Alexander Hamilton: Passionate, opinionated, hardworking, stubborn, perseverant, brilliant, ambitious. Orphaned immigrant to the United States at around 19.

Alexander made his way through the bustle of the J.F.K airport, his passport (with visa) in hand. The seamlessly never ending stream of people passed by him without a notice, without an idea of what this day meant for him. Just four hours previous he had been in Nevis, as an aspirational orphan. Now he was standing in the largest city in the United States. In all his nineteen years he never expected to get an opportunity quite like this.

He finally found his stop at Customs, the last barrier between him and the United States. He prepared himself in line, repeating to himself exactly what to say when he made it to the front. He had nothing suspicious that would halt his way into the country, but for some reason he was still plagued with anxiety that he would simply say something wrong.

“Why are you coming to the America?”

“To attend college.” Alexander replied, as confidently as he could without sounding too confident. He had been told this part of his trip was a game of trying to seem normal to the interviewer.

“Where are you going to be studying?”

“Columbia University.”

“Where are you going to live?”

“Hoping to stay with a friend.”

“How long will you be staying.”

“I hope a lifetime.” A silent moment passed, but before Alex could think to hard on what he had chosen to say, the man was stamping his passport, and it was being handed back to him.

“Alright, welcome to the United States.”

With directions from a stranger, Alexander found himself to the subway station. It was smaller and grimier than he had imagined. But he didn’t let that damper his excitement, which was beginning to become overwhelming. The car he stepped in was packed with as many people as could fit in, and Alex found himself squeezed between packs of people, having to hold his snap backpack close to his chest. The ride felt long, as anticipation built up inside of him. He just couldn’t wait to get above ground and see the city.

Just when the car made its stop where he was to get off, he pushed his way to the door. He needed to be able to be the first one off. The people around him glared angrily, but he was able to ignore that, he was far too excited to comply to the social standard of waiting your turn. He wasn’t the first one out, but he was among the first few. Once he made it out of the large mob of people, he pulled out a slip of paper. It contained an address to a Mister Aaron Burr, whom he was going to speak to about his academic achievements, hoping to get some advice from the man.

When Alexander reached the surface he was taken aback by the sheer beauty of the city. The people, the lights, the noises, he couldn’t believe he was so lucky to be witnessing it all. He was so overwhelmed with emotions that he felt himself begin to cry, this was truly going to be the beginning for him. He was finally going to get his shot at glory. Now, there he was, sobbing in the middle of busy street in New York City.