Isaac Antonio was born and raised in Angola, Africa.

Isaac came to America with his father on April 29, 2018, for the first time. As soon as he landed in Texas he said he immediately felt small. 

“I could tell this was a new environment because of how everything looked different,” he said. “The big buildings and traffic and the different attitudes of strangers, I wasn’t used to all this; it really made me feel like a stranger.”  

Isaac said the most difficult part of having to stay in America was learning how to speak English. Isaac’s first language is Portuguese, which his whole family speaks fluently at home. 

“What I mostly struggled at when I was learning English was how some words would have two different meanings,” he said. “It confused me a lot. I really hated that.”  

But Isaac said he also is very opened–minded to learning new things. 

Isaac is far from home, and he said he deeply misses his country that contains all that he has grown up with and his loving family he had to leave behind.  

“Who I miss the most is my dear mother,” he said “Her delicious cooking, she would always make me my favorite dish, Botoque, which is a traditional African dish that has chicken with eggs, rice, potato frizz and some salad beets. I seriously have been craving that ever since I have left Africa.  

“I truly miss going outside and just playing soccer all day till it gets dark outside with all my friends,” he said. 

Isaac loved the freedom he had in Africa. After school he would always go to the park close to his house to play soccer with his friends and sometimes random strangers, but he would always have a good time.  

“In Africa there would always be people walking in the streets,” Isaac said. “Here you don’t see as much people walking. I sometimes feel like going for a walk, but since there’s not really anyone walking outside I would feel odd being the only one walking.” 

Isaac said Africa was beautiful. Everyone was so friendly and sometimes random strangers would come up to him and start a whole conversation.  

“I will never forget the simple unique beauties of my country,” he said. 

It was those little special moments and memories of Africa that Isaac remembers and treasures in his heart.  

“I love traveling and learning about new cultures and making new friends,” he said, “but I will never forget or deny where I was born and raised because I am proud to be from Africa.”