Do the Write Thing

My First Day in America

 

Treza Ghobrial

 

I'll talk about a hard moment in my life. It's the first day I came here to U.S.A. This moment started when I was in America's airport, and my husband left me alone in another line, because he has a citizen but I have green card, so we have to be separated in line.

I stood in a line and waited for my turn. Really I can't explain this moment, it's really hard and scarey moment for me, because I found around myself many people speaking another language, and I couldn't understand this language well.

Another scarey moment for me started when my turn came, so I went to the window. Here I was scared, especially when the immigration officer started to ask the first question. "Do you speak English?" So I said, "Little."

After that he started to follow the easy questions for me like . . . " What's your name?" "What's your husband's name?" "What's your husband's job?" "How long has he been here?" and that was easy for me. So I answered all this questions very well.

Then he asked me last question: "What's your wedding date?" That was a confusing question for me because my answer begins with the day of the month not the number of the month. So here it's big different because the month always comes first, and I never knew that. So the immigration officer told me, "That's not the date I have on the paper. So, please, if you can explain it to me which number is the day and which is the month, maybe it's a little different between here and your country." Finally after I explain to him, he get that and understood everything.

After that he told me, "All your papers were done and every thing is o.k., but I want to make sure before you leave. Did you fill out this paper?" So I looked to the paper and I said, "No."

Then he said "Sorry. You have to get out of the line to fill this paper and come back again." I said o.k. I went to the place that had a small table. I sat down and started to read the paper. Finally I found this paper about the trip and the services in the plane, but I couldn't understand all the questions. While I filled the paper out, I saw a nice lady, who I didn't know. She came to help me to make me finish fast.

I finished my paper with her help, so I said thanks and left to stand again in the line. Finally my turn came, the immigration officer took the paper and said, "That's perfect" and said "Just one more thing you have to do." I said "o.k." He said, "You have to go to this room to do fingerprint and after that you be all set."

I did what he told me, and I did all my paper and took a proof after maybe two hours in the airport.

Finally I get out of the airport, I was surprised because I found snow in the street, and the weather was very cold, and that's a big difference from my country but I'm really like to start my life here with my husband in America.

 


Author's photo goes here About the Author

Treza Ghobrial is a student at the Clinton Adult Learning Center. She is originally from Egypt and has been in the United States for 1 ½ years. She works in Sterling at a plastic company.

“When my English gets better, I want to complete the education I started in my country.”