My Life is Like Sunflowers by Amina Ibrahim (age 15)

My life is like a sunflower I always face the sun. People, animals, and plants need the sun. My sun is my parents, and they help me when I need them, and they always give me advice. My roots are my family because they support me to grow. The sun is so hot and the sunflowers are really tall, and it is so beautiful.

My life in Somalia was very difficult. Every day and night there was war and sometimes they even took the girls’ gold and money. It was so sad. Thirty people were killed and 76 people were hurt. I remember when my mom told me a story about when she went to a party. She had a lot of gold, and a bad man came and took the gold, but I wasn’t even born. In Somalia, blood was everywhere. They shot the houses, and many people were killed. I was really sad. Even the peephole in the door, if you look at it, they would shoot your eyes. Because of that, my mom decided to move to Kenya where there was peace. However one day it was raining and all the electricity was shutoff, and we used candles. That night I was scared because it was dark, and three men attacked our apartments, and they had guns. They stole gold and money. Nobody shouted because if they shouted they would be dead.

When l found out we were going to America, I was happy because everyone used to talk to me about going. My family was over there, but at the same time I wasn’t happy because I had to leave my old friends, school, and my country. That was the sad part. After that my mom told me you have one week and make it the best one week in your life. During that one week I was really sad, but at the same time happy. I threw a party and made sure I invited all my friends. At my party there were a lot of tears and joy. I told my teacher about the sad news that I was leaving, and they all gave me gifts. They told me they would miss me, and as they said that, tears come to my eyes.

We were refuges my brother, my mom and me my father lived in the U.S.A. my father lived with my aunt in SeaTac. When we came to SeaTac, it was very cold. I couldn’t even feel my hands. My cousin asked me, “Do you want to go outside, and play with the snow”? She grabbed my hands really quickly, and showed me the snow. It was little, and white. I went to my room, got a jacket, and played with the snow. I stuck out my tongue, and caught the snow. I asked,” why does the snow change to water?” we made a snowman I felt great. I think it is pretty good to be in America.

I feel like a sparkly sunflower in a garden surrounded by other sunflowers. For example, my family, friends, teachers, and home are surrounding me. I feel like we are holing hands, and dancing with each other. There are a lot of sunflowers, and I am sitting on top of the sunflowers. There is a river by us, and we are sitting with a cup of tea. So that is how I am a sunflower. But some people don’t have a good life. They do no have shelter when it rains or if is very cold! In the past my life was not always like a sunflower. For example: my life in Somalia was difficult because there was too much war. Now I feel like I am a sunflower. I feel like the sun is shining on my face, and I am blooming.