Mirela’s Journey: A Story of Immigration and Adaptation

Growing up in a small town tucked away in the hills of Transylvania in Romania, I never dreamt that one day I would call Chicago my home. And yet, at the age of 26, I found myself starting the greatest adventure of my life and moving to the United States.

Finding my passion

As a child, all I knew about the United States was what I saw on TV and in the few movies we had access to at the time. But my curiosity for faraway places and cultures was stirred early on by reading. I was a book worm growing up, discovering and imagining new worlds through the books I was devouring day after day. Then, in high school I enrolled in an intensive language program, studying French and English. That truly ignited my lifelong passion for languages and translation, so there was no surprise that I chose to follow the same path in college and beyond.

Moving to a bigger city for college, meeting new people and learning about other places only increased my curiosity and my thirst for travel. So, after my freshman year, when I won a scholarship for a study abroad program, I didn’t hesitate to pack my bags and move to France for a year.

Discovering France

The year I spent in France was an eye-opening experience. I was 20 years old and it was my first time abroad, so everything I saw and discovered seemed fascinating. But then, it is easy to be fascinated by a country like France, with its rich culture and history and diverse natural beauty, not to mention the amazing food. I met wonderful people who made me feel welcome and taught me a lot about their language, traditions and way of life. I travelled everywhere I could, from the northernmost point to the Mediterranean, from Paris to the Atlantic Ocean, and even made it to Belgium and the Netherlands. I marveled at their art and architecture, admired the variety of landscapes, and discovered interesting details about the local culture and history. It was a truly enriching experience that left me eager to explore new sites and broaden my horizons even further.

Winning the lottery

After college, I moved back to my hometown, but I was still dreaming about seeing the world. Then, I heard about the Green Card Lottery and the chance to win a visa for the US, and I thought I should give it a try. So, I filled out the form, mailed it in and promptly forgot all about it, because of course I wasn’t seriously hoping to win anything.

Life moved on, almost a year went by and then one beautiful spring day I came home and found a thick envelope in my mailbox. I opened it and glanced at the first page in utter astonishment: “Congratulations! You’ve won the visa lottery…”

Adapting to the big city

I still remember the day my husband and I landed at O’Hare Airport, feeling a bit lost in the sea of travelers rushing by, and later gazing in awe at the Chicago skyline. It all felt like a dream at the time.

The first few years here were both difficult and exhilarating, with us fighting hard to find our place in the new country and trying to adapt to the life in the big city. All the while, discovering new and exciting things every day.

We fully embraced everything Chicago had to offer: from simply admiring the soaring skyscrapers or contemplating the vastness of Lake Michigan stretching out to the horizon, to exploring the museums and attending concerts or the myriads of festivals, to sampling cuisines from all over the world without having to step foot outside the city. Living in such a diverse place also meant meeting people from all the corners of the world and discovering their customs and traditions, which made us more aware of cultural nuances, and taught us a lot about acceptance and open-mindedness.

Finding a new home

We gradually adapted to the new country and way of life, and the things and ideas that may have seemed different or odd at first ended up feeling normal. We travelled to many other places in the US and marveled at its sheer vastness and breathtaking beauty of all its diverse natural wonders. All in all, it was a tremendous growing and learning experience that made us who we are today.

Over twenty years went by and I built a life here and made great friends along the way that today feel like a second family, and I am proud to call Chicago my home. Although I never forgot where I came from and I go back to Romania to visit my family and friends there as often as possible, I also enjoy my life here and look forward to the new experiences that my adoptive country has to offer.