Personal Narrative: Lessons Learned In Colorado

Growing up with a father in the military, you move around a lot more than you would like to. I was born just east of St. Louis in a city called Shiloh in Illinois. When I was two years old my dad got the assignment to move to Hawaii. We spent seven great years in Hawaii, we had one of the greatest churches I have ever been to name New Hope. New Hope was a lot like Olivet's atmosphere, the people were always friendly and there always something to keep someone busy. I used to dance at church, I did hip-hop and interpretive dance, but you could never tell that from the way I look now.

My community still faced hard times and this time it was more personal, with a death of a teammate. Still a heartbreaking experience and not easy at all, but my past experiences facing hardships helped me and my team. Now a senior in High School it is my opportunity to be the role model for all the students and families in my community. As I prepare for my last year in my hometown, I will use the experiences to lead me to the next journey and have a community that will take care of me, even when I am miles and miles

Senior Sela Davis decided to go on this trip because she knew this would have a bigger impact on her than going on another vacation. This experience was more than she expected it to be,

I didn’t believe in aliens until I was abducted by them. I was put in some kind of contraption and I’m not sure what happened exactly, but it’s clear that I’m not where I was. Everything in 2016 is different, I don’t know if I’m in a different state or not but people are dressing differently and acting differently, and the cars, the cars are all different! I’ve been here for quite some time now and have noticed a lot of differences from where I lived in Oceanside, California in 1940. I’ve been transported to the year 2016 and there are so many things that have changed and evolved and among them are political, economic, social, and cultural changes.

The year was 1999 when we moved to Colorado from New Mexico. I was just a year old. My father recalls searching restlessly day and night to help support me and my mother. Coming to a new state was difficult; moving from basement to basement was their only option. Fortunately, a little after our arrival, my father found a job working construction and we were able to get a small apartment.Although small, it was still fulfilling in every way. Money was scarce at the time, as well as food. As he talks, he mentions a weekend night when he and I were spending some time together in the living room. I was a year old, and I was hungry. I decided to go to the kitchen and find some milk. When I made it to the kitchen, I opened the fridge. My father says,

Even though I studied harder than I ever had before, I still did not reach the grade I thought I deserved. He told me it was because the student who shared a desk with me earned a C and it was partially my fault. This lesson taught me that life is not just about reaching personal success but helping others reach theirs too. My schools CFX’s (Companion’s of Francis Xavier) were another way I have lived out service, spirit, and intellect. During summer vacations after my sophomore and junior year, I would spend hours in the sun hammering nails or digging the foundation where a new home would be built. At the end of every grueling day, we would discuss the reasons why this certain group of people were impoverished and the systematic ways that we could fix it. These trips helped me grow as a person and realize my place in today’s society. It also made me look at larger issues in our world such as homelessness and the border issues - I worked in solidarity building homes with people that were impacted by these matters. One of my greatest moments of service and spirit came on my senior year trip. It was Easter Mass and my group was in the

It made me realize how far away some communities are from large city centers and it brought me to question the values gained through education when exploring our immediate community/landscape. What we learn is really based off where we are living at the time. It wasn’t until this moment that I realized the validity of a statement like “It’s a great place to raise a family”.  I am now beginning to question the community that raised me and how it has influenced me as a person and furthermore how it will translate into my

The most enjoyable,place that I have ever been to is Eagle Colorado. The reason I went to colorado was to visit my cousin Lou Ann,her husband Jason,and their kids Isaac and Ezzy. My cousin Lou Ann and her son Isaac were in town and asked my cousin and I would like to stay with them and we said yes because we were bored in clayton..It was a pretty long car ride but it was worth it after we got to Colorado.It was the most enjoyable place because of the beautiful weather,mountains,and kind people. I loved the weather during the summer because it did not rain or snow and it wasn’t too cold or hot.Eagle Colorado is a 6 hour drive from Clayton.It is also 135 miles west of Denver In 2010 the population was 6,508 people. The population of eagle has not changed much since 2010.

On one sunny day, I was helping my mom doing chores when she pulled me over to talk to me about something important. I was confused why my mom would want to me about something important, but I listened to what she said and followed her. What she told me was what her life was like back in Vietnam. She did not have much of an education. Instead, she stayed home with her mom to sell Vietnamese yogurt every day for a living. Since I was born in America, I never thought of life was like for others in developing countries like Vietnam. Hearing from my mom's experience, it stuck with me. I learned the importance of being grateful for what I have since they are a lot of people who do not have what we have in America and it made me want to help those who are in need. I was also inspired to do whatever I

It was a small thing, the bright green of youth. I planted it on the 3rd, in my freshman year, with the Green Thumb Club at my high school.

In this life everyone in the world has opportunities, especially people from United States. In this country everyone is able to find financial help, either from the government or organizations, for education (Scholarships, FAFSA), and for health (Obama care, financial assistance). Sadly, some people are lazy or they just can’t get the help.

Sometimes in life certain challenges tested us as people. Last September, Hurricane Maria affected my friends and family members in Puerto Rico. All the situations they deal with, helped me appreciate my own family here in California, appreciate what I have, and helped me understand how important family attachments and values can make an individual a better human being.

In my lifetime, many experiences have changed my character, with the most memorable being the mission trip I took to Parmelee, South Dakota. This endeavor showed me how to be caring and love everyone, despite their circumstances. Although it took time, I learned to show kindness to everyone and not just the people I feel comfortable around. During my missions work, one child revealed to me how to be compassionate to people who may not deserve it, and to give to other unconditionally.

For me, this trip was one of wonder, awe, and heartwarming moments. Regardless of the misfortune, that was bestowed upon me towards the end. From landing in Cusco to getting discharged from the hospital, and even landing back in the United States, there wasn’t a moment, where I wasn’t learning in some fashion. I learned about the resilience of children, the kindness of others, and there was almost always an underlying element, reminding me of the privilege that I hold. With these elements in mind, I would like to walk you through my trip. Starting with our homestead and ending with my return to the United States, I’ll be able to outline both the mental and physical learning experiences I had.

From being in the mountains, I learned that the world is huge and there are so many opportunities out there. I learned that there are times in life where it is necessary to go off the tracks or the trail, and other times when it is very important to not go off the trail. There are times to laugh and get dirty while learning a lesson. Now, as I am in college, I share my experiences with others and inspire them to find their own ways to follow their