“A New Land, A New Life — And the Storm Begins“

On the airplane to the United States, I sat by the window, stunned.
“Is this really happening? Where am I going?”
My heart raced as I left behind everything familiar — my father, my siblings, and the country I had called home for over 30 years.

I was filled with excitement and hope. I reminded myself that I still had some extended family from my mother’s side living in Las Vegas and California. That gave me comfort. If something ever went wrong, at least I wouldn’t be completely alone.

When I arrived in South Bend, Indiana, it was like entering a dream — or perhaps a “twilight zone.” Everything was covered in snow, thick and white. It was beautiful but surreal. I had never seen anything like it in my life.

The first step was waiting. I had to receive my Green Card and Social Security number before I could start working. After about three months, I finally received them. I applied to multiple companies — dozens, even — until I finally landed a job as a Training Coordinator at Walmart in Mishawaka, Indiana. A full-time position.

That job felt like a gift.
I was a brand-new immigrant, a newly minted permanent resident. And yet, I found a role that matched my experience and skills in HR. I was so grateful — this was more than luck; it felt like a divine hand guiding me.

But as many people know, marriage is not all roses. Especially not when you’re adapting to a new culture, a new family dynamic, and the pressure of building a life from scratch.

We lived in the suburbs, just the three of us: me, my husband, and my mother-in-law.
And let me say — two queens under one roof was not easy.

My mother-in-law is a strong woman, shaped by her own painful past. Her first marriage left emotional scars, and I believe those scars sometimes leaked into our household. She guided us — sometimes in helpful ways, but other times, things got intense. Words were sharp. Emotions flared. Tension filled the spaces between us.

My husband had a strained relationship with his two siblings. He distanced himself from them and didn’t allow me to form my own relationship with them either. This left me feeling isolated. I respected his boundaries, but I also felt trapped — like I was slowly being cut off from potential support.

My father-in-law eventually learned about our marriage. He would stop by sometimes, always kind and respectful to me. In my eyes, he was a gentle man — even though he was mostly absent from their lives, he treated me warmly.

I had dreams of continuing my education in the U.S. — enrolling in college, growing my career further — but my mother-in-law was against it.
She told me, “If you go to college, you’ll be too far ahead of my son. What if you leave him behind?”

So, I let go of the full college dream and settled for something more modest — an online Pharmacy course. After I transitioned into the Pharmacy department at Walmart, I studied hard, passed the exams, and earned my state certification. I became a licensed Pharmacy Technician.

But just as I was starting to build stability…
The storm came.

And it hit hard.

……………………………………

This story is a part of my personal journey. Please do not copy or reproduce any part of it without permission. Sharing is welcome with proper credit and a link to this blog