Age 16): English 121

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My name is Hina Khan. I am from Pakistan. I am 16 year old. I lived in a small village named Malka Hans. In pakistan every morning when I woke up I could hear the water running down in the tank. I could smell the fresh air. Everything was perfect for me until I heard I was moving to New York. One day I came from school my mom gather my sister and brother and she told us we were moving to New York. she said a lot of thing to all of us. All the sudden my mom said the reason we were moving to New York was to have a good education and make my family proud. The real reason was that my uncle was sick. He wanted to see my whole family. My mom and dad started to prepare. We packed our stuff when we had few weeks to leave from Malka Hanse all the relatives came to meet us.I didn't want to meet them because when they come I feel like no one knows me. In my family only 3 kids were famous my 2 older sister and my brother. I was so happy that I was going to live in America. When we left for Pakistan airport everyone was crying for the first time I saw my dad crying. my dad is strict person so as my mom. when I saw my dad crying I felt so bad inside. But I didn't know what I should do and at the same time I was so happy because I was going outside of Pakistan…….After 2 and half day later we were in New York.

When I got off the airplane I saw my Uncle, Aunt and Cousin were waiting for us in the airport. When we meet them, and when all the greeting was over one of my cousin gave me a balloons. The balloons flawed awayed from my hand. I run after the balloon. I almost got into an accident. My dad yelled at me front of everyone . He was telling me not to mess up with anything. But when I turned around to see where the balloons flew I sawed a lot of beautiful building which I never see (I seen in movie, drama I alway wanted to live in it.) I was so excited to see more beautiful things. The day I came to New York was June 28  2009. My first day in New York I was so sleepy. when I was in my uncle house. I was sleepy because I couldn't sleep well in the airplane, after one week my Aunt and Uncle take us to different places we went to museum, park and in the 6 flag we all had so much fun.

First day of my school when I entered my classroom I saw a lots of kids from different country. I saw Chinese kids. I never seen Chinese people before in my life. In my class no one speak my language. It was really hard for me to understand the things. My teachers were so nice they were so supported. They helped me a lot. They thought me how to read and write. In elementary school everyone was so supported I made so many friends. Once my teachers told me the same thing my dad told me they said “in order to become good student or person you have to help yourself don't depend on anyone else”.I was so surprised when she said that. In new York everythings  was changed my fist year was so hard for me.

In New York my life totally changed. My mom and dad doesn't had time to spend with us. In my country my parents used to teach me and my sibling  about my religion. They used to taught us how to cook. Since we moved to New York my parents doesn't even have time to spend with us. Everyday they drop me and my younger sister to school. They go to college. My brother goes to middle school and my 2 older sister, goes to high school.(which I am in now.)They all used to come home around 6:00pm by the time they come home they find me sleeping. We had little time to spend  with each other. I hated the way it was going. I wanted to talk to them about that. But I didn't want my parents to worry they already had their problems to worry about that's how my life changed in New York.

In new country my dad always told me and my siblings to work hard because that going to  make us responsible. When we were leaving for New York he told my sisters, brother, and me  “not to depend on anyone else” because he said in “New country no one is your expect your family”. When I was in my country my dad used to see me as his son . He never let me grew my hair longer because he think  I was his another son. When we were In New York my mom told us that "even tho we are in new country never forget who you are, what’s your culture and they always said never change yourself for someone else".I will never going to forget what they used to say to us.

After living in New York for almost 6 year. I feel great because I learned a lot. I made a lots of friends. Now I tell my friends (that are in my country) about New York. They say that they want to live in New York. I feel lucky that I am in a famous country. In my country everyone wants to live in New York.I don't know why. In New York I learn a lots of things. One of the things I learn and do is never going to forget who I am an where I am from and I will never going to be depend on any one else. if you are having trouble with your work take your time try hard you will get it. My message to people who are reading this is that be yourself don't depend on anyone but even on your parents because they have more problems to worry about.