When Maya walked outside of JFK Airport she was amazed to see so many people walking so quickly to a dozen taxi cabs waiting in line to pick up passengers. Maya turned to her dad lenno and asked, “are we going to ride in a taxi cab to our new home?”

“No,” said Lenno, Maya’s father, “we will take a bus to the apartment my sister rented for us in the Bronx, close to wear she and her family live.  A taxi cab cost more here then in Albania,” said Lenno. Maya was disappointed that they were riding a bus but she knew they did not have very much money and what her father said would be what would happen.

Almost two hours later they finally arrived at their four room apartment near Yankee Stadium. Maya had seen pictures of this famous ball field but she didn’t realize it was so big. Maya was surprised to see that their apartment was so small. “Aren’t there more rooms,” Maya asked her father. “Where will I sleep? ” Maya asked. At this point Maya didn’t know that she wouldn’t be sleeping there at all. Part of the arrangement for coming to America was an agreement that Leno’s sister had made with a rich Albanian family. In exchange for paying their way to America, the rich family expected Maya to work for them. Even though she was only 16 years old, she was expected to cook, clean, and take care of the family’s four children ages 4, 7, 9, and 12. In the part of Albania where Maya was from daughters did not have the same rights as sons. The father of the family had the final say about everything. Now that Maya was in New York she would no longer attend school like her brothers. She had to obey whatever her father told her to do. After finding out that she was to be a servant to the rich Albanian family she turned to her mother, begging her to talk to Lenno and let her live with them. “Please, please,” Maya cried, with tears running down her face, “don’t let him do this to me.” Maya’s mother just stood there, saying nothing in her daughter’s defense. Maya saw that her mother was crying too, but at that point she knew that her fate was to not attend school, not make new friends, and not enjoy living in New York. Maya could only think of what lied ahead—rather than going on long walks in the fields surrounding her house in Albania and breathing fresh air she would be cooking, washing dishes, doing laundry and ironing clothes in the Bronx.

Even though Maya knew that American culture is very different compared to Albanian culture she never imagined the customs of Albania would apply to her living in New York. In Albania there were many things only boys or men could do. Males could travel alone, go to school as long as they wished, work in good paying jobs, and be the head of the family. Women could not be the head of the family—only men. Certain jobs could only be performed by men and women were expected to accept whatever the men in her family wanted her to do. Life for women living in America is not nearly as restrictive as life in Albania. Maya, like so many women who come from cultures where males dominate, was forced to live a life where she was not totally free. Even though America is supposed to be the “land of the free,” it doesn’t apply to females who come from countries where “land of the free” is only for males. Turning to her parents Maya said, “I wish I stayed in Albania and never saw taxi cabs, crowded streets, taking long bus rides, and never seeing Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York.”

Soon later Maya started her new job for the rich family. It took awhile for her to understand that she was doing this for a better life. One day Maya worked at the house for 12 long weary hours. She could barely keep her eyes open until the nine year old was jumping and fell off the bed. His head spewed blood all over the bright shiny wood floors. The screams echoed off the wall and in that moment Maya knew her family would be sent off back to Albania. Maya froze it was like every muscle tensed up in her body. It felt like her family's heart shattered into a million pieces and were now stuck in her throat. She finally took action and tried to care for the boy until the mother walked in. “What did you to to my son” She said. “You should be ashamed of yourself, this all happened because of you”. The mother hit her across the face and told her to leave immediately. Her mood began to darken as she walked down the marble stairs and headed for the apartment.

“I am so so sorry Dad everything is just so different here” said Maya

“I know Maya” said Lenno. The key to living here is to realize you are being given a great opportunity to reach your goals. Being different in cherished in New York and you are different from others Maya. Always remember that!