My parents were both undocumented immigrants from small villages in Mexico, and the experiences that are fundamental to me are those from my childhood, which I experienced from the perspective of a child of undocumented immigrants. I remember the fear that I felt whenever I saw strangers, because I strongly believed that each time a stranger was near my parents would somehow be sent away. I longed to communicate, but it felt as though I was burdened with a greater awareness of who I was and what situation I was born into. I feared that once I spoke, I would be labeled an outsider. My first language was Spanish, and I vividly recall running to my neighbors and having a conversation only speaking gibberish in the hopes of communicating my thoughts …show more content…
I remember the talks my mother gave me each morning in our 1997 Aerostar van, which my mother had cleaned houses to pay for. She always instilled that we were fortunate, even if we were struggling, we were fortunate. She had jobs, she had her health, we were a family, and for those things we would always have to be grateful. My love for academics immediately set me apart from the world in which I had always been an insider. I was immediately labeled differently from my family members outside of my immediate family, who felt that academic pursuits were a waste of time and money. In many ways, I was an outsider and an insider simultaneously. I was an insider in the sense that I celebrated the same culture as my family members, lived in a predominantly black and hispanic neighborhood, and an outsider in the sense that I was always different because of my culture in spaces where my culture was foreign. As well as the fact that where I came from, education was not seen as …show more content…
I still live in the same apartment that I grew up in, and, while my parents have tried to give me as much as possible, much of the expenses I have for school and living are money that I have made at my job. I am the first child in my family to graduate college, and in doing so I have inspired my younger brother who will soon by attending a four year university as well. Currently, my father works two jobs as a janitor and as a factory worker, and my mother cleans homes, and much of the financial compensation they receive goes towards paying rent and food. This scholarship will alleviate much of the financial burden that myself and my family members currently face. I, once again, would like to reiterate the honor I feel in receiving this scholarship and how my education has been one of the saving aspects of my
Walking into my kindergarten class, I had no idea that it would be the last time I shared a classroom with people with similar beliefs and backgrounds as me. I had no idea that my intelligence would separate me from my friends and from my culture. In fifth grade, I was one out of four Hispanic children in my class. By then, I got used to people asking me if I’d say something in Spanish for them, acting as if I was an alien from outer space. I remember always declining their requests due to my embarrassment because by this time, most of my friends were white and I felt the need to fit in.
Other may argued that the undocumented immigrant do not have sufficient access to the social service, it is actually true that the illegal aliens have taking away the federal fund that was supposed to subsidize the local resident. When the fellow local resident struggle to pay for the health care service and desperately looking for help, why is it acceptable to compel the taxpayer to pay for the undocumented
The Diary of an Undocumented Immigrant is a biographical novel written by Ramon Perez and published in 1991. The narrative follows our storyteller and author Perez through his journey from a Zapotec village in Oaxaca, Mexico over the border, illegally of course (hence the title) into The United States where he experiences the many facets of American culture before returning to his home village two years later as a celebrated hero. Now, you might be wondering why that sentence was structured to deliberately include the word “hero,” it’s really quite simple. The topic of illegal immigration has always been a touchy subject between nations and the opinion of whether or not the immigrant accused is a “hero” or “villain” relies totally, on which side the controversy is viewed from. Having spent the past 237 pages shadowing Perez’s journey I feel compelled to see things from his standpoint.
I deserve this scholarship because of the ways in which this scholarship will enable me to continue and better my life-long goal to become a pediatric nurse. I plan to attend the college of my dreams, Texas Woman’s University. Before attending, I will need to receive money to keep me on the right track, but I have financial issues. I have two brothers already in college and I am the last and only one left. Because I have two brothers in college, it means less money for me.
Growing up in an immigrant household in America, was difficult. I didn’t live, I learned to adapt. I learned to adapt to the fact that I did not look like any of my peers, so I changed. Adapted to the fact that my hair texture would never be like any of my peers, so I changed. Adapted to the fact that I was not as financially well off as my peers, so I changed.
Undocumented children feel abandoned by their parents after their departure. The children feel remorse of the parent’s actions. The children do not understand the risk that their parents made. After divorce, American parents behave just like undocumented immigrants in the way of abandoning their children for their new families. Similarly, Americans should realize that these undocumented immigrants come to the United States to help their families back in their original homes.
As a teenager moving to a new country with a different culture, different language, and being thousands of miles away from everyone I grew up with was not an easy change, however, that was precisely what I did in January of 2013 when I came to the United States with my father. My whole world changed since, and shaped my way of thinking. From learning English, adjusting to a new culture, experiencing my first snow and finding my way in my new country, my life has been an exciting adventure. My parents brought me to America almost 5 years ago to have a better life, and to get a better education.
The experiences that could have widened my horizons and nurtured my potential were out of reach. I felt like an outsider, yearning for a chance to explore my passions and ambitions like my
My parents came from another country and made the American culture and way of life their own like other immigrants before them. Because of this I can deal in a unique way with cultural or racial challenges or tensions. My parents did not let their culture dictate who I am but let it be a part of who I would become. For that I will always be grateful. I hope that in the future the percentage of Hispanics in my community grows, but my experience of being such an extreme minority in a community close to a major, modern city gives me a truly unique perspective.
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.
My parents are immigrants. My father came to the United States in 1967, when he was 5 years old. My mother came in 1997, at 18 years old. My father, although Cuban through and through, is not the typical Hispanic immigrant that people expect.
The Life of Immigrants When i first arrived to the United States , i was forced to attend a school i didn’t want to be at .Most of the time i was unpleasant and complained about the society i was in. My life was different from other students, i began to wonder where my happiness would come from. I was troubled , lost , and terrorized. I i didn’t have anyone except a strangers around me, from this i learned that what it’s like to be an immigrants, not being able to communicate to other people. Imagine for the rest of your life without a single friend, that’s when i begun to practice my english day and day, everyone was looking down on me
At the age of 20, I migrated from my homeland of Cuba to the United States. I was alone, as I had no family or friends to help me through the crises I will run into. Being an immigrant and not speaking English is different and has obstacles that needed to be overcome. For example, I needed to learn a new language, be educated in a new economic and educational system. In Cuba, I graduated with honors with an accounting degree, but in America I started working as a waitress in a Cuban restaurant.
My mother once said to me “I don’t want you to end up like me”. At that moment, I knew I had to push myself beyond my ability to make something of myself. I am 9 out of 1079 in my senior class, have a 4.5 GPA and for sure am not afraid of hard work. By receiving this scholarship, it will help my parents and especially myself from having to take out loans and place myself into debt. It will aid me into achieving my future years of education and give me the opportunity to demonstrate that I will not end up like my parents.
Furthermore, these two goals lead to my ultimate dream. Consequently, I have a career goal that is set for a span of ten years, which already reveals me graduating from college, becoming a history teacher in a high school, and obtaining a bachelor’s degree in anthropology. Moreover, by succeeding in these goals, I can begin to make my dreams come true and fashion a life I can be proud. Pursuing five scholarships before graduating from high school, I believe, will aid me in paying for college and establishing a positive goal for me. My dream school’s tuition for four years estimates to be about 101,000 dollars, and my only way of paying for college is through scholarships.