Nathan was a smart boy. Always being a high achiever in school, he managed to graduate at the top of his class in Ireland. His parents saw so much potential in him that they decided to raise enough money to send him to America for University. This was his graduation gift, and he promised to have a good life in America and to write to his family regularly to show his gratitude.

    He boarded on a ship that was to sail to Ellis Island. This ship contained many other immigrants, but he struck up a conversation with one from Wales. Her name was Sara and she was 18 years old, as was Nathan. They conversed about their excitement to go to America until they eventually reached the island. They were welcomed in and were sent into a long line containing many immigrants. Nathan nearly gagged at the horrid smell.

    Sara made the time seem to go by very quickly while waiting in line. Nathan was grateful to have met a new friend. During the medical exam, they were inspected by several officers. Sara was stopped by one. "You. You look ill. No fat on your body." 

    Nathan heard a gulp from Sara. "I-I am not ill, sir, my family was poor and I did not have much access to food," she said, stuttering out of fear that she would be denied entry into the US. 

    "I'm afraid that we cannot be sure of that," the officer stated, marking Sara with "EX." Nathan assumed that stood for further examination. She was taken away to an unspecified location, fear evident in her eyes. Nathan was suddenly aware of how loud the hall was. He passed the legal exam and the interview with little complications, but he felt lonely without Sara. A little over six hours after Nathan arrived on the island, he began the money exchange.

    With shaky hands, Nathan handed the officer the cash his parents had saved up throughout his life. In return, the officer gave him about 600 USD. Nathan thanked him and waited to be taken to New York. He wondered how Sara was.  Would she be refused entry? He was disappointed that he couldn't go into America with a friend, but he decided to let it go and focus on what to do when he was in America.

    Nathan arrived in the US pretty quickly. He set off to find a job, but soon he learned that America wasn't the fondest of Irish people. He figured out how to mask his accent, and whenever asked, he would claim to be from Britain. He often wondered about Sara, but soon he forgot about her, consumed by his new factory job. He lived in a small apartment the first few years of his residency in America, attempting to save up enough money to buy a home.