I was one of the lucky ones.

 

Transitioning to the United States was easier for me than most others. My parents grew up in India. My mother is from Delhi, and my father is from Punjab. After they got married, they embarked on a journey around the world. My father worked for GE, requiring him to work in different locations. First, living in Budapest, they experienced different cultures for the first time in their lives. They then moved to Singapore, where I was born, and adapted to the urban lifestyle. When I was almost 1, we moved to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and survived the heat for four years. Afterwards, we relocated to Malaysia, where my sister was born, which coincidentally bordered Singapore.

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Although I learned to speak English my whole life, moving to the United States was a massive transition for my family and me. First arriving in Cincinnati at six years old, I learned how to live a very American lifestyle. Trying new foods like hot dogs and learning different things in school, the switch was very challenging, but I did overcome it. My father was given a work visa, which allowed our family to reside in the United States. Over time, moving to Boston and back to Ohio through many different homes, I started to feel American. Now, my family peacefully lives with Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards), knowing we will be safe in this country.

 

But many people don’t have the same fate as we have. Many families get separated between borders, taken into captivity, and might not ever see each other again. Many families don’t even make it out of the country they’re trying to escape. But I did.

 

I was one of the lucky ones.