I Am From Qatar, Essay Example

I am from Qatar and English is my second language for Arabic is my mother tongue. It is very difficult for me to attempt to speak the English language for I am not totally fluent. On top of that difficulty I am in the states for the first time alone without any family support. I am responsible for taking care of my daily needs, food, shelter and clothing as well as mingling with others so I can learn the culture and complete my studies. Many times things seem very difficult and I want to leave and go home but I remember why I am here in the states and that is to gain a fruitful education and make a better life for myself in a democratic nation. I have encountered difficulty speaking with others in a professional and social context which hinders my school, life and ability to thrive in this different culture. The only positive thing is the fact that Miami, Florida is a hub for international entrants. The majority of the population knows the English and Spanish language. I do not even know a word of Spanish therefore can only communicate in my native language or by the little English I am familiar with. I have some friends that try to help me but it is difficult to learn a second language whilst taking care of other things in life and keeping up with my studies. Many of times I make calls to my family abroad and tell them of the difficulties I am facing but they can only be compassionate and empathetic with me, not really helpful. I have some friends that are supportive of which I have met in class and on the streets of Miami, but they have their own issues with studies and their own families to tend to.

I am very lucky to have an automobile to get around in Miami. It is a used car but serves me very well. People in Miami call it the “new town” and enjoy very much commuting around the city. I live in a very safe and secure neighborhood just off the campus roads. There are many modest homes alongside where I reside. About six miles to the East are some mansions of Miami and larger and grander scale homes. Many of the immigrants that live in the city are thriving entrepreneurs with a vision in life. I hope to gain the same recognition as many of them after finishing school and starting a new job. I hope the job outlook is good in Miami when I graduate for I would like to stay here as long as the economy is good and I can afford to. There are a lot of Caucasian refugees that live in Miami and have been residing here for years. The Caucasian population has migrated out of the city to the suburbs. This is called “white flight” in Miami. For nearly every Hispanic or immigrant that came to Miami in the past five years nearly one Caucasian left the city.

Many people say Miami is a good city gone bad. Some people think the city has made much progress but they would like the city to be clean and green with everyone speaking English. Much of the attention is focused on the newcomers to the city and the immigration. Miami is considered a “fabled” melting pot of America. The metropolitan areas are purely dominated by immigrants. People need to learn to accept the immigration as a growing part of Miami. The immigrants at times do not feel comfortable in their new home. No one can state that Miami is a dull place to either visit or reside. Many whites and blacks actually embrace the Latino community. People are tired of the congestion, question the crime rates and complain about the overcrowded schools. Broward County is a booming area of Miami. Miami has gone through decades of change. People sometimes don’t communicate because they simply can’t communicate.

I have issues with eating the food in Miami. Although it is quite spicy like the food I am familiar with in Qatar, the spices used in the cooking of the meals are quite different. I have issues with my health because of the change in diet. I used to eat a mainly vegetarian and low meat diet in Qatar but that is not possible unless I cook all of my meals. I do not have time to cook all of my meals for I spend a lot of time learning my lessons at school and studying hence it is a lot easier for me to grab some fast food or a sandwich most of the time. I have seen the doctor a few times since being in Miami for my food allergies and he has told me that I will get used to the change of diet in time. He has also helped me with support groups of others immigrating from abroad. These support groups are nice and help me to converse with other people that are having difficulty adjusting living in a foreign land. There are not many people in the support group from my country but the attendees to the meeting are all in the same boat as me, they have adjustment problems.

I thoroughly have enjoyed the South Florida International Car Show in Miami. There are displays of over 1,000 upcoming cars for the New Year at the end of the calendar year. The popular exhibits are shown in the auto mall, the motorcycle mall, and the million dollar features such as the Bentley, Aston-Martin, Ferrari, Lotus and Rolls Royce cars. The auto show was all that successful in 2009 but dealers hope for a new millennium for year 2010. The first auto show was held in Miami in 1971. The merciful car on display that year was the Mercury Capri. Ford has now discontinued the Mercury cars for the show. The car dealers are trying to regain economic composure from the cost loss year in 2009. This year’s auto show will forecast and display over 80 visions of cars from 40 different manufacturers. This New Year’s motto is to motivate the customer’s to buy all less than one roof. There will of course be the fancy cars; in addition there will be the custom cars, classic cars, sports cars and fuel-alternative cars. Customers will be able to test drive certain cars on the streets of Miami Beach. The dealerships claim they get a little boost in sales after the car show comes to town. The issue this year is a very weak economy and high unemployment rate. Still dealers hope the sales will generate about $12 million dollars in auto sales this year as a result of the boost from the car show. I went to the car show last year and the cars were awesome. I took a look at the sporty cars as well as the economic cars. I can’t say that I can afford a new car this year but I still have hopes and dreams once I gradate from school. I hope the economy is doing well when I graduate so I can afford to purchase a new car. Until then, I plan to attend the South Miami car show this year simply to check out the new cars available and to have grand time. I might even test drive a model or two.

