America! The red, white and blue! I still cannot believe it has been three years since I moved here from Saudi Arabia. It was not an easy decision to make. It all started when I got a e-mail from USAFIS.
The e-mail talked about this U.S green card lottery program. It said that America gives 50,000 visas each year to work and live in the United States legally. I only knew of America from T.V. and others who visited the country. Moving to America was not something I thought of before.
I am a simple person who had a job as a manager of the local supermarket. Who am I to dream of something? I was just trying to get by. I am father who needed to make sure there was food on the table. I wanted a better life for my family, but did not know how to do it.
I love computers. It was my dream to have my own business fixing computers. I am just fascinated on how these machines work. However, life sometimes does not give you a chance to go after your dreams. Then one day, I get this e-mail telling me it is possible to pursue your dreams. At first, I was not sure if this was a real thing or someone tricking me. I could not understand why the U.S. would just give away green cards. I did not delete the e-mail. Rather, I researched on the internet about the green card lottery program and found out it is the real thing. This program was approved by the U.S. government.
I went back to the e-mail and just sat there thinking of the possibilities of living in the U.S. All these ideas popped in my head. I got more and more excited about the idea. I could not sleep that night. The following morning, I discussed the idea with my wife. She was not as excited as me. She was nervous about leaving her family and the village where we grew up in. We knew everyone and everyone knew us. Moving to a big place like the U.S. is scary and we did not know too much English. However, I knew America was created by immigrants and many come to make a better life for their family. People succeeded in ways that are not thought of in my country. I decided it was time to change my life around.
I registered with USAFIS to enter the green card lottery program. They told me is 1 out of 70 chance that I could win. For a small fee, they could help me with the paperwork. My English was not so good. They told me that 18% of all applications are thrown out because it was not filled out correctly. For me, it was better to be safe than sorry. Plus, they said if I won they would pay for my ticket to the U.S.
I guess the hardest part of the whole thing was waiting for an answer. One day, you say to yourself, there is no way for me to win. The next day, you ask yourself what were you thinking? Other days, you plan out what you want to do when you get the U.S. On these good days, I would research communities within the United States that were similar to me. I know many people from my country live in the United States and have the types of schools, mosque, food and other things that would make my move an easier one.
America is one of those places that you can keep your faith and still provide for your family. I found out that America have the same types of newspapers and books in my language in their libraries. Imagine that, I could read my favorite book for free.
I also began learning English just in case. I said to myself what is the worse that can happen, I will learn a new language and not win.
Always doubting…always hopeful. Mix feelings all the time.
I prayed like never before.
You come to a point that you just leave things in God’s hands and stop the worrying. You say to yourself, I am doing this for my family to have better life than I did. To give them the things I did not get. To live! You say to yourself if it is meant to be it is meant to be or if not than not.
I will never forget the day. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. I came home exhausted from work. I was in a bad mood. The phone rings. I did not want to talk to anybody and asked my wife to just say I am sleeping. My wife picks up the phone and starts jumping and up and down and screaming. I thought she went crazy. Asking her what is going on, she said, take the phone! Take the phone! On the other line a sweet voice with the best news in the world said congratulations you are the winners of the green card lottery program.
The e-mail talked about this U.S green card lottery program. It said that America gives 50,000 visas each year to work and live in the United States legally. I only knew of America from T.V. and others who visited the country. Moving to America was not something I thought of before.
I am a simple person who had a job as a manager of the local supermarket. Who am I to dream of something? I was just trying to get by. I am father who needed to make sure there was food on the table. I wanted a better life for my family, but did not know how to do it.
I love computers. It was my dream to have my own business fixing computers. I am just fascinated on how these machines work. However, life sometimes does not give you a chance to go after your dreams. Then one day, I get this e-mail telling me it is possible to pursue your dreams. At first, I was not sure if this was a real thing or someone tricking me. I could not understand why the U.S. would just give away green cards. I did not delete the e-mail. Rather, I researched on the internet about the green card lottery program and found out it is the real thing. This program was approved by the U.S. government.
I went back to the e-mail and just sat there thinking of the possibilities of living in the U.S. All these ideas popped in my head. I got more and more excited about the idea. I could not sleep that night. The following morning, I discussed the idea with my wife. She was not as excited as me. She was nervous about leaving her family and the village where we grew up in. We knew everyone and everyone knew us. Moving to a big place like the U.S. is scary and we did not know too much English. However, I knew America was created by immigrants and many come to make a better life for their family. People succeeded in ways that are not thought of in my country. I decided it was time to change my life around.
I registered with USAFIS to enter the green card lottery program. They told me is 1 out of 70 chance that I could win. For a small fee, they could help me with the paperwork. My English was not so good. They told me that 18% of all applications are thrown out because it was not filled out correctly. For me, it was better to be safe than sorry. Plus, they said if I won they would pay for my ticket to the U.S.
I guess the hardest part of the whole thing was waiting for an answer. One day, you say to yourself, there is no way for me to win. The next day, you ask yourself what were you thinking? Other days, you plan out what you want to do when you get the U.S. On these good days, I would research communities within the United States that were similar to me. I know many people from my country live in the United States and have the types of schools, mosque, food and other things that would make my move an easier one.
America is one of those places that you can keep your faith and still provide for your family. I found out that America have the same types of newspapers and books in my language in their libraries. Imagine that, I could read my favorite book for free.
I also began learning English just in case. I said to myself what is the worse that can happen, I will learn a new language and not win.
Always doubting…always hopeful. Mix feelings all the time.
I prayed like never before.
You come to a point that you just leave things in God’s hands and stop the worrying. You say to yourself, I am doing this for my family to have better life than I did. To give them the things I did not get. To live! You say to yourself if it is meant to be it is meant to be or if not than not.
I will never forget the day. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. I came home exhausted from work. I was in a bad mood. The phone rings. I did not want to talk to anybody and asked my wife to just say I am sleeping. My wife picks up the phone and starts jumping and up and down and screaming. I thought she went crazy. Asking her what is going on, she said, take the phone! Take the phone! On the other line a sweet voice with the best news in the world said congratulations you are the winners of the green card lottery program.