Personal Narrative: My American Dream

Studying in a foreign country is an interesting experience of an individual lifetime. One tends to learn a number of things relating to ways of life in a foreign land. Social, political and economic values and aspects are usually different from one region to another. Therefore, through studying abroad one is able to learn different issues about another society such as gender and sexuality issues, social class and race/ethnicity issues. Having come from a developing country studying in the U.S.A has been a great experience personally. This paper will attempt to provide a reflection of my personal experience on studying in the U.S by comparing the history of Angola and the U.S.

Growing up in Ghana, I had heard a lot of things about the U.S. This was a country I had always wanted to visit; my prayer was answered when I got the opportunity to travel there. Arriving in a new environment came with many experiences. Adjusting with food, language and the weather was not easy. With the passage of time, however I have been able to0 adjust and fit it. This write-up therefore is to elaborate on my experiences since coming to U.S.

One day I was sitting in English class doing my work. Then a flying whale flew into the wall and destroyed it. It flew over to me and swallowed me whole. It then just flew back to the ocean. While in the whale's stomach I saw some interesting things like a dead person, a needle with steroids in it, a few soccer balls, a rabbit, and a roll of duct tape. After I had been in the whale's stomach for about 3 hours, it started to shake violently. Then something was squeezing the life out of the whale. All of the sudden i was flying through the air along with everything else. I landed on some sort of island.

Through recent years I have come to a realization in life, with the gift of observation, the situations life has thrown at me has helped me understand what my role here in America is. As a fellow American, I have found purpose in providing help to others when they face the struggles of life I, too, have had to face. As life carries on, my responsibility to America is to use my experiences and gathered wisdom to help others, to teach them, lead them, and inspire them.

Back in 2001 I migrated here in the United States from the Philippines. I lived in San Francisco for a bit then moved to Las Vegas. I thought living here in the United States would make us rich, but I was wrong.

Life in the United States for us had been unkind. My father and I lived in a really beaten up trailer home in NE Portland. We had no money and were on the verge of being homeless. Too poor to buy food from the grocery store, we survived on nearly spoiled food from local food banks and the extra food I’d bring from school. Our trailer, with poor 1970’s insulation and paper thin aluminum tin exterior was an icebox that accumulated all that winter could give. We had no heating, nor electricity, so much of my of time, I spent at my high school, which kept me warm and fed me Monday through Friday. Conditions had been so severe that few times we just abandoned our lives the United States altogether lived in different countries such as Bolivia,

As an African American female, I did not have the privilege of growing up in the most financially sound environment, however, I did not fall victim to my surroundings; a financially oppressed culture in the local Gordon Heights community indicative of low income families. My grandparents were hard working individuals set on making a better life for their descendants. My grandfather was a Suffolk County Police Officer, my grandmother a United States Postal Services employee. The values passed down from my grandparents has showed me the pros and cons of a being a part of a culture limited in its ability to reach the American Dream. From my experiences, as I matured throughout the years, I grew a love and passion for helping under privileged populations

Education was seen as a way out of the lifestyle my mother imported herself and family into. We pursued the American Dream. She worked extra hard to send me to private religious schools. Though she initially resisted, she enrolled me in a Seventh Day Adventist elementary school because she felt that they would be more rigorous in their teaching of the Bible. She also knew one of the teachers who came over with her from Haiti years prior. She could accept their own version of Christianity as long as she made sure I balanced their beliefs and teaching with our own. I was never to miss any of the walks with my grandmother to St. Matthew’s. I was also required to sit in for extra mass (in French, English, and occasionally Spanish). I spent many years at that school until tuition rates and lowered school ratings had her move me to

My personal American Dream is essentially to just be successful enough in life, so that I could take care of myself. I do not need to be rich to do this, and to be honest I would be content with just a slightly above average paying job. As long as it would be enough to cover my expenses I would be fine. If I was able to leave work one day and pay for some take-out food as I go home with my own money I would know that I’ve accomplished my American Dream, because I would be supporting myself without the help of others.

The American dream can be viewed in a lot of ways to different people. I view it as a variety of things. When I imagine the American dream I think of having so much money I do not have to imagine twice about buying anything, I could have all the cars I ever wanted. Another thing I imagine is having all the Siberian Huskies I want so I can have a big sled dog team. Then I can save the gas in my cars so I can make less stops at the gas station. The last thing I think about is being able to skydive anytime I want to. However, there are also people who just want to have a proficient education and be able to have a family. The American dream is having an amazing education, having a lot of money and having a exceptional family.

There was a point in my life when i thought i knew what i wanted, or who i wanted to be. Then reality set in. The truth is, i was falling into that old saying "the American dream". Little did i know all i was doing was conforming to the ways of the world. I started a business, had my own family but i was living a double life. I was a husband, a father and an avid drug user. Which in the long run, led me down a path of self destruction. I lied to everyone around me, and the consequences of my actions cost me my freedom. In April 2009 i was baptized in front of the entire congregation on a Sunday morning, And knew who Jesus Christ was, and what he did for me. So there was no excuse why Three years later i was sitting in an 8x10 cell, On my way

the biggest struggle for Americans these days seems to stem from poverty, drugs, broken homes, rasicism/discrimination and so on. how lucky i am that i was raised in a loving, upper-middle class familyi’ve never had many friends. throughout elementary school, i’d spend every recess on the swingset because i didn’t want teachers seeing me wander alone and then make others kids play with me. their pity made me more uncomfortable than being alone. as time went on, things seemed to only get worse. middle school was horrible. i would come home everyday and just try not to cry. i’d never felt so alone in my life.

It is great to wake up every morning knowing my life is entirely up to me. We live in the great United States of America. Being an American means I have so many rights and doors are opened up to opportunities other countries do not have. America has given me the right to choose whatever education and profession I want.

Los angles is one of the cities where people try to achieve the “American dream”. Even though the “American Dream” is different from people to people. To me, Los Angeles means a new beginning…my new beginning. I have moved to Los angles in search of success in education and life, to prove to myself that I can be independent.

A dream is a fond hope or a good wish one yearns to come true. In my life I have several dreams; one that stands out is the dream I have for my country, America. Some of these dreams are stronger economy, people will have access to a good education, diverse ethnic groups will be one, and we will help developing countries.