My parents and I migrated to the US in 2001. I was 4 years old. We came on the international lottery visa. We came at a difficult time, it was a month before 9/11. When it happened I was shocked and scared and this country didn’t feel safe anymore. My parents brought me here because we faced extreme financial hardships in my country. But I was young and didn’t understand that. I didn’t want to be here. I felt like I was brought against my will. Now I understand and am grateful for their sacrifices. I am pursuing my masters in Boston and am doing so without loans. I am really lucky. But the US has never felt like home, it hasn’t always been welcoming. The worst of it is that my home country doesn’t feel welcoming anymore either. Ni de aqui ni de alla. Neither from here or there. This quote really haunts me.