Hey New Friends!

Originally I joined this site for the newsletter, and just today I realized that behind the vast amount of data and news, there is a great community of people such as yourself's who can definitely understand and relate to my current situation. My sister, mom and I came here from Europe back in 1995 when I was 11 and she was 13, and just as many others we overstayed our visa for a better life and a hope of a fruitful future*. Well, now I am 27 and long story short, the journey has been everything but that*. It all begun (1996) with a sponsorship case we started with naturalization/immigration office in order to a pursue a chance at residency. Needless to say, the beginnings were rough. My mother and the angel that she is, managed to raise me and my sister, put us thru high-school, feed us, take our adolescent crap, help with some college tuition and steer us on the right path. When I really reflect on it now, a surreal feeling takes over and at times I need a light pinch to come back to reality and realize how lucky we are to have such powerful hero as my mom. Middle school and high school were more so the awkward times of my life, but I adjusted to the language and culture relatively quickly. Finding friends thru ESL classes and sports was easy, but not as easy as becoming a U.S resident. The case prolonged for 13 years before we got an executive decision in 2008, not to count what seemed eternal frustration, headaches and tribulations and my family's hard-earned $25000 for legal fees. All this to hear one simple answer "NO!" A piece of me was little lost after hearing the news, college and a normal career just seemed to distance away from me. It seemed like driving a car without any brakes, in reverse and where the road just kept moving faster each time you pressed on the gas. By 2010, I ended up putting myself thru 2 colleges and graduating, just to myself in front of doors which I dont have a key to. Fast forward to today, and not much has changed to my status, there are options to resolve the issue but my morals stand in the way of a fake marriage and the little hope I have left is devoted to the dream act. Anyhow, I really believe in staying optimistic and that life has a way of working itself out and I'm glad I can talk to people in similar situation(s) who can definitely relate and sympathise. Thanks for reading, friends .

Welcome, your story really hit close to home.

Thanks buddy.

Hi Marcin, welcome!

Welcome to DAP!

I came in the same year as u,
I am same age like your sister,
have the same morals you mentioned
so i cried ^^;; with a smile

Hey Marcin!

Welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing your story. Based on your name I'm guessing you're Polish ( you don't have to tell me). =)

I can definitely relate.

Good guess