story3150.xml

story3150.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

The tragic events of September 11th, 2001 were of shock
and horror to every individual world wide, to anyone who
has the capability to show any sort of sympathy or even the
slightest bit of emotion.

I can only imagine how horrifying it was to stand there,
before the once so powerful World Trade Center in New York
City. To watch not only as both planes crashed unexpectedly
into the Twin Towers but as they devastatingly fell to the
ground below, hundreds of precious lives taken in an instant.

I am an American citizen, born and raised in neighboring
Pennsylvania, yet I say all of this only wondering, literally
only imagining. You see I wasn't living in the United States
when this devastation was forced upon our Nation. I had been
living in South America's country of Peru, as a Youth
Ambassador through the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. I was
there to experience the culture and custom of the country,
as well as learn the language and live with a Peruvian family,
all of which I have accomplished. When my country's pride
was attacked however, I seemed to have lost any knowledge,
any experience, that I have gained in my life.

I didn't know what to think, what to say, how to act. I
was told by one of the English teachers in the private school
that I attended while living in Peru, as at that time my
Spanish wasn't nearly as fluent as it is today. She had told me that someone had blown up the White
House, obviously being misinformed. I though didn't believe
it. I told her that I thought it was a lie, that she didn't
know what she was talking about. Then we turned on the news.
By that time there were reports on many channels, but all of
the information was twisted from the truth. I didn't know
what had honestly happened until I had returned home to my
house in Jesus Maria, Lima and was told by my older host
sister. Still I didn't believe it.

The next few weeks my real mother had sent me article by
article, all the breaking stories. She sent me Newspaper
photos taken at Ground Zero. Yet I didn't feel that it was
real, like it never happened at all. How could anyone
possibly fathom such a disgusting and horrible event, it was
to me sickening to think of- even living in Peru.

Only now, one year later (September 11, 2002) do I actually
realize how real the events of last year were. Its still so
hard to believe, yet I know its real. We as a nation have
suffered a severe blow to our country, our honor, our integrity
and most certainly our pride. It is an everlasting shame that
we had to experience such a terrifying event, but it has united
us as a nation and most definitely has made us stronger. Many
may still be fearful, but I will never once be afraid to stand
up and say with pride, "I am an American!"