My name is Isabella Waller.



DEPARTED FROM
Caracas, Venezuela

ARRIVED IN
Miami, Florida

YEAR
2014

AGE
8

NOW LIVES IN
Miami, Florida

I was nine years old and I was clueless. I had no idea what was going on nor why we were leaving. We arrived to the airport in a gray mood. No one was talking and the energy that my family usually had was gone and it was no where to be found. I asked my mom why we were moving to Miami and she told me for the best. No other explanation. I had a feeling it was because Venezuela's state in the government. I may have been young but I am certainly not stupid. When we walked into the airplane I asked my brother to sit with me but he said no. I had to sit next to my mom and a stranger which was no fun.

The entire plane ride I asked my mom why we were leaving. When the plane landed she told me because of my baby brother and because Venezuela was too dangerous for him. I was shocked to hear this because I didn't even realize I had another brother. The only siblings I knew I had were my two older brothers. I asked my mom what baby she was talking about. She had told me about how my dad was taking care of him for the past month. That's why he was gone.

Moving to Miami was hard. I had to adapt to an atmosphere I hadn't been in since I was three. I had to make new friends and sooner or later I forgot about the ones I had in Venezuela. My new school was really advanced compare to the one I was in and it was hard to know my way around. I wasn't exactly the best at getting good grades, they were thinking about holding me back a grade but I was saved when I got private classes. In fact I was moved up a grade because of how smart I had gotten.

Leaving everyone behind was hard. I didn't see my grandparents for years nor had I seen my cousins. They come and visit every once and a while. I cherish that moment because I knew that the next time I'd see them would be in months. It took me a while to adapt to the American atmosphere. The United States changed me in a way no one could and I'm thankful for it.


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