One of the most popular tending topics this week is Fifth Harmony’s Camila Cabello’s essay on what it was like growing up as an immigrant. The singer released her essay online through popsugar.com on September 15, 2016. In her essay she mentions her flashbacks on the actual day that her mother and her crossed the boarder to America and life after entering the United States. Cabello’s essay is very personal and is one of many immigrant stories that people can relate. The singer was very young when she crossed the boarder along with her mother and like any young child she was confused and scared. Although, she couldn’t remember every detail of what went on that actual day, Cabello points out what she remembers and how differently she thinks of that day now.

Cabello sensed something unusual on the day of the crossing and therefore asked her mother where they were going. Cabello stated, “ ‘we’re going to Disney World!’ That’s what my mom told me when we were crossing the border.” No parent would want to tell their child the possibility of the scary events that they might experience on their journey to doing something illegal, crossing the border. In situations like this, it is the parent’s job to say things to their children that wouldn’t scare them and that is exactly what Cabello’s mom did. She put the idea of Disney World in Cabello’s head so that she could look forward to walking, carrying her back bag full of clothes and not show any fear.

Fear is a huge emotion that many who cross the border feel and Cabello was able to read her mothers fear before beginning their journey. In her essay she wrote, “Her voice timid and hesitant as she stumbled through a sentence in English at the cash register.” Knowing that her mothers voice was timid, her grandmother hugging her tighter than usual and her only carrying a few clothes in her Winnie the Pooh back bag gave all the signs away that a change was coming in her life, things would not be the same.

Things were not the same, once her mother and her got to America they took a Greyhound bus to Miami and moved into her father’s colleague’s house and had to start from nothing. At the time, they only had a couple of hundred dollars on them to live off while they start their lives in the country of opportunities. Cabello’s mom had gotten a job at Marshalls stacking shoes while Cabello herself had to start school and adapt to the English language and American customs. Times were hard, not only was Cabello split apart from her family who she left behind but she was also witnessing her mother struggle to make a living for the better life they had hope to have.

Now Cabello looks back to this day and has realizes that any fear she experiences will never be compared to the fear she had that day when she was leaving her country. She states, “Whenever I have to make a decision now and I’m afraid, my mom always reminds me of that day. ‘That day, I knew if I thought about it, fear would make me turn back. That’s why when you’re afraid, you force yourself to jump. You don’t think, you just jump’.” This piece of advice Cabello received from her mom will always stay with her and it has helped her get through many things. It has definitely made her lose her fear of being shy and putting herself out there because now she is a pop star and a member of Fifth Harmony who is well recognized in all parts of the world. Cabello also mentioned that her perspective of everything from her experience has changed her mentality, she now sees everything as an opportunity and is heartfelt whenever she meets fans from her country because to her they are a little piece of where she comes from. The journey of an immigrant to America is harsh and for some more traumatizing than others but people migrating demonstrates their determination to seek for something better even if they have to start off with nothing. Like Cabello mentioned in her essay, the next immigrant can be the next legendary singer, dancer, actor or athlete.