In her article, “Facing the Culture Shock of College,” Kathleen Cushman argues that first generation college students struggles fitting in with other students due to their backgrounds and cultures. She supports her claim by first describing what first generation college students have to face on a daily basis. Then, she interviewed “16 first generation college students from around the United States” for evidence to support her claim. She makes a connection in which students try managing to get a college degree while they are being judged because of their background and culture. For example, Raja, the son of Palestinian immigrants, tries to get A’s on all of his tests to assure them that he is “not a clown.”…
I am Mexican in the 21st century. Many who just look at me couldn’t tell you so. Being Mexican is a part of me cast aside by others, as if my culture, my very essence, is a pebble among stones.…
I am a temporary migrant. My father told me that I should extend my horizon and feel the different culture to open myself, because he knew I am unsociable. I think it is a pull factor because it's so hard for me to join the competitions in China. But I do not intend to immigrate to Canada, leaving home is not what I want even if I left home all the time.…
I was raised in the small town of Hidalgo, Texas, just on the side of the Mexican Border. Living there made me grow up thinking that possibilities were limited and there was not much offered to us. Although, along the years, I realized that this town did not define me , and it actually made me strong enough to take on life elsewhere in the future . I remember being in this town ten years ago, and there was only local businesses . The town has grown along with me, and it has opened up opportunities to its community and myself.…
Strange as it may seem, growing up in a racially mixed family made me unaware of how prevalent racism exists. Growing up in a white middle class family that included 3 adopted siblings of different races as well as living in many different parts of America including Puerto Rico clearly made my mindset seriously more open minded than a lot of people. So truly understanding racism must be personally experienced to grasp an inkling of it.…
Growing up I would have never imagined myself here. Long before I could consider medicine a possibility I had aspired to work alongside my father as a butcher. I was born in Merida, Mexico to a single mother. As the man of the house I began working at the age of seven cleaning windshields at stoplights and polishing shoes for any available change that people could spare. I came to America at age of twelve. My father had been anxiously waiting to meet me the day I arrived in Houston. My first challenge tested my capabilities at adapting to a foreign country without any family members to support me, other than my father who would spend most of the day at work, and learning a new language; however, I was oblivious to the real hardships and obstacles…
today iwalk up at six and take a shawer then wared my clothes after thate i pray, then brushed my teath and putted gil. then a took my key and left my appartment. I drive my car to the work after 20 minuts i arrived to my work. i clocken in at sevn and 50 minutes. then i did my egg in the microwive and prepare my tea and milk and tostted my bread.…
When I first came to the United States my whole life changed completely. I came from a very poor town where basic needs are privileges and even though I didn’t know the language, the culture, and the people. I was not scared about my new life, my new beginning. When my mom and I got here my dad rented a house which was in very bad conditions. At that time we didn’t have anything, we slept on the floor for almost a month, we didn’t have any furniture and not even a car to go buy groceries. My mom was very disappointed because my dad has been living here for almost 10 years and he didn’t have anything yet. Besides all the bad situations, I was very excited because I was here in this powerful country where opportunities everywhere. After couple weeks I asked my dad to do me a big favor which was start the paperwork so I can get into middle school. At first he was mad because he told me that I didn’t need that, I was devastated about his reaction because I really wanted to go, but he refused to take me. Sometime after what happened my mom decided to take me to the school and start my education. I still remember all the…
The day started off as any normal day. My mother woke me up and said “we must go.” Her voice sounded very urgent for what I thought was just a trip to the grocery store. My mom laid my outfit on my bed and packed by book bag; that’s when I figured out that I was starting school. I wasn’t entirely oblivious to the fact that I was going to familiarize myself with a completely different environment, but I just thought I had a little more time to prepare. Well, it turns out that I was wrong. You see, I wasn’t your average pre-schooler who was nervous about making friends. I was the immigrant child who had never spoken a word of English.…
Some people don’t actually think about what they want to be when they grow up. Some people do know, but as they get older that interest starts to fade away. Have you thought about what you want to be when you grow up? Although if you did well that’s wonderful because I just started about a year ago searching what’s going to be the best for me. It can be difficult sometimes that people get stressed out that makes them want to stop trying. First, I hope you will enjoy what I have to say about my future career Anesthesiologist.…
When most people think of immigrants, they seem to forget the children that are crossing over to a new life; juggling two vastly different cultures while promised with security and the essence of what makes up the American Dream. I was only 3 years old when my family moved from Nigeria in 2003; the intolerant post-election tension as well as the rise of Boko Haram motivated my parents to move elsewhere for the safety of their children.…
I belong to a community that praises hard work and intellect, always striving to earn a better life. This community is the first generation immigrant community. Since I am the oldest sibling, I am designated in the unique role in my family as a cultural advisor to American life, an overachieving role model to my younger brother, and the face of my parents’ source of pride. I view my situation not as an impediment, but as a catalyst for my business and public service aspirations in the future. Education has always been stressed even when I was in elementary school. I would spend all evening working on supplementary reading problems and critical thinking math problems, assuming that this was what my American peers did when they got home. I have…
When we’re kids, we don’t have a single worry in the world. Our priorities are going to school and getting along with the rest of the kids on the playground. We don’t have to worry about taxes, or being judged (for the most part), paying bills, etc. So when do we reach the point where the real world comes in and kicks us in the behind? When do we come to realize who we really are and what our position is in this world? For me, the real world introduced itself at a very young age. And unfortunately I didn’t really understand what was going on at the moment. But for my parents, the situation was quite clear. I became a victim of bullying and racist comments.…
Growing up I excelled in every educational aspect of school. However the stereotype for someone of my skin color did not allow for me to be both Mexican and smart. My Hispanic peers began to exclude me; the most common way they did that was by taking away my identity as a Mexican. I heard “Diego you white” an uncountable number of times throughout my schooling. I noticed that my grades and vocabulary would trigger that comment so I began to change the way I acted in order to fit in. It was not until recently that I realized the fault in changing and found a peaceful merge between the two speech communities.…
Being raised in a country which is not your birth place is a challenging experience. It comes with many obstacles and struggles. A variety of new thing are always being introduced, with those come language and education, culture and tradition and life as I know, it gets changed completely. My childhood brought adult responsibilities, hiding in the shades and being scared all the time, and with denial comes the chance of new things and open doors. I as an immigrant High school student has gone through so many denials and get rejected so many opportunities, which include the struggle of continuing my education in college because I don't have the chance of receiving many beneficial opportunities in scholarships and is why I will greatly appreciate…