My Va In Portuguese: Pursuing The American Dream

Va in Portuguese is grandma in English. The noun Va holds so much more meaning than the definition to what the word is described as; the mother of one’s father or mother. When I define the noun Va, I define the word as perseverance. My Va has faced many challenges in her life. Va moved from Portugal to America in 1979, her husband had just passed away, she had an eight year old (my father) and a three year old (my uncle) to care for and she did not speak the language. She came to America to pursue the American Dream. I am a 1st generation Portuguese, Mexican, American that has been the first in my family to attend community college and I will be the first in my family to attend a University. School has always been my haven, it has always been the place I go to set goals.

My education was always to come second to everything else and with that have come many sacrifices. I come from a low-income family that have fallen on financial hardships. I come from a family with a Va that always put family second to everything else. My Va works endless hours, attending her English classes and starting a small savings account for her family’s tribulation. In 1995, Va purchased our home in Santa Clara. It has been the home that I have grown up in and the place that I still call home today. In my household my Va provides a roof over our head and in return she expects everyone to be responsible for their own financial needs. From a very young age my Va has showed me that anything in life is possible. I knew that balancing work and being a full time college student was going to have many challenges but I was able to manage my time in way that made both possible, following in my Va’s