Personal Narrative: Pursuing The American Dream

From sleeping through an English class, to skipping a history test, because you haven’t touched your textbook all semester. Seniors are so close to moving onto the next step of their life that the things that were so exciting their freshman don't appeal to them. They are ready to experience life outside of high school; whether that's college,

Freshman year, what an awkward time in my life coming out of middle school with my poor grades I promised myself and my parents I was going to succeed while in high school. Did I though? My grades for sure improved but I still was not putting in as much effort as I should have been. I struggled to be able to communicate with all these new faces and in a completely new school but even outside of school struggled to talk to new people.

On my father’s first day in America, he was shoved into a compact 1-person apartment along with two other refugees and was merely granted $19 a week to accommodate for basic expenses, including food and transportation. Despite such desperate circumstances, he maintained an optimistic outlook, and while hard times were ahead, my father knew that new opportunities were also awaiting him in the land where the American Dream thrives. My father initially left Vietnam as a last desperate hope to escape Vietnam’s strict communist government, where a future of military service was inevitable for young boys, who came from families of lower social statuses. As an orphan, my father fell victim to poverty and suffered from food insecurity and insufficient

I barely got through geometry, and I thought that I wasn't going to survive. I failed tests and retook them for a better grade, I pushed myself and told myself to keep going no matter what. At the end of the year when finals came around I was still struggling. My teacher told me that I might have to stay another year. I was freaking out and didn’t know what to do.

The great Marcus Garvey once said that “a people without knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture are trees without roots”. This quotation has always stuck with me because it validates that, as humans, we all have a story to share. No matter where I go or who I meet, thanks to my story, I have the confidence to embrace who I am every single day.

I lived as a foreigner in America for 15 years. The day I became an American citizen was one of the easiest, yet hardest days of my life. The process itself was quite simple. My parents had already been naturalized, so all I had to do was take the Oath of Allegiance and sign the Certificate of Naturalization. However, in that short one-hour ceremony, I had relinquished my Indian citizenship, losing something I had from birth, and had pledged myself to “the home of the free and the land of the brave.”

Junior year was not the easiest year of high school especially since I had to learn new skills and techniques to turn in my work without it being a mess. I knew that junior year was a significant year, because of the numerous amounts of assignments, quizzes, and tests that were going to be given to the students. Knowing this, I had two choices: I had to abandon the world of procrastination or become the person that some students are in high school, careless and disobedient to what was given or said to them. Even though I knew junior year was not going to be an easy year, I entered thinking that I was fully prepared for anything that I would come face to face with. Soon enough, I realized that I was not equipped to what was about to hit me.

Crack, the ball ripped far into left field, I shot up from my hard plastic blue seats, Chase

As a child, I had many dreams, but in a country with lots of poverty, dreams die. My world exploded when I realized I had an opportunity to achieve the American dream and be the first in my family to do it. My goal this semester is to maintain at least a 3.5 GPA and actually take life lessons from every class I attend. I know I will be faced with many challenges, but I plan to overcome any obstacle with will and determination. This first week made me feel emotional about my future, how far I’ve come, and how much closer I am to the big house on the beach. To this day I know nothing worth it is ever easily

Hernandez 1 My American Dream Tapestry A child, the most innocent and most brightest creatures of us all. Never having a care in the world but always looking for laughter, hope, and fun. As a kid we have many friends, all of us sharing the same desire, happiness.

Several individuals from different ethnicities, races, and citizenships, compose a society. The United Sates allow us to have a close interaction with numerous individuals from diverse backgrounds. In my own case I have been able to interact with many incredible individuals from all over the world who come from extremely different backgrounds. I am a proud Mexican who cherishes respect towards diversity. Coming from a very suffered country I am able to understand not only what does it means to feel proud to be a Latino, but also I can feel acquainted with the pain and struggle that our community has to face every day.

The American Dream - the reason most Americans get up every morning, and go to school or work. With hopes that, one day, they will live a life free of financial burdens. Is the American Dream attainable for most Americans though? I do not think so. Most Americans are stuck in their parents social class. Some people are stuck there simply based on their race, and education. Life chances, as defined by Karen Sternheimer on her blog Inequality and Life Chances: Going to Law School or Going to Prison is that "one's opportunities are shaped by our class and status." If our opportunities are shaped by this criteria, then most of us will be overlooked for higher paying positions - simply because we were born to the wrong family.

Growing up in America and having a parent from another country comes with many perks and stories. In case you haven't read the title or wondering which parent is from another country; My father is from a small island in Central America named Belize. To give you the brief history about Belize, Belize first inhabitants were the Mayans from the beginning of time until the fourteenth century due to them mysteriously declining in population. The Mayans had a huge roll in the Central American countries. This due to the fact that they developed the idea of hieroglyphics, which back then was the only fully known writing system of the pre-Columbian Americas-as well as for its mathematics, astronomical system, art, calendar, and architecture. By the

Over the years I have experienced countless history classes as well as watched and read what feels like thousands of news reports that address conflicts and disasters outside and inside of the United States. As I got older I realized that living in this country has presented us with many opportunities to better our lives and to accomplish our goals, but unfortunately not everyone can live in the United States. I have been told I am privileged with more advantages and opportunities than most others all my life; meanwhile there are people in other countries that are suffering hardships I can’t begin to imagine. I can go and buy the miscellaneous supplies I need from Target, I don’t have to wonder when my next meal will be presented to me, and

I believe that my culture is considered to be an adaptive, modern American culture. Culture is the way people interact with other individuals. It can be described as a way of living. Since my father is in the military, I have traveled to many different places experiencing different types of culture from Asia, to Europe, and now Unites States of America. My culture is very adaptive due to moving and living to new foreign areas. Right now, my culture is a modern American one. Culture to my family and I means that the people we interact with all share a common belief. The actions we take are all common. It is what shaped us to be who we are. Culture matters to me because I am used to being in the culture I am currently in. The place I live in