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I got deported. My main character energy is bigger than yours.
Making a short documentary about an artist and feeling the pure essence of art flow through my muscles and veins was the most intense wave of pleasure I experienced last year. Immediately, my mom’s voice echoed in my brain, "When you get too happy, there’s always a rush of sadness coming your way, so take it easy, baby." It’s like her voice had become my conscience, my intuition. All my gut feelings, all the warnings of something going wrong, echo in her voice like a siren blaring in my mind. And right after that, I received an email that made her words seem like carvings on the wall.
I had to voluntarily leave the country, possibly on a temporary basis with a slight chance of it becoming permanent, in order to avoid becoming an illegal immigrant. All of my records as an international student on a visa suddenly had to be terminated. I was distraught by the news — I thought of my parents, who’d done so much to get me to where I am, and yet here I was, unable to hold the title of 'student' in the U.S. for longer than two semesters. The only way to ease the weight of it was to find a solution.
And find one, I did.
What’s better than being deported from one country? A vacation to two others, a fresh tattoo and, of course, more diamonds. Nothing, really. That’s how I restored balance to my emotions.
My initial reaction was a mix of discomfort and shame — enough to make me hide this new, deep secret from everyone I know so it wouldn’t spiral out of control and have them form judgments about me. Knowing me, it wouldn’t have been a total surprise to anyone, but since I was surprised, I needed to embrace my reality before anyone else did.
As acceptance quietly crept in, I couldn’t help but find the whole situation strangely amusing — a story for the ages. I relished the look on people’s faces when I told them what was happening. Some sympathized, others pitied me. I was probably the only person they knew who’d been deported. My vain Leo energy kept me centered, reminding me that one day, this would be one of the most incredible chapters in Steven Spielberg’s biopic of my life.
What a fantastic icebreaker! It leaves people who don’t know me curious to know more, and those who do know me — well, they’re just lucky to have me back in their lives, I guess. It’s funny how with just a few words, I can become the center of attention. It’s even funnier how I’ve now become "interview material," even though I’m a journalist.
Some people question my lifestyle, or are at least confused by my choices. A few were even amused by my emotional resilience when my life almost hit rock bottom. I’ve now gone over two years without shedding a tear, and I’m kind of proud of it. Keeping them guessing about who I am has its perks. There’s something quite comical in being subtly mysterious while also being an open book.
And what about the fun of casually saying things like, "I got deported before Trump even became president," only to return to Trump’s America as a reinstated student. ICE who? Nah, I’m just here trying not to get deported again because if I do, I might just qualify for God status.
Edited by Savannah Dagupion, Leah Mesquita and Audrey Eagerton.
This story is part of The Culture Issue, which was released on February 26, 2025. See the entire publication here.
Reach the reporter at lpaliwa2@asu.edu and follow @lav_pali on Instagram.
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