correct tense

[hela]

Dear teachers,

Would you please tell me what would be the correct choice of tense in the following paragraph?

"I received your letter yesterday and I mustexplain to you what happened and why I didn’t leave with you.
I remember the day I first met you. I immediately fell in love with you: I was so happy. I could be (1) MYSELF [is ME possible ?] at last and forget my terrible life at home, where I was afraid of my father's violence... Besides, I had to take care of my brothers and sisters and it wasn't easy.
Then you told me that you wanted to marry me and go to Argentina. You hoped you could find a better job there… And you asked me to follow you. I didn't know what to do: on the one hand, it was wonderful because it meant freedom and love. But on the other hand, if I had left Dublin, I would have abandoned my brothers and sisters. No, I really couldn't do that. Moreover, my roots (2) ARE / WERE (?) in Dublin: my life (3) IS / WAS (?) very hard, but I (4) KNOW (?) I (5) CAN'T / COULDN’T (?) leave."

Have a good Easter,
Hela

[Tdol]

1 Myself
2 Either, but the present makes more sense to me as you don't lose your roots
3 is
Know
Coulodn't is better for me as it suggest greater impossibility

[hela]

Thanks Tdol.