When I was a kid growing up I have always heard about a country called the USA, like I have heard about many other ones. For some reasons I kept hearing more about America than any other country. Growing up in Haiti, I've always heard about the "land of the free" as the "paradise country". IN my young mind, I thought there was a tree growing up money in everybody's backyard, therefore for me from my interpretation of the country I thought that everybody was rich. I have had a lot of expectations for this country and I have always wanted to call home such a beautiful and rich country. Oh, before I forget it as well... I thought also all American could sing!!!!!
I have heard a lot more about America but these two conceptions were the ones that I was expecting the most. Well... God made it possible for me to come leave in America. What about all I was told about it? Was I disappointed? What do I think of it right now!
Hold on, don't be too much in a rush and let me slowly but surely take you to my conclusion and may be you will be able to see for yourself what a Haitian boy from way up in the mountain who is now a father think about America.
I am about two years shy of calling America home for a decade. I have seen lots of even unfolded from 9/11 to the Iraq war, from people being fearsome to being more patriotic than ever. I have read a lot of blogs ad watched a lot of news! I am a news junkie by the way! I have seen people cry in America more than I have ever seen in Haiti. In America, I have learned it's ok to cry, 'cause this can release your stress, your pain. I have learned to stand up and make a difference. Most of all what I have learned is that you can be everything you want to be as long as you work hard for it. I do think that Americans in general are the nicest people I have ever made! Some of them are the rudest ones as well! But like I say generally in my opinion, they are.
I have been blessed to meet the nicest people who have helped me to shape a new picture of America. Of course, as soon as I set foot in this country I realized: "where in the world are those money trees people were talking about?" There surely nothing like, at least I haven't seen one or knows everybody who has one, but may be they meant other otherwise and my innocent mind as a child thought a different way! I have also realized that there are a lot of singers in America but I did not know about these people who think they could sing and unfortunately I am a member of this club (lol).
Am I disappointed? not all! I love this country! America is always the first country people have eye on when there is a natural disaster in other country to come to help! If any country do not help the one that will receive the most blame will be the USA. Why because they are always there to help! I am not saying this country is perfect. There are a lot of stuff happening in it that I do not agree with such as kids not respecting any adults, signing all kind of songs with bad languages in front of elders and not even care about them, people living 1 yard from each other and not even know their first name, the way Haitians are treated when it comes to immigration/deportation. No country is perfect for sure! etc... Still I am disappointed! Why? Because this country gives me a lot of possibilities! I can be anything I want to be! It will not be given to me on a golden plate, I just have to believe in myself and work hard for it!
Unfortunately a lot of Americans do not have a slight idea of how blessed they are to be call the USA their home country. They are spoiled and spend their time complaining about their 500th TV channels which is not working while the 499 others are. They complain about the hamburger which was not warm enough or making a scene about a pickle missing on their burger.
My point is no matter what! The USA remains the richest country of the world and is therefore the land of free, a land of opportunities. It amazes to see the amount of people who spend their time complaining about nothing or useless stuff instead of being thankful to God that they live here!
May God bless America and every other country and may America keep on rising up knowing that should be their anchors. I love America and wouldn't' trade it for any other country! I love Haiti as well it is my homeland and no matter what happen I will always remain Haitian and my heart will always be buried in Haiti but living in the USA has thought me so much: you can be anything you want to be, just work hard for it.
On this 4th of July I wish America and Americans from all over the world a happy anniversary! May God keep on blessing this country and make people within realize there is no true happiness in the world no matter where you are but all this can be found in God. If I had to choose again where to live without a doubt it will be America!!!
Happy 4th of July to you all!
Sammuel
www.treasuresofhaiti.com
I agree with you that this is a great country. Granted, it is not perfect, but no country is perfect because human beings are imperfect. Yet, having lived and travelled abroad, if I had to choose again where to make my home, it would no doubt be in the USA (and it would no doubt be the South!) My belief is that those who don't realize how lucky they are to live here have simply not experienced another way of life. The way I see it, when you look at life through only the filter of your own existence and have only one frame of reference, you can't possibly discern the real meaning of what's in front of you, and the true value of its nature is lost to you.
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