I move to the United States to pursue my studies in college. I was born and raised in Cote d’Ivoire, a country located in west Africa. Back in my country, I was kind of a trouble-maker. In high school, my behavior became worse due to some issues I had with my mother and my grand-mother. They finally come out with the idea of me going to college abroad, so I can gain some maturity and independence. Before coming to the United States, I was concerned about what my second life would like once I live in Chicago, how people would see me, how would I fit in, and would I ever be able gain some cultural aspects.
When I got to Chicago, I wasn’t feeling very different because I am black, and there are also a lot of black people in the United States, especially in Chicago. I thought I could fit in easily. I came to Chicago during spring time. In fact, during the summertime, I used to go out a lot, but I have also noticed that I don’t dress like the other girls around me. We have a whole different style. One day, I went out. It was a very beautiful day, so I decided to go do some shopping. People started looking at me in a certain way more than once; I was concerned. I was still and I noticed that many black girls were wearing shorts, crop tops and sneackers while, I was wearing a blue dress and some sandals. Since that day, I knew I would never fit in with the way I dress. In addition, people pay a lot of attention to the way other people talk and also a lot of attention in their appearance. They always notice if people have an accent, so they can manage how to behave to people. For example, I was by myself downtown and someone came to talk to me. At the moment we started talking, he immediately noticed my French accent. He asked me where I was from, and started to act weirdly because at that period he knew I wasn’t American. Also, some people have an attitude of only talking to you because you’re a foreigner or choose not to talk to you because you are a foreigner, and that was a very frustrating experience for me. Overall, one of my first experiences in the United States wasn’t as good as I imagined in my head.
On the other hand, since I moved to Chicago, I have accomplished so many things that thought I would never be able to do on my own back home. In fact, I have gained a lot of academic skills. For example, in Cote d’Ivoire, I had good skills in math and physics but not at all in literature. When I started college in the United States, I was aware of my lack of knowledge, so I worked on myself to improve certain skills. In fact, I wasn’t able to write a complete essay. I worked hard and I ended up having the best grades in writing at the end of my first semester and I was very proud of myself. For example, in the beginning of every class each semester, the instructor usually asks you to write a quick essay about you and the reason you are taking this class. In the first class, I couldn’t write more than ten sentences, but now I am able to a maximum of two paragraphs and even more. In these past times, I have also gained a lot of maturity. In fact, I used to be very immature, and I didn’t know how to manage the money my parents would give me. For example, if they give a certain amount for the month, in the middle of the month my money would already be spent. I have decided to make some plans to mange my money. Now on, at the beginning of every month, I make a list of all the things I need, and all the things I don’t need. Also, I try to manage my money by making a spending planner so I would be able to track my spending, and even make some savings.
In conclusion, I learned that it is not easy to fit in the United States due to your appearance and your background. Also, since I moved in the United States, I have gained a lot of maturity and responsibility. Moving in another country in general a good way to learn more about yourself and also, people around the world. I am glad I came to study in the United States, because It permitted me to meet new people and learn new things. I look forward to meet new people, discover new places, and finally learn more experiences.