A Narrative Essay On Who I Am Today Analysis

I have endured and overcome many obstacles, which have taught me many valuable lessons and have empowered me to become who I am today. My childhood was different from others, I grew up in a single parent home. I watched as my mother worked as hard as she possibly could to provide for my siblings and I. It was just us, no family or very many friends. They were all left behind in order for my mother to start a new life in a new country. Everyday, when she came home, I remember thinking that my mother deserved so much more than having to work this toilsome job. I felt culpable whenever she came home with a backache or feeling extra weary. I would later come to find out why she was working harder, more than usual.

She had been saving money to send my sister and I to El Salvador to visit family. I was eager to see where my family came from and where my mother had grown up. As we left the airport, I was quickly overcome with a feeling of gratitude for everything I had. Why? I saw kids in the streets with ragged clothes and bodies as thin as paper. They seemed as though it had been a lifetime since they had last eaten. Some went to school, but others were not that fortunate. It was the first time I realized that not everyone was lucky enough to have everything I did. I felt as though I had taken it all for granted.
At the mere age of nine, I had never been exposed to that level of poverty.
I did not know that even kids my own age were facing this unfortunate issue. This was the fuel I needed to start my path to success. Grades were important to me but, I realized it is also important to give back to the community. I want to break the cycle of poverty that is occurring not just in my country but rather in all countries. Seeing my mother work so strenuously and seeing where she came from inspired me to take
action.

I began participating in events held by an organization that donated money to the children of El Salvador. It was an exhilarating experience knowing that I was making a change rather than waiting for someone else to do it for me. Doing community service hours helped me to meet a lot of people and learn about obstacles that others are enduring. Volunteering made me discover things I did not know about myself; I found that I am best at working with and for others. My aspiration is to break the cycle of poverty that is occurring not just in my country but rather in all countries.

Life is different for everyone but there is something we all have in common: over coming obstacles. I hope to expose myself to new experiences and get involved in all college has to offer. I want to set an example for others that anything is possible if you believe in yourself.