When I moved to the US two years ago, I took a picture with my friends one day before Imoved. This picture was taken at my friend’s house before going to a party. I keep the picture in a frame on my table. In this picture are my friends from school that I had known for 12 years. My friends always helped me and they are an integral part of my life. When I moved, I realized that I would miss them and need them. However, this picture helps me to remember the time when they were with me. Moving to another place is hard mentally, especially to another country. The picture has been helping me keep my chin up in some difficult situations like socialization and assimilation in the US. I look at it when I have a bad mood or when I just want to remember my friends and one happy moment of my life.Though, I am on a different continent, thanks to this picture my friends are always with me.        

– Ivan Stepanov

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant