Moving from the country you have lived in your whole life is difficult; when you take that airplane, you already know that you’ll probably never see some people again, or others will change, and you won’t be able to see them. Places and people will change, and so will you. That’s one of the most difficult things about moving to another Country.

Back in Peru, I never imagined I would move. My family and I had a good life. I went to university for about a year; I had some friends from school and was making new ones. During that year, I was happy. Then we moved, and everything changed in the blink of an eye – we had to pack it all up. The last week was the hardest since we still had so much to do before the move. It affected me physically, and I watched as all our belongings were sold or thrown away.

Moving to the U.S. has been a huge change in my life, but not all change is bad. Of course, there are days when I’m sad, and that’s normal. I realized that being out of my comfort zone has made me try new things that I normally would not, and it helped me grow as an individual. I’ve learned to adapt to a new culture, improve my English, and meet people from different backgrounds. Although challenging, it has been an opportunity to discover new interests and build resilience.

Even though I miss Peru’s incredible food and familiar places, I’ll always carry them in my memory. I cherish my memories and stay connected with friends and family as much as possible. Moving to a new country is never easy, but it’s an experience that shapes you unexpectedly. That’s why I encourage each of you to give your all in every aspect of life – to show the world, and more importantly, yourself, how capable you are. So that in 10 years, you can look back and feel proud of the effort you put into every achievement.