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.

Moving to the United States is a huge step for an immigrant. As an international student, I have been passing through this event that most Brazilian desire to. However, it is hard to adapt with the new culture and lifestyle, knowing that I have my own values. The “Two Ways to Belong in America” illustrates two views of getting used with this new culture, in which I identified myself with one of these ways: my nationality cannot be change with a simple paper called green card. Thus, starting a new life in a foreign country is tough because I have to find a way to readjust to this new culture, not ignoring

When I was at the very innocent age of three, my parents decided to immigrate to the United States from Bolivia. We moved to Pasadena, TX, in hopes of pursuing the American dream. Growing up, my neighborhood was not the best environment to raise a family, however, this environment shaped me into the person I am today. My parents initially made the decision to move because my father got a job offer that was too good to decline. We were promised a house in a nice neighborhood as well as jobs for both of my parents. When we arrived after a 13-hour flight, all of the promises along with our hopes were shattered. We were taken to lower-income apartments in the middle of a sketchy neighborhood. My father’s promised job was on the night shift as a

"I have run up credit card bills that I didn't know how I would pay off. I recognize when I am engaged in a spending spree, but I often have felt powerless to stop myself. The compulsion to finish the list and to avoid adding other things to the list - by buying them right then - has often been much stronger than the recognition that I didn't have the money to pay for what I was buying" (Spenders Anonymous, n.d.). This excerpt is from the story of a man named Kirk, who is a compulsive buyer. Kirk is not alone; many Americans are controlled by a cycle of working and spending what meager amount they have left to buy luxury items. Sometimes these citizens do not even have the money to pay for what they are buying. Truly, these people are miserable, but the idea that consumerism equals happiness and that they are living free lives is driven into American people since childhood. Consumerism and freedom are key parts of the American dream. The American dream emphasizes hard work and sacrifice, but in return, it promises the possibility of success to everyone, regardless of his or her socioeconomic circumstances. Despite the good intentions behind the ancestral ideal, the American dream has turned into a nightmare.

I was born in the capital of Colombia, Bogota. At the age of six, my family decided we would immigrate to the United States in search of economical stability, a better quality of life and better opportunities of education for my brother and I. My parents were ready to leave their families, jobs, and everything they knew behind. They talked about how wonderful life in the United States would be, and found comfort in the abundance of jobs, good salaries, good schools and opportunities North America would offer our family. I then believed that stepping foot on the US was a guarantee for a wonderful life, the American dream. Unfortunately from the beginning of my journey I realized life is not easy and mature immensely in the ongoing process of achieving the American dream.

When I think of the American Identity I think of who we are as a country. From day one we have been fighters and just trying to make this a better place than we found it. Still today we are fighting, not only trying to help our country but to also help our neighbors in need. If you are being kicked out of your own home, out of your country America will bring you in, If you are hungry America will feed you, If you want a future America will educate you. This is the land that will give you a chance in life, to do or be something amazing.If you can’t see that then open your eyes because it is all right in front of you.

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.

I have realized that there is much more precious to life than wealth, status, property, and materialistic things. For me, the American Dream is not just having the strongest economic standing, wealth, or fame, but attaining happiness through everything and moment in my life and making a difference. My American dream is being able to graduate from high school and attend college because I would like to have the opportunity to directly help those who are less fortunate than me and make them happier. I feel that there is no greater joy than feeling that I was able to help an individual in their time of physical or emotional need. My American Dream is being able to walk into a home with a happy family and know that my presence is welcomed and is

What is common between San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Stockholm, Johannesburg, Pune, London, Los Angeles and Denver? These are the places my father worked as an Oracle consulting expert therefore I would say International experience at an early age makes me unique. Adjusting to an international college campus culture would be straightforward for me due to my extensive travel in the US, Europe and Asia.

When I close my eyes and envision the United States, I see barbeques and baseball games. Children running around in big, green playgrounds and coming home to white picket fences and well kept flowerbeds. As sunny and aesthetically pleasing as this image of our country is, I find it oddly discomforting. Here I am, standing on the precipice on adulthood, about to inherit the very future of this country, and I still see this picture of stereotypical 1950's idealism. And while the greatest generation may retain their title, the world is moving at a faster pace than the sleepy hometowns that were once the American Dream. My vision involves us stepping up to the plate and reaffirming our position as the land of opportunity.

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

“ Although the road is never ending, take a step and keep walking, do not look fearfully into distance...On this path let the heart be your guide for the body is hesitant and full of fear.” At first, these poetic words by Rumi had little significance to me as I started my journey in healthcare. As I progressed through my journey into medical school I realized how well it defines my journey and its hurdles as one progresses through medical school. I have always been drawn to art of medicine. As long as I remember while just being a high school student, having just moved from another country and starting my education in USA, I was under the excellent guidance of talented biology teacher. Her interest into my studies and motivation made it possible for me to endure into a journey that was both fruitful and difficult at the same time. Working with her early on in my early career towards health sciences I knew that this is the journey I was going to take. Only when I am now at the end I can fully understand what Rumi said in his quote and how much it relates to me. My early interactions with healthcare blossomed into passion that I continued on towards completing my journey of medicine. This journey had its ups and down and not till my clinical years that I completely understood my scarifies and why that I took upon such a task. In my clinical years the interaction I had with patients made me realize this is what I would do if I were to start over and over again on the same