
07/04/2025
“Coming To America 🇺🇸”
The 4th of July is a very sentimental day for me
In 1989, I arrived in America for the first time , on that day , as a high school student and spent a month with my grandmother in Chicago.
I was amazed to see my grandma rocking a colorful tube top 🌈 at the age of 58 (I think) on American soil (the land of the free!). Everything here felt more acceptable than in Poland.
Despite having traveled to different places in Europe and around the world, the experience of stepping off the plane in America was like nothing I had ever seen before.
The parades, flags, big cars, and fireworks made me fall in love with this country. The abundance in stores, along with the glitz and glamor of the Land of the Free, was a stark contrast to my home country, which was not free.
America truly felt like the land where dreams could come true, offering endless opportunities, freedom of speech and expression, and the promise of a better future.
A few years later, Chicago became my permanent home. I quickly became a citizen, studying for the exam for months so that I could proudly wave the American flag at the swearing-in ceremony. It was a moment filled with pride to become an official member of the greatest nation in the world because I believed in the Land of the Free.
The 4th of July always reminds me of my grandmother, her determination and focus on providing a better life for all of us while we were here.
Like many of you, I’m feeling conflicted today. While I have warm feelings about America, it is hard to feel joyful in a country where those in power celebrate cuts to food and medical benefits, build concentration camps, and prioritize corporate greed. The list goes on.
Despite this, I will still exercise my right to VOTE while I can and celebrate America by ensuring women’s voices are heard. I will continue to spread love, compassion, empathy, and humility every day, and I will VOTE.
! I feel like I’m fighting with my best friend, but I still want to wish a happy birthday. 🤷🏼♀️