--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always thought that the U.S. was just…" description: "\"I always thought that the U.S. was just amazing, and it was just a dream. I thought it was Heaven. Coming here a couple years ago, you know, the U.S. i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joel-embiid-6639_always_i-always-thought-that-the-u-s-was-just-a_1738037.jpg" --- # I always thought that the U.S. was just amazing, and it… ![“I always thought that the U.S. was just amazing, and it was just a dream. I thought it was Heaven. Coming here a couple years ago, you know, the U.S. is still nice, but it's not like what I thought it was going to be.” quote by Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joel-embiid-6639_always_i-always-thought-that-the-u-s-was-just-a_1738037.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joel-embiid-6639_always_i-always-thought-that-the-u-s-was-just-a_1738037.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joel-embiid-6639_always_i-always-thought-that-the-u-s-was-just-a_1738037.jpg) > “I always thought that the U.S. was just amazing, and it was just a dream. I thought it was Heaven. Coming here a couple years ago, you know, the U.S. is still nice, but it's not like what I thought it was going to be.” [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized the U.S. wasn't the perfect paradise he imagined, but still has positive aspects. **In simple terms:** America isn’t a perfect dream, but it has good parts. Key Takeaway Adjust expectations and appreciate reality. Themes disillusionment culture shock realism Mood reflective thoughtful Type personal narrative reflection When to use this quote - immigration - travel - career relocation - daily life - social integration Key Concepts American Dream expectation vs reality Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of the U.S. surprised you most? - How can you find balance between expectations and reality? A Different Perspective Idealized views can cause disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amazing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazing/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) ## Related quotes > [I never thought about heaven per se. I think when you're dead, you're dead. If anything happens after that, you just hope you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-never-thought-about-heaven-per-se-i-think-when-you-re-dead-you-re/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [A single grateful thought toward heaven is the most perfect prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotthold-ephraim-lessing/a-single-grateful-thought-toward-heaven-is-the-most-perfect-prayer/) [Gotthold Ephraim Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotthold-ephraim-lessing/) > [“He couldn’t help but wonder what people might say at his funeral, or at his father’s, should it come to pass. He thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-berk/he-couldn-t-help-but-wonder-what-people-might-say-at-his-funeral-or/) [Ari Berk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-berk/) > [A single grateful thought toward heaven is the most complete prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotthold-lessing/a-single-grateful-thought-toward-heaven-is-the-most-complete-prayer/) Gotthold Lessing > [I thought that I was in heaven But I was sure surprised Heaven help me, I didn't see The devil in your eyes You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/i-thought-that-i-was-in-heaven-but-i-was-sure-surprised-heaven-help/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [“To all of us the thought of heaven is dear --- Why not be sure of it and make it here? No doubt there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/to-all-of-us-the-thought-of-heaven-is-dear-why-not-be-sure-of-it-and-2/) [Omar Khayyám](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [When I escaped from China and came to Hong Kong, the contrast was that China was like hell and Hong Kong like heaven. Though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-lai/when-i-escaped-from-china-and-came-to-hong-kong-the-contrast-was-that/) [Jimmy Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-lai/) > [Devotion's self shall steal a thought from heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/devotion-s-self-shall-steal-a-thought-from-heaven/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [I have tried if I could reach that great resolution . . . to be honest without a thought of Heaven or Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/i-have-tried-if-i-could-reach-that-great-resolution-to-be-honest/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [I remember laying next to you and thinking, how could heaven be better than this? Then you left me, and I thought, Heaven is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-morton/i-remember-laying-next-to-you-and-thinking-how-could-heaven-be-better/) [Cori Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-morton/) > [“It is more magnificent than what I thought heaven might be, and yet it is all of its wonder, as well.” ... "Iris, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-clegg/it-is-more-magnificent-than-what-i-thought-heaven-might-be-and-yet-it/) [Douglas Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-clegg/) > [To all of us the thought of heaven is dear -Why not be sure of it and make it here?No doubt there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-le-gallienne/to-all-of-us-the-thought-of-heaven-is-dear-why-not-be-sure-of-it-and/) [Richard Le Gallienne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-le-gallienne/) > [“I have often thought that if heaven had given me choice of my position and calling, it should have been on a rich spot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-have-often-thought-that-if-heaven-had-given-me-choice-of-my/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A grateful thought toward heaven is of itself a prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-edgar-block/a-grateful-thought-toward-heaven-is-of-itself-a-prayer/) Rudolph Edgar Block > [I have often thought that if heaven had given me choice of my position and calling, it should have been on a rich spot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-have-often-thought-that-if-heaven-had-given-me-choice-of-my-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by Joel Embiid > [If I play against you the first time - or it doesn't even have to be the first time - and you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/if-i-play-against-you-the-first-time-or-it-doesn-t-even-have-to-be/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [When I look at myself, I'm not a big man - I'm a guard. I can do everything on the basketball court. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-look-at-myself-i-m-not-a-big-man-i-m-a-guard-i-can-do/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [If I feel great and my body feels great and my knee is fine, I should play 30 minutes or more. I definitely have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/if-i-feel-great-and-my-body-feels-great-and-my-knee-is-fine-i-should/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [My very first scrimmage at Kansas, I got dunked on so hard by Tarik Black that I almost quit. Tarik dunked on me so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/my-very-first-scrimmage-at-kansas-i-got-dunked-on-so-hard-by-tarik/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [We're always going to be trusting the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/we-re-always-going-to-be-trusting-the-process/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [Sometimes, I feel like I'm lost. But I've always said that I believe in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/sometimes-i-feel-like-i-m-lost-but-i-ve-always-said-that-i-believe-in/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [When I play '2K,' I'll play in GM mode. And I choose different teams. But I always trade for myself because I'm unstoppable. Literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-play-2k-i-ll-play-in-gm-mode-and-i-choose-different-teams-but/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [I want people to say that an African basketball player is the best player in the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-want-people-to-say-that-an-african-basketball-player-is-the-best/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [When I sat down with Under Armour, one of the first things we talked about was how this can be bigger than just shoes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-sat-down-with-under-armour-one-of-the-first-things-we-talked/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [One thing when I started playing in the league, I saw that a lot of guys are friendly. It's OK to be friendly, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/one-thing-when-i-started-playing-in-the-league-i-saw-that-a-lot-of/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [Everything in my life happens really fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/everything-in-my-life-happens-really-fast/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [I had this DVD that my coach in Cameroon had mailed to me when I first came to America. It was an hour-long tape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-had-this-dvd-that-my-coach-in-cameroon-had-mailed-to-me-when-i/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [I wanted to become president, and I wanted to become an astronaut. Because I was really good at math.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-wanted-to-become-president-and-i-wanted-to-become-an-astronaut/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [When I started playing ball as a junior, I'm kind of glad that I was never good enough to be highly recruited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-started-playing-ball-as-a-junior-i-m-kind-of-glad-that-i-was/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [I'm really not an injury-prone player. I just had that one injury that took, like, two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-m-really-not-an-injury-prone-player-i-just-had-that-one-injury-that/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) [Explore all 98 Joel Embiid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always thought that the U.S. was just amazing, and it was just a dream. I thought it was Heaven. 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