(The following is a story by one of our upcoming Danvers High graduates)
I learned to talk when surrounded by other kids. But I was very late to speak and didn’t learn to speak when other kids did. For my mom, having a four-year-old daughter who could not even call her mom “mama” was incredibly painful for my parents. My mother was especially worried that I might start school late because of my language delay.
When I turned six, I still could not speak except for a few words. This was not enough to start school and significantly impacted my foundation. This was exactly what my mom feared: that I wouldn’t be able to start school with children my age. Then on a random day, one of my mom’s colleagues told me about a doctor who might be able to help me. My mom and I visited this doctor who provided many activities and exercises that we had to do together every day.
While doing these exercises, I was allowed to attend my mom’s school to observe and participate. This helped me get familiar with the school environment and learn letters and numbers. That year was unforgettable.
The following school year, I was finally able to start first grade. I was so excited about my first day of school. I imagined how thrilling it would be, and it truly was. Even now, tears come to my mom’s eyes when she tells me about that day. Although challenges arose in my daily life, it did not stop me from learning. I continued visiting that doctor, because I struggled with pronouncing certain letters.
My mom always dreamed of taking me abroad for better help and treatment. Growing up in Iraq, my family has always dreamed of living abroad to ensure that my sister and I would have a better and safer life.
What made it not safe in my country is the fighting between Kurdistan and Iraq. Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was trying to kill off all of the Kurdish people in Iraq (which put my family, who is Kurdish, in extreme danger).
Time flew by, and my language skills improved, thanks to my mom, who never gave up on me and always supported me.
My mom heard about an application called the Green Card Lottery where people could apply for residency in the United States. We knew the chances were small, but my mom, as always, believed in us. In May of 2018, we received an email from the Green Card Lottery. When we opened it, the first words that caught our eyes were: “Congratulations, your application has been approved”. That day we cried tears of joy for the first time in a long time. This day is remembered as the best day of our lives. It marked a huge turning point for us. Moving from one continent to another, getting to know a different culture, and adapting to it was challenging.
The first state we moved to was Oklahoma. We stayed temporarily with acquaintances who lived there. Then, we moved several times and met different people along the way. This change was both exciting and scary, mainly because we could not communicate well due to the language barrier.
When I came to Massachusetts it was hard. When we first started school in Danvers schools, we had to wait for permanent housing and we were staying in a hotel in the meantime. I came in as a senior at Danvers High and my middle sister was in eighth grade, while my baby sister was in pre-school. But I learned to love my life in Danvers. The hard parts of this didn’t stop me from discovering, learning, and having the will to stay in the United States (unlike my father who did not face these challenges, but yet left all the opportunities here). Over the past six years, I have been incredibly grateful for the chance to grow and develop.
Moving from one side of the world to a completely new country is an opportunity not everyone gets, and I am so thankful for it. I appreciate this country. The thought that I have only lived here for six years and am already preparing to apply to a two-year college after graduation feels so exciting. It feels incredible because of everything I’ve done and that I’ve completed my four years of American high school. The key to success is strong belief.
