When I decided to come to the United States I knew that I would face many new things like a different government, educational system, culture, and language. 

I arrived in the United States on June 29, 2019, in San Diego, California when I was 16 years old. At that time, all my memories of my family were passing through my mind because I would no longer be with them and now I would go to live with new people. Somehow, my brain blocked all those emotions and memories and I completely focused on “learning the educational system” as well as its culture and language which was something I needed. Since then, my life has changed in all aspects. Imagine! I was a lonely teenager. Everything around me was new to me. After a few months, I began to adapt to the educational system, I was able to flow a little more in my classes, and just when I was there, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, and again everything was new for me.

I have been in this pandemic for nine almost ten months, with so much free time to think. I realized that before the pandemic, I was not actually enjoying my life. I was trying too hard to learn and succeed in a new country that I never prioritized what I really wanted or needed to do. Today, thanks to the pandemic, my ability to slow down, spend time with myself and really think, has meant there is a new Aimee. Now I continue working to achieve my inner peace because that’s an everyday job. I’m clear about what I want for my future, but I’m also clear that I have to enjoy my present life. 

During this pandemic, I have learned so many things. I learned how to manage my emotions so that they don’t control me. And most important, I learned that there is nothing better than having your peace and emotional stability. Once you have that, you realize that you have control over your life.

The podcast version of this can be heard here.

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