Growing up in Nicaragua, my family had never been one to have an abundance of money. At the age of 10, my mother had to wake up at the crack of dawn everyday to pick up the fallen fruits from trees, go into the city and try to sell them to tourists in hopes of making enough money so that she and her brothers could eat that day. She was forced to become the adult of the family when she should have been in school like the other kids her age. She was deprived of the one thing that meant everything to her, a chance at an education.…
About seven billion people live in this world, each beating heart goes through their own changes, whether it’s becoming a military personnel or simply running away from your home and experience the world through your own eyes. My significant change came at an early stage, without any hesitation my parents sent my sister and I to Nicaragua for 4 years. After we landed the only person I knew that spoke English or was from Miami was the flight attendant itself, after that it was my sister and I against a family that we briefly recognize.…
For the past two years, on the 1st Monday of the month I have participated in Site Council meetings at my high school along with other Associated Study Body (ASB) members, our principal, school administrators, parents, and teachers. Frequently it was brought up that minorities were not as involved in our school as majority groups. ASB has always been dominated by white students and as a Latina, I found it very intimidating when I joined.…
It started just as any normal Saturday would; December 8, 2012, I woke up, went through my morning routine and went to soccer practice. I was competing for a spot on the North Carolina ODP (Olympic Development Program) soccer team. Training was being held at fields about two hours from my house. I sat in the backseat of my dad’s car with my two sisters and as we rode to the fields I began to mentally prepare myself for how I would play my best and make the team.…
I came to the United States from Colombia when I was just 3 years old. I was brought into the country of bright opportunities because like every other parent, my mother and father wanted what was best for me. My mother had to give up her dream job in Colombia, which was being an accountant for an essentially important company, in order to facilitate my well-being and open up the doors for my future. As the years progressed, I began to acquire both languages, English and Spanish, but there was a point where I became tongue tied and had to assist in speech therapy. My parents would talk to me in Spanish at home but in school all I would hear was English, my mind was extremely confused to the point that I made my own language by using both tongues in one sentence.…
It was Monday, May 30th, 2011. My family was driving home from a hotel we were staying at in Virginia, after going to Kings Dominion for my birthday day the day before. On the way home, we stopped at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. During our meal, we got a call from my aunt telling us that my uncle, my mother’s brother, was in the hospital. Only a few days before he had moved back to Guatemala without saying goodbye to me. Once we were back on the road, my mother continued to get phone calls updating us about what was happening down there, as each call came through we all became more and more anxious wait for the answer. Then it came it just wasn't the answer we were hoping for, my mother began pushing on the walls of the car as if they were…
But there is one thing, that, my family don't know about me. It's that i became a man in front of them and they don't think about it!.…
I would like to say I know Spanish, after four years of studying in high school and multiple trips to South and Central America, yet it seems every time I leave the States, I find myself in a frantic struggle to process the words I know and figure out the meanings of the ones I do not. Sometimes this simply means missing out on a few insignificant details, other times it can seriously complicate life.…
I live in a country full of rich resources. Our weather is like a bittersweet lotion that replenishes the skin. People from all over the world come to my land for these things called "vacations". Vacations bring in nothing but good memories, smiles, and family. A vacation is a fairytale here in Columbia. The beautiful landscapes are just a pinch of reality that are on the brochures, websites, and posters. Sometimes when I look at these Americanized pictures of Columbia I wish I was there. The true story of Columbia starts in the city of Bogata located in the mountains. I am a young girl. I will not disclose my name or age because what I'm about to tell you about my culture and land are hands on things my soul has been through; which may upset…
Going to Southern California, no one would think of packing an umbrella. Why would they? California is in the middle of a drought. When someone thinks of California, they think of baby blue skies and palm trees along the streets. But, of course, the weekend my family decided to visit Disneyland, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld is the weekend Southern California experienced what the local news called a “tropical depression.”…
It’s Monday, December 9th. Today just seems unusual, like something big is going to happen! I wonder what it will be for a split second, then go back to studying for the Latin America quiz we have tomorrow. Mr. Fielder announces what questions we should highlight on our worksheets. I watch him go back to his desk. I look up and out the window, I see the glistening shimmer of fresh snow dancing in the sky. I cherish every second of it, wishing the time would go by slower. As time creeps closer to 12:20 p.m., the more I shudder at the thought of having to go to room 224. I finish making my flashcards, using splendid handwriting, and proper spelling and grammar. The clock whispers 12:18 p.m. in my ear, I turn white as a ghost.…
It was the middle of the school year, and I had just moved into Duluth. I was begging my mother to put me back into public school. At the time I was being home-schooled but I hated it. So one day, my mom told me "since you want to go to public school so bad, I'll let you go soon." I was happy! I could finally make some new friends and go somewhere I wanted to go. Few days later, we went into the school I will be attending called Northview High School. We went to go get interviewed, but the lady that interviewed us was very rude. She was not hopeful or even encouraging. She told me and my mom that I was going to fail all my courses and will have to wait til the end of the school year. Basically, she wanted to hold me back. Who would have known how right she was. In the end, it worked out and I was able to attend Northview.…
My service learning project is working with the Office for Youth and Young Adult Evangelization. The name of the mission trip is given by the Archdiocese Of Seattle which is called One Week. During the summer Junior High school students goes Forks Washington. The Office for Youth and Young Adult Evangelization they help people by responding to the communities need such as helping the poor and the elderly in Western Washington. The theme for the mission trip One week is called to be saints.…
During my freshman year of high school I received a letter in the mail. This letter was an invitation to play basketball in Australia, with other boys and girls of my age. The date was September 13, 2011. The letter stated that we would be leaving June 1, of 2012. Of course I wanted to go as soon as I read the letter, but my family was more curious about the trip. We did some research and figured out everything that would be offered on this trip. In my research I read of playing Australian basketball games, snorkeling, swimming in the ocean, surfing, and spending three days on Tangalooma Island. This was enough to convince my family that it would indeed be a fun trip for me to attend.…
My journey at Valencia College commenced 11th grade at Gateway High School. Optimistically, my intent was to advance my career as a scholar, which is why I seized the opportunities – such as, collegiate learning – that the Dual Enrollment program at Gateway High School offered me. After 2 years, I successfully achieved my goal of attaining an Associate's Degree in General Studies; one of the countless and necessary obstacles that await…