As the plane descended, I pressed my small face to the window and stared at a world I had never seen before. Streets stretched wide, houses stood taller than anything in my memory, and the sun seemed sharper, brighter. A swirl of emotions filled me — happiness, sadness, excitement, and fear — all at the same time. I didn't know how to feel first, but my dad's hand on mine, warm and reassuring, reminded me that I wasn't alone.
When we arrived at our new home, everything felt different. Even familiar faces were unfamiliar. My mother was there, but she seemed like a stranger. She had been kind once, I remembered, but now she barely noticed me. Her attention was all on my younger sister, just four months old at the time. I realized then that I had come to this new world because my dad wanted it, and my mom didn't seem to care much whether I lived here or not. The thought made my chest ache, but I pushed it down and focused on my father's smile.
The house was strange too. Rooms smelled different, furniture was arranged in ways I couldn't understand, and even the sunlight that fell through the windows seemed foreign. I followed my dad around, trying to learn the layout, trying to feel like I belonged. Each corner of the house was a reminder that my life had changed completely.
Outside, the streets were wider, busier, and full of sounds I couldn't yet recognize. Children ran past, calling out words I couldn't understand, laughing freely as if this place had always been theirs. I wanted to join them, to feel the same joy, but I hesitated, unsure how to enter this new world. Every step felt heavy, every sound overwhelming.
Even at home, I felt a strange mix of comfort and loneliness. My father tried to cheer me up, telling me stories and showing me little things around the house, but I still missed the life I had left behind. I missed my grandparents, my small town, the familiar smells, the familiar streets. Even the sun in Vietnam felt kinder somehow.
And yet, a tiny spark of curiosity flickered inside me. This world was strange, yes, but it was also full of possibilities. I could explore, learn, and maybe, slowly, find a place for myself here. I was small, I was scared, but I was ready — or at least, I hoped I was ready — to face this new world.