One of the most important items that my family brought in were the photos. One of those photos is really important to me personally, because it portraits the happy life of my family before the occurrence of major changes in it. When I was 10 my parents divorced.  Then my mother’s health started deteriorating, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and couple of years later  became completely paralyzed.  In addition to all those changes me and my brother were also getting bullied in school due to being Jews. My grandmother, decided that if we stayed, me and my brother’s future would be unpredictable. My grandmother was able to do the required paperwork for us to immigrate to America, so in 1997 me, my brother, my mother and my grandmother moved to America. The life in America was very difficult. First, I was forced into a school on the second day of arriving to the country. Second, going from office to office with my grandmother and using my limited  knowledge of the English language for translation. After school, besides homeworks I had to help my grandmother with the care of my mom. However, all those difficult times did pay off. I am a happily married woman with a couple of children, a job that allows me to help provide for my family. I can’t thank my grandmother enough for all she did for me and my brother.  Now, looking back at that picture helps me understand that it is possible for people to be happy, but at the same time, reminds me that every day of my life I should cherish the people in my life because you never know what future holds in store for us.
 

– L

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child