Your story reminds me of my friend from Côte d’Ivoire who came here to the US when he was 12.

I don’t think anybody really understands how he struggled to get even a high school education. If it hadn’t been for a compassionate public school teacher who recognized his bright mind, he might not even have graduated.

Somehow, he managed to work his way through nursing school and become an RN.

Incredibly, he worked part-time nursing shifts to put himself through medical school, in a sort of grueling marathon that would put most of us in the hospital.

Then, when he graduated and became a resident, making something like a living wage, much of his family believed he was wealthy. He was a doctor after all!

They had no idea how expensive his apartment was or the sorts of things that he was expected to do to fit in as a resident.

They didn’t understand he was not wealthy by the standards of the society he was living in.

That put him under a lot of pressure and a lot of stress. On top of the normal and rather incredible stresses of being a medical resident in the first place.

I think your story offers important lessons for immigrants. Thank you for your voice.