My first Six Months in the United States

My first six months in the United States were both exciting and scary as I adjusted to my new life. My mother-in-law, my husband, and I came to the United States from Ukraine together in September 2022. For the first six months, the three of us lived with my husband’s brother and his wife. At first, we stayed in a small apartment in New Jersey. Then, we moved into a big house with the whole family. The hardest part was the language barrier, as I barely spoke English. My husband was very helpful, translating, and communicating with the locals and in other government structures. I remember feeling nervous going to the grocery store, trying to understand prices, weights, and labels in English. Within a week or two, I got a SIM card, applied for a bank card, started the paperwork for legalization, and began learning English. But after six months, in the spring of 2023, my husband and I moved to Washington state, leaving our family in New Jersey. We moved because my husband was offered a new job there. We had just started a new life in one place, and suddenly we had to begin again in another. At that moment, my husband and I were starting all over again, but this time on the other side of America. It wasn’t easy, but we were determined to build a good life here and eventually get a green card. Despite the difficulties, I was proud of myself and my family for taking such a big step and beginning a new chapter in our lives.