Personal Narrative Essay: Moving

Moving changes a person. And that’s a good thing. No person is meant to stay the same or in the same place their whole lives. Moving allows you to look at the world in a different way and it helps you grow as a person. I have moved several times throughout my 18 years, and each place has changed me in some way. 

I was born in Mexico City. I lived there until I was 9, but I still call it home. My whole extended family is there. I happily grew up there. Saturday family cookouts were my favorite part of growing up there. I would spend hours playing with my cousins, making up games, or simply playing Uno. When it was time to eat, the whole family would sit and eat and the adults would debate topics. I was always amused by that. I’d be enjoying my delicious tacos and rice while my cousins and I would comment on the adults’ conversations. These days, family days, were my favorite, and it is what I miss most. However, the bond and memories are what I always take with me because it taught me the value of family. Family is unconditional love and support and who I can trust for anything and everything. They teach you how to be true to yourself and the importance of having people who genuinely care about you around you. I take this with me everywhere I go.

After Mexico, I moved to San Luis which is a small town up north. Moving there was difficult. I missed my family, and the town and people were extremely different. However, I missed being with my dad and I learned to adjust and make friends. I learned how to be friends with people that do not think the same ways as me, and how that can be a good thing. Once I had been accustomed to living there, we decided to move only 3 years after. This time to a different country- United States.  It was a scary move because my dad couldn’t come, we were living with scarce resources, did not know anyone, and the language spoken was not native to me. We lived in Dallas, Texas for four years, and I changed plenty. I started caring more about politics, caring less about people’s opinions on me, and learned how to not change for anyone. 

My most recent move: California. This change was different than the others because I wanted it. I was ready to leave Dallas, and California seemed like the right place. It was slightly challenging moving into a school where everyone was already friends, but once again I adjusted. I now have friends that I truly feel will last a lifetime. I’ve had a somewhat normal high school experience, obviously excluding Covid-19, where I became involved in clubs like HRC, joined the tennis team, and found my place within the community. It’s weird to realize I’ve had 4 years of stability and time to figure out my passions and what I want to do with my life rather than dealing with change and grown-up problems. While every move and all the hardships I faced in between taught me something, as a kid, all I wanted was a sense of normalcy, and California gave me that. California is home to me because it has taught me the importance of taking care of myself, following my passions, and the value of being there for people and having people be there for you. I love my home, and I am grateful for what it gave me. I am also grateful for everything that got me here because it made me who I am. If I hadn’t undergone all my struggles, I would not be the resilient, independent, caring, responsible person I am today. 

I’ve moved plenty throughout my life, and in less than a year, I will be moving once again. This time, however, it will be by myself -- no mom, no sister, no dad involved.  While moving is hard, I know I’m ready. Every time I’ve moved, I’ve learned how to adjust and be myself. College is part of growing up, and I know there will be challenges, times where I’ll miss the comfort of home, yet I also know my life has taught me how to deal with hardships and how to persevere which is exactly what I’ll do in college. I’ll deal with adversity and enjoy the experience.