Stranger

Hawaii is a paradise on Earth. Traveling to Hawaii usually holds a place on many people’s bucket lists. Despite the reputation of the beautiful islands, I didn’t want to go to Hawaii. More precisely, I feared leaving my hometown, friends, and even family. However, I eventually moved to Hawaii, which completely changed my life.

At the age of fourteen, my parents considered moving to Hawaii for me and my older brother’s education. At the end of the lengthy discussion, we chose Hawaii without my father because he supported our living expenses. We started to go through the immigration process. I took a new photo of the passport with short shoulder-length hair and submitted a dropout document to the middle school. I passed the hallway while everyone took classes and left school alone at about 1 o’clock. Afterward, when cherry blossoms bloomed in the spring, I said goodbye to my friends and family and boarded a plane to Hawaii.

Overcome by the hot and humid air, I arrived in Hawaii. We met our cousin at the airport, who immigrated to Hawaii earlier than us, and he took us home. With palm trees, a carpeted floor, and orange light, I dealt with awkward and unfamiliar feelings with everything I first encountered. Leaving these feelings behind, I adjusted to new circumstances. I gradually became a stranger in both my hometown and my new residence.

I turned twenty-two this year, and I still can not give a definite answer to the question, “Who am I?” In addition, I can not even proudly say that I adapted to the new environment. Still, I believe my wandering past will be manure for the future. Thus, I survive in an imperfect present, hoping to reach a better future.