Why?

Being an immigrant’s child in a small town was fun, but also came with its challenges. At times I would feel very isolated in the world outside of my house. I didn’t grow up with many first-generations, or immigrants’children around me. I would say that I’m a foreigner in the country I was born in. Now as an adult I would talk to my boyfriend or my best friend about feelings of split cultures, the loneliness, or just navigating the world in general but, they only understand to a certain extent because they’re American.

In those lonely times of my childhood I would write journal entries or poems to deal with the feelings and emotions. Which I still do to this day but only for my best friend’s and boyfriend’s ears. My best friend has told me many, many times that I should put my words out there for other people to read because, there are people out there that feel the same as me. They may have the same or similar experiences, and they feel like they are on their own. I’ll let you know that you are not alone, they’re people who understand and you are seen.

-Shanae