still friends

A long time ago I planned to leave my country for any other country. I always had a dream to travel and get the experience of traveling. I had that dream since I was 15 years old when I told my friends about it.They started to laugh and make fun of me. One of my friends,Karim, told me "you are stupid because you are thinking about something like that" and hr thought that was so funny.I talked to my father about that too and I was so sincere when I told him “Dad I really want to leave this country”.My father told me “just focus on your school and we do not know what is going to happen in the future”.

I started getting busy with my family and my study but I did not forget about my dream. Four years later; my friend Karim surprised me when he said to me “I’m going to the USA tomorrow”.When I heard that I told him, " Congratulations ,but why you did not tell me before ?"
"I did not have time to tell you", he said!.
"Why are you telling me now, one day before you travel? " , I asked!.
"I wanted to surprise you", he said!.

Karim was the one who made fun of me before I told him about my dream. Now he was the one  who was traveling. He found a way to get out of that country but he kept it a secret while he knew it was my dream. He was my best friend! If he found any way to travel, he should have told me because he knew my situation and dream a long time ago. I felt so sad and mad at him. I was feeling shame for one who I used to think of as my best friend.

At that time I was still a student in college when karim went to the USA, but I started to working during summer to save some money to move out of my country, mainly because I believed in myself and that I knew I could do it. It was not important to me at that time where I was moving to,but it was important to me to find a solution that I asked everybody about a way out. I started to get as much information as I could get from them. After a few months karim came back from the USA and I asked him about some information and some details that might help me but he did not give me any. I said to myself I will get there without his help. One year later karim went again to the USA and like the last time he surprised me about the date of his travel.

I did not care about that much because I remembered his history with me before. I worked hard on that year to forget about my obsession with travel. I went everywhere to find out how to get away until I got approval from the USA Lotto Green card. KARIM was in EGYPT when he saw my visa and he looked like someone who got shot. Finally I came to USA in 2011 and I did to my friend the same thing he did to me.I did not tell him about the date of my travel.I called him one week after I arrived to the USA and I told him "My dear friend I am here in USA".

 In 2012 I received a phone call from MEXICO.I was surprised when I looked at my phone screen because I do not know anyone in MEXICO and I have never been there. When I answered the call I found the person on the line was my friend karim.I asked him,"what are you doing in MEXICO?"
He replied “I came to MEXICO to find a way to go to USA because my USA visa is already expired”.
 "what you need now?" I asked
“I need your help, I need some money because I do not have money now”, he said
I sent him some money,not only once but many times, I helped him as much as I could.

Karim is still in MEXICO until today.We still call each other over the phone and we are still friends but I learned from this situation, if someone needs help and I can help them I will do it even if he is not going to help me back. I learned as well that if I wanted to do something for myself I should not wait for anyone’s help but me.