Personal Narrative: How Weslaco Changed My Life

My mother is always working hard to provide all the necessary needs in our house, but she cannot give us things that we want, so I decided to work so I can be able to help her with the bills, and pay for college. That is my first barrier. I am the oldest child, and it is my responsibility to help my mother and siblings even if I have to sacrifice my own time. Thanks to God I am finding a way to have time for work and school. I work with one of my aunts and she is helping me find the best work schedule so I can have time for school, and enjoy myself at least one time per month.

She explains that ‘his loving, giving personality, and his compassion,” is what motivated her through hard times. The Nicaraguan culture is different from our culture so Myrna was mostly raised by her grandparents, and nannies, which she explained “they influenced my life the most.” This shows why she is inspired by her grandfather throughout her life. Her parents were ‘compassionate, and very loving,’ but they were not a huge part of her upbringing, only her grandparents were. While explaining the different culture she was reminiscing about what her life used to be like. Before long, Myrna was headed to America.

Overcoming adversity has helped me grow into a responsible young adult through the trials I have faced. Growing up, I was raised by my mother and older sister. I have watched my mother overcome the difficulties of being a single mother without support. She would work tirelessly to afford our small apartment. Before their divorce, my father had abused her both mentally and physically, leaving her with emotional and financial scars.

My parents would tell me they would pay my phone bill for me if I watched my little cousins. Of course I would as much as they wanted me to then because I was getting something that I wanted. Negative rewards on the other hand were used a lot in my house. If I got good grades or woke up on time for school with out fussing, my mother would not make me do my chores for that day.

The United States is far from the American Dream. They shared overcrowded apartments and did the jobs no one else wanted. They faced language barriers, racism and unemployment, but they never failed to bring food to the table and a roof over my head. Growing up, I remember accompanying my mom to work. She would hand me off to my dad, who drove us home.

She also persevered through so much and because of that she is one of the strongest people I know. She makes sure all of the bills are payed and food is on the table. What she went through as a child amazes me because I have had such a lavish childhood compared to her’s. When she was young her mom and dad divorced and her father did not pay child support, so her mother, which was working as a secretary trying to support three kid and one foster child did not get a huge amount of money. Since they did not have a lot of money my mom’s dad would take her to KMart and she would get the cheapest tennis shoe.

Although it’s a new experience it builds up a lot of pressure for the first generation college students because their family excepts you to do well and make them proud. In a recent interview I did with a fellow classmate, Carmen Li, she talks about how “Going to college is not only the dream of my parents but also mine as well. I want to be a useful person and find a good career to support my family. I don 't want to live in the box under the bridge.” Many first generations can agree with what she said because no parents want their children to be living in a box under the bridge. Parents have high expectations for their children to succeed.

the person that I respect and has had the most significance in my life is my own mother. my mom has inspired me to to become the person I am today. even though she doesn 't have the best of jobs or the highest pay she has held her head up high and has even accomplished the goal of raising two sons by herself a feat that most people wouldn 't be able to do. I respect my mom for not only in raising me and my brother but also in the fact that over a course of 36 years of living she has done some amazing things. For example my mom was born in Chihuaha Mexico in a small village named Venito juarez where she was raised by Irma Limones and Rafael Limones, with two sisters and a brother.

Ajoke Adebayo PSY 210 Beiye Gu 10/5/2017 PARENTING STYLE IN UNITED STATE AND AROUND THE WORLD Parenting is similar around the world. Every parent shows love and support to their children regardless of race, culture and ethnicity. The only different in parenting is discipline, values and cultural beliefs. There are other factors that can influence ways of parenting, which includes personal experiences, traditions and values. Personal experience plays a lot of roles in parenting a child, when I was growing up my mother vow that none of her children will be full house wife, due to her horrible experiences in the hands of my late father’s family.

One of the greatest challenges that I have faced in my life, which was when my father passed away. Every aspect of my life had changed I didn 't have a chance to grow up in a secure home with both my parents. Lucky for me, I didn 't have to juggle between different family members. Since then I 've strive to complete my education, and be able to take care of my mom. I have on occasionally find myself challenged to the maximum of my capabilities because of my high academic standards that my mom has expected from all her kids.

My mother came from Juarez and my father came from Cuauhtémoc legally, but stayed here illegally. Illegal’s came here for a better education, and the best education my parents thought they could receive was graduating high school. After high school, they had nothing left but to work; their plans were to have a baby after they graduated. Things did not go this way, and instead my mother was pregnant her junior year. They didn’t give up though; they both went to school and graduated.

Being the first generation Asian-Hispanic American, I recognize the importance of being the first in my family in gaining an education. Throughout my youth, I seen my parents work in difficult jobs just to keep food on the table. Especially my mother was an immigrant, arriving to this country at age 16 and her highest education is just a middle school diploma. She struggles in finding jobs due to lack of education, thus she works in jobs that nobody wants such as factories, fields and even traveling across the country as a migrant worker. She would accept any job, no matter how hard it is and how low they pay because she only wants the best for me.

Growing up, I saw how my mom struggled to find a career she enjoys with just her high school diploma, even though she is a very intelligent person. Seeing her unhappy and unfulfilled made me determined to change the order that I make my choices in life. Don’t get me wrong, I want to have a family eventually. But instead of having a child first, like all of the women in my family before me, I want to complete my education and start my career. Family will come after.

Stressfully, the demands fall on the oldest child, which I have trouble dealing with. I cannot explain the reasons why, but my mom is living proof of it. Over time, however, I learned to accept the reasons behind her expectations. When I was an only child, my mom never pressured me on grades until my sister