Miami is considered one of the youngest developing cities in the United States. The very first inhabitants “came to Miami about 10,000 years ago.” (“History of Miami, City of Miami”). The first settlement was called “Mayami” by the original settlers. There was much access to the ports and the rivers for Miami were located in a very remote area. Visionaries predicted that the land would one day become unfriendly. Julia Tuttle was one famous woman who arrived in Miami in 1891 and became a very fruitful landowner by acquiring over 640 acres. She later pledged her land to Henri Flagler in order to get him to extend his railway to Miami in order to begin building a new land. In 1896 through the incorporation of the railway the first train was able to reach Miami. Since then this town has attracted some of the wealthiest of people from the United States and other countries.

Coral Gables was created by an industrialist land developer called George Merrick in the 1920’s. Carl Fisher later developed great hotels, playgrounds and golf and polo for the very rich clients to the city. Miami Beach was nearly wiped out in 1926 by a super hurricane. The land resurrected around 1935 and began to rebuild along with the creation of the art deco district. After World War II all of Miami was taken over by the United States Army to make accommodations for their war needs. It was after WWII that Eden Roc and Fontainebleau areas came to life.

The city changed again in the 1960’s when Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba. Nearly half a million Cubans moved to the Miami area. This created a Latin background and started to internationalize Miami as a thriving multi-cultural city. The wave of Caribbean immigrants and Latin Americans also helped to transform the city. All of these immigrants played key roles in building the City of Miami. Miami is now a multi-cultural city with a growing industry which is based in tourism. There is a beach paradise which attracts people from all over the world. The weather is temperament and warm most of the time which is a great attraction for many tourists and residents.

To continue the history of Miami, in 1920 through 1929 “millionaires like Harvey Firestone, J.C. Penny, Harvey Stutz, Albert Champion, Frank Seiberling and Rockwell LaGorce built the mansions of Miami on a three mile stretch on Collins Avenue which is now known as ‘Millionaire’s Row’.” (“Miami Beach411”). The Roman Pools and Casino was opened on 22^nd Street on the Ocean. “The Fisher Trolley Car system formally linked the Mainland with the beach area via the MacArthur Causeway.” (“Miami Beach411). The city’s main arteries were linked by five major highways. The famous Fisher Hotel was opened at 15^th Street and the Bay. In 1923 the Nautilus Hotels were opened for operation. The Rooney Hotel was completed in 1925. In 1927 the Million Dollar Pier was made at the southern tip of Miami. Miami’s population doubled from 6,500 to 13,350 during the years 1930 to 1935. The city was on the uprising of becoming a new place to live. In the 1960’s the Jackie Gleason show began its broadcast from Miami. In the 1970’s the Miami Dolphin’s team had an undefeated season in the area stadium. “The Miami Architectural District was listed in the United States Registry as a national landmark.” (“Miami Beach411”). Over 150,000 Cubans were brought to Miami by the Mariel boatlift. In 1988 Lummus Park was officially added to the National Registry. By 1991 the population in Miami had grown to over two million inhabitants. Hurricane Andrew caused over thirty billion dollars in damage to Dade County in 1992. In 1997 Gionni Versace was murdered in Miami. “Cubans began to be very competitive as the new banks began to be very competitive.” (Portes and Stepick, 1994).   The Electrowave bus began its operation in the late 1990’s. Miami Beach411 went online in the early 2000 year. Miami celebrated its 88^th birthday in 2003. The city is now flourished with many attractions, people and places to see.

References

History of Miami, City of Miami Retrieved December 1, 2010 from, http://www.miami-info.com/history_of_Miami.php

Miami Beach411 Retrieved December 1, 2010 from, http://www.miamibeach411.com/History/history_timeline_3.htm

Portes, A. & Stepick, A. City on the Edge: Transformation of Miami University of California Press Los Angeles: California, 1994.