Personal Narrative: Growing Up In A Third World

Growing up in a third world country has impacted me as an individual. Living through the pain of having nothing has fueled me to appreciate every opportunity and to take advantage of it. None more important than the opportunity to learn. My early years in school were struggles filled with fear, inconsistency, and no growth. There were months where my teacher showed up for two days only. There was no such thing as a substitute teacher, breakfast, lunch, computers, and all the other resources that I was blessed to eventually have. My friends and I often talked about our desires for the future. Those desires were to become doctors, teachers, and lawyers, but we knew very well the chances of our dreams coming into reality. I was the teacher in
the group, and the only one who escaped to live his dream. Every time I remember my friends, I cannot help but think of the opportunity that we have here in America.

An education is a weapon that can navigate anyone from any struggles that they may endure throughout their lives. An education is ammunition, and if fully loaded, any student will power their way to reach their goals. As a teacher, my goal will be give my students a perspective on why an education is important and about the power an individual possess with an education. I want to make them understand the opportunity they have and do the best that I can to make them fully take advantage of it. If students can understand the difference and life of an educated person versus a non-educated person, they will have a sense of urgency to learn. If my students are on the same page, learning and teaching will be a lot easier.

My job as a teacher is to supply my students with power. Teachers are powerful individuals who can impact the lives of many people. The lives of future doctors who will have the ultimate challenge of saving another person’s life. The challenge to fight for another person who was wrongly convicted of a crime. The responsibility to lead a country, state, or city. Most importantly, the power to make a student realize that they can be great. To push my students to strive and persevere through all the challenges they have to beat in order to reach their goals. After reaching their goals, I hope they can reflect, and know that they took advantage of the opportunity that was given to them. That they did not leave anything behind because they know that they were blessed to have had the chance to learn.