I realized I wasn't a kid anymore when the airplane flew off and all the familiar faces I once knew faded 

When the piles of sand I was familiar with looked like lumps of brown 

When the colorful head scarves of my people became a blur

When I left my home country Sudan at the age of seven 

I left my grandparents, cousins, friends, and entire life 

I left the little kid in me that used to run to her grandma's lap when she was in trouble 

The little kid who only new one world 

It seems too young to grow up, to realize you aren't a kid anymore 

But I was thrown into a whole other dimension of people, of colors, and of customs 

I realized I was only a dot among greater and bigger things 

I realized I have so much to learn and become 

It wasn’t a rude awakening or tragic ending to my childhood

It was a new chapter

A chapter in which I doubted my ability to learn English or make friends 

A chapter where the only person I wanted to play with in school was my brother 

A chapter that made me grow stronger 

Looking back at that chapter, I now know whether I am living in Sub-Saharan Africa or America I can accomplish and do anything