Love from My Family

        During the early 2000s, while China's economy was beginning to boom, many ordinary families in rural areas still struggled with finance because the Reform and Opening-up Policy could not completely change their life. At the same time, the booming economy of the United States attracted many Chinese immigrants seeking better opportunities. My grandmother and aunts were no exception; they made the hard decision to immigrate to the United States to pursue better jobs and a better future. Their decision to immigrate deeply affected my family and lasted my entire life. The early immigration of my grandmother and two aunts paved the way for my family, providing us with a financial foundation, legal status, and better educational opportunities.

        The first important effect is that my grandmother’s immigration provided my family with a better financial foundation. My grandmother found a great job at O'Hare International Airport. Meanwhile, my aunts started their American education at Harold Washington College and later successfully transferred to the University of Illinois Chicago. She bought a house with a small garden in Chicago; in addition, she sent money back to China that allowed my parents to buy a house in Taicheng, a big city of Guangdong province. Before that, my family lived in a dilapidated house in our hometown Chonglou, a small place of Taicheng. When I was five, I was so small that I could not take care of myself. Buying a new house in Taicheng allowed my parents to send me to a secure nursery, so my parents could focus on their jobs without worrying about my safety. Moving out of a small village also provided me with a much better living environment and superior basic education in China during my childhood. For example, moving to Taicheng allowed me to attend better schools with more sophisticated educational resources. For instance, I could learn Taekwondo and play basketball in a better place; moreover, I could study in a high school which has a smart teaching environment with advanced technology.

        The second effect is that my grandmother and aunts' immigration paved the way for my family to obtain legal status in the United States. My grandmother and aunts have worked in the United States for over twenty years. Therefore, my grandmother and aunts became naturalized as citizens, so they could apply my family to have our legal status. Their stable status allowed my family to immigrate, obtain Green Cards, and become lawful permanent residents. After we moved to Chicago. My father quickly found a great job as a chef in a local Chinese restaurant. Through this job, he also made many good friends. My father’s friends took my parents around the neighbourhood to know the parks and markets near our home. It helped our family fit in the local community.

        Finally, I no longer have to worry about tuition or living expenses because of my family’ s immigration. Having a Green Card, I can work legally, and the United States government also provides me with financial aid to go to college. I started learning English at Harold Washington College and I do not have to worry about tuition. Because I have a green card, I went to the school's financial aid office and applied for FAFSA. This government financial aid covered all my tuition fees and even gave me a good amount of refund money. In addition, I got a job at a very famous restaurant called JM Seafood. My coworkers are immigrants from Taishan who came to the U.S. a long time ago. They were very friendly and taught me how to get my driver's license when I had no idea what to do. Because of these opportunities, my life has been getting better and better.

        In conclusion, my grandmother and aunts' decision to immigrate profoundly influenced my family. I admire their choice to leave their lives behind and start, after arriving in the United States, I have realized how difficult it is to settle in a strange country. Their hard work paved the way for my family to have a better life. Although I do not know what the future will be like, I hope our big family can continue to live happily together.

Comments

  1. NemoApril 2, 2026 at 12:05 PM

    This essay is very clear and meaningful. I can understand your story and how your family’s immigration changed your life. The examples are strong and personal, which makes the essay interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wei LiApril 2, 2026 at 9:09 PM

    The essay clearly shows how your grandmother and aunts’ immigration shaped your family’s life.

    ReplyDelete
  3. BillyApril 3, 2026 at 8:24 AM

    It is a very good story and I have gotten your every details specifically.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
  Jialuo Wu ESLINTG 100   CE 1/29 /202 6                                                                   From Jialuo to Jason Most Chinese people believe in Feng Shui, and their names usually involve Feng Shui. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese philosophy that deals with balance. When most Chinese people are born, their parents would like to give them a name that is consistent with time and place   of their birth . My name is also is consistent with Feng Shui, and it was given to me by my grandfather. When I was born, my mother wanted to call me " 嘉嘉 Jiajia". The character means excellent in Chinese. My mother wanted me to be outstanding and smart. My grandfather was a teacher and knew a little bit about Feng Shui. He said I lacked fire, so he named me " 烙 Luo". " 火 Huo" means fire and passion. My grandfather ...
Read more

Shadow

Image
  Angel EstrellaVilorio   ESL 100   January 28, 2026   Shadow   My name, Angel, comes from my father, Angel, whose name is the same. My second name, Sebastian, was my mother’s choice. Before  I  was born, they were thinking about what  my name was going to be, so my father decided to give me his first name and my mother decided to give me, Sebastian, as a secon d name. I know my first name comes from my father, but even if Angel is my first name, sometimes  I  believe Sebastian is my actual name because it represents my   true   identity  and show s the real me. People only see my father’s shadow on me and that has created the  comparison  over the years.  Every time  some one saw me, they always saw my father on me. My first name symbolizes my resemblance that I am my father’s copy  because we share different things like our hair, face, hands and  height. All of these features  create th...
Read more

Hiding Myself

Image
 Lei Bi           I often hang out and drank with my friends when I was in China, and we not only talked about anything, but also there was nobody offended by us when we talked in English. However, when I arrived the United States, the situation changed. I was so nervous and looked around if there were Americans while who were looking at me because I saying a word in Chinese might make many Americans in general confused. Thus, it makes me think deeply why this word always misleads Americans. I can't speak Chinese wherever I want to now because there are a language barrier and a cultural gap between China and the United States. I try to hide a par of myself to adapt American life.          Now that I am living in the United States, I realize that unknown expressions might confuse Americans. Therefore, I need to watch my mouth when I speak Chinese. I am always so nervous when I speak Chinese with my parents or friends. There is a...
Read more