Here are some ridiculous & annoying things that happened to me while on a visa, in celebration of officially becoming a U.S. citizen: - Couldn’t leave the U.S. & see my family for at least 4 years - Missed seeing both my grandmothers before they passed away because I couldn't leave. I didn't see them for at least 3 years - Had to leave a company within a week because they realized too late they couldn’t sponsor me for STEM-OPT - Found an emergency job as a software engineer teaching assistant to avoid running out of “unemployment” days - Almost missed my green card interview (difficult to reschedule) because the government mailed my interview letter late - Had a signed job offer rescinded after being flown to Florida for onboarding because they only realized THEN that I was an international student - Then had that same offer^ un-rescinded 🙄 - NEVER felt secure about a job offer until I physically started - Got held at the holding facility at the airport for 4 hours - Almost got deported!! Many times!! - Trauma-bonded with other immigrant friends & coworkers, some of whom were ACTUALLY deported But there were good things too: - Built resilience & grit, contributing to the gritty founder I am today - Became hyper-organized (because 1 missing paper could ruin everything) - Learned to not give a f* because I got desensitized with all the visa stress... - Learned to let go of things that I can't control and focus on what I can - Found comfort in knowing that as an immigrant woman of color, I’ve come THIS far: I built companies, raised millions, and held my own among peers who started life with every advantage TAKEAWAY: If you’re still in the middle of your visa journey: You are stronger than the system that’s trying to break you. 🫶 You got this! View original post on LinkedIn.