Story from an Irish immigrant

Moving from Ireland to the United States has been a life changing experience. Even thought I am now 20 years old, and we moved when I was 17, there is still a lot for me to learn. Mom and Pop brought my two brothers and I to the US from Bacu, Ireland for better jobs and education, so we moved to a big city called Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My oldest brother's name is Jacob and he is 26. The other brother is 24 and his name is Christopher.

I can remember nearly six years ago when we first got here. When we were nearing Ellis Island, I could see the great Statue of Liberty, and just past the morning fog was the New York City skyline. I was so excited to get there and see all of the new things and move to our new home. Of course we had to go through all of the medical checks and everything like that.

[Irish spinner and spinning wheel. County Galway, ...

[St. Stephen's Green Park, Dublin. County Dublin, ...

[Cave Hill. Belfast. County Antrim, Ireland] (LOC)

I wasn't worried about any of that at all, even though I should've been. If the doctors found the littlest thing wrong with you, you would have to wait months until they even reconsidered you going into the US. The rest of your family would be making a living in a brand new place while you sat with sick people, none of which you know. I figured that would never happen to us, since Pop said we were meant to live in the US.

It was just my luck that they found a rash on my arm. Never before had I gotten a rash. I just had to have one the day we are supposed to go into America. Luckily it wasn't a bad one and they thought it might have been a bug bite. I still...