I was born in Sinaloa, Mexico. Characterized by drug cartels and violence, my hometown was not a viable option for a successful education. My family and I immigrated to the United States when I was three years old. I entered school shortly after my arrival and was placed in low academic classes. However, I learned English quickly and managed to be put in honors classes in a matter of months. Growing up, I did not realize the disadvantages that being an immigrant creates. I entered high school with a dream, to be the first person in my family to attend a university. Because of my legal status, I realized that there are obstacles getting in the way of my college dream; I cannot participate in certain academic programs, nor do I have access to college advising. I am excluded from most scholarships that are offered making paying for college challenging. These obstacles have really tied me down making the path to college seem almost unattainable. …show more content…
The problems that I face in my educational career have made me stronger and have made me learn valuable things. I now value education more and have immense respect for it. I wake up extra early in the morning and come to the college center to get a little extra time on college applications. I also attend college boot camps during summer vacation to become more knowledgeable with the college process. Not being able to apply to the majority of scholarships has helped me explore new options and opportunities. I apply to many private organization scholarships hoping to make paying for college accessible. Being undocumented has taught me that there are ways to get things done even though there are obstacles in your way. I have learned to cope with the fact that I am undocumented and I do not let it foreshadow my
The infamous answer to the question, “What is your primary goal for going to school?” is “to further my education, get a job, and be successful” such a cliché if I must say myself. My goal attending school is to make my family happy, as well as myself. In high school, I did not apply myself like I should have done because I was not sure if college was in my favor. Also, being the child of a single parent wanting to attend college seemed impossible, especially far from home.
Similar to other immigrants my family history is somewhat compelling. Starting with my grandfather who was exiled out of Egypt in 1959 primarily as a result of the "decolonization process and the rise of Egyptian nationalism”, my immediate family and I also left France in 2004 as a result of rising tension against Jews. The migration of my grandparents and parents, from a young age, cultivated a sense of determination in me to overcome obstacles. Arriving in Miami at age 5, I had to learned my third language, English, in order to attend school. I was determined to and successfully lost my accent and got tested into the gifted program after a year of school.
Growing up as a first-generation Mexican American was a huge advantage for me in that it allowed me to grow up in a culturally diverse community. I learned how to work well with people of all backgrounds and empathize with people from all walks of life. However, while being the first in my family to go to college was a momentous accomplishment, the lack of instruction and guidance lead me to commit many mistakes that could have been easily avoided during my first years at college. My timidity and downright arrogance lead me to believe that I did not need anyone’s assistance and thus I found myself denial that there was a problem in terms of my grades during my first semesters. I have since addressed this issue and have worked diligently to
We are often pushed down because we come from a different country and the lack of English we speak. I want to show people that hispanics can go to college and get a degree and be successful. I know the road won’t be smooth but I know that at the end everything will be worth
The obstacles that Douglass and Malala had to overcome are what inspired me. They inspired me because despite all the dangers, they continued to fight for their own education and others education and eventually became voices of many others. I can relate a little bit to each of their story because also pushed through some struggles, when it came to applying to college. Those struggles are the reason why I became inspired to help undocumented students like myself.
Many Latino-Americans, including myself, aspire to surpass poverty and discrimination. Through my success, I will undoubtedly change the world, help those in need, and utilize the knowledge I will acquire through my degree to assist those who lack the opportunity to seek a promising
Going to college has always been a dream of mine, I never knew what I wanted to major in or any clue of what career I wanted to go into. It all started with my love of finding out more about the world around me I thought is was just my curiosity like everyone else but it was something different. That’s when I found my love for science. At first I really didn’t see my love for until sophomore year of high school when we would get on a subject and wanted to learn more about the particular subject not just what was in the book. Around my junior year is the when I knew had to start narrowing down my college choices.
I was born in the capital of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. My family was native to the land having lived there for decades, but we were soon refugees due to famine and war between ethnic groups who had laid claim to the land we inherited from our ancestors. In leaving, my mother left behind her family, knowing that she may never see them again, so that we; her children, could have a better chance at life. She understood that we were susceptible to becoming victims of war, that it was impossible to foster a home during war. Ultimately, with the war progressing, we moved to the shacks of Nairobi, Kenya in an effort to seek asylum.
At first, the social peculiarity given to me by my migration status and language limitations made me a victim of bullying, which made me want to go back to the safety and similarity of my home country. However, the persistent nature engraved in me by my parents did not allow me to give in to the constant discriminatory voices that kept telling me that I would never be "American" enough.
Ten years ago, I immigrated to the United States and ever since I have been an undocumented immigrant. Due to my legal status in the United States, I felt like I was restricted from certain situations and possessions and would never be able to succeed. I was not living the normal life of a seven-year-old. Instead, I had to learn to cope and adapt to a whole new culture. Even though the drastic change at such a young age was a challenge, it has shaped who I am today.
About 20 years ago my parents came to the United States from Mexico in order to give their children a better life. As I near the end of my high school career I realize now that what they wanted for my siblings and I was a fresh start from poverty and the opportunity to a higher education. While my family and I have faced numerous hardships in the past few years, we have found ways to overcome them and make the best of what we do have. Currently, I live in a single-parent household with a younger sibling.
In addition to this, I was constantly denied eligibility for scholarships due to my immigration status, and although I was given many opportunities to represent my school at national conventions, I was unable to attend for the same reason. Fortunately, I suddenly came to the realization that only obstacle preventing me from embarking on these scholastic and career opportunities was myself. It was then that I sought help and with the assistance of a few selfless individuals who took the time to walk me through the process, I
First generation immigrants sacrifice their adulthood in search of a better life for their family and for future generations to come. My father came from Peru to support his family. He was the first person in his family to come to America. He works in road construction from morning until night so that my family is supported. The desire to repay both of my parents is the belief that guides my life.
An immigrant family wants the best for everyone lives, however moving to a new country brings struggles. There struggles include finding a home, a good paying job, avoiding to be deported, being separated ,and continuing their education. Immigrants expect a better life because their old home and country did have much benefits as the new country gives them. The advantage of an immigrant family is family values which tends them to be closer. Disadvantages of an immigrant family are the struggles that were first mentioned and including that they face other people calling them a threat.
Coming from a low income family, living in a small town in India, I learned early on about struggling and surviving those struggles. I watched my parents working day and night to provide for electricity, pay for our monthly school fees so my sister and I can have a better education, and for the future they wished upon for their children. To further enhance this vision, my father decided for the family and I to immigrate to the US. Everything was different in the sense that I changed schools, learned a new language, had to make new friends, and learned the different culture. I had to adapt to a whole new world, which was a little difficult at 6 years old