Occupation: Student

Country of Birth: Afghanistan

Current: Minneapolis, MN

Amarkhil finds that Afghanistan and America are very different. There are many differences between people, schools, and work.

Born in Nangarhar province, Amarkhil’s life in Afghanistan was happy and beautiful. At school,  Amarkhil’s favorite subjects were Pashto and chemistry. Now, when Amarkhil calls some of his relatives, they cry. Because they miss him and his jokes; they call Amarkhil toki, a Pashto word for a jokester.

After the Taliban came to Afghanistan, Amarkhil was so happy when they told him he and his family would go to America. 

From Kabul, Amarkhil and his family went to Qatar. Afterwards they flew to Bulgaria, Washington, DC, and Virginia. They were in a military camp in Virginia for fifty-three days before moving to Minnesota. 

Amarkhil and his family lived in a hotel for thirty days when they first arrived. He couldn’t enroll in a school or take classes during their stay, but he could swim, eat, sleep, and shower to keep busy. 

Amarkhil’s idea of America was that he would be wealthy without effort because he used to watch rich people in America on TV. But he didn’t consider how hard they had studied and  worked. Eventually, after resettling in Minnesota, Amarkhil started attending high school. Now, he enjoys his classes and has made many new friends. 

In the future, Amarkhil wants to be a businessman or a doctor. His message to all Afghan kids in America is that they should study hard to have a good life.