Personal Narrative: My American Dream

What is the American Dream? Is it different today than it was for our forefathers? Is the Dream based on collecting as many possessions as we can, or how we want to live? Is it setting goals that we want to achieve in our lifetime and simply being content in whatever we do? My answer is yes. It is making an effort to meet or exceed our goals, whether we want to “shoot for the moon” and strive for wealth, or be content with the basic needs. Most of us want the simplest necessities - shelter, companionship, and a few luxuries to make us comfortable. The American Dream, enduring through time and eras, encourages us to put in place the framework of motivation for the status and achievements we want to attain for ourselves throughout our lives

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.

On a bright sunny Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, started off as an ordinary day where Americans were out working to achieve their ambitious goal called the “ American Dream”. I decided to grab a coffee to start off my day. As I walked by a street vendor, he nicely asked: “ It’s a beautiful day huh?”. I smiled and answered, “ Yes it is sir”. “ What are you up to today? Are you in a rush?” he followed. I answered, “I’m just on my way to grab a coffee and get some fresh air”. He waved as we finished our conversation and I continued towards Starbucks.

Richard Nixon once stated “The American dream does not come to those who fall asleep”. If not for his words, I wouldn’t have realized the potential that lay within me. As of today I’ve achieved, in my own eyes, what’s come to be known as the American dream. During the past seven years, I’ve graduated from Washburn University, became a molecular biologist, and established a set of values that I live by.

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.

I am the American Dream. The President and I, alongside our family members are the chosen ones. I can not tell you how blessed we are by calling the greatest nation on Earth, our home. We can not be a better example for the rest of us living on any part of the God gifted planet of you and I. While Mrs. Clinton was making a few hundred thousand dollars a speech, I can recall Barack and I having a car that was so rusted, we could see the street and the sidewalk from the side of the door. But for as far as I can remember, he never was late on a date night. Although I was once or twice. Our students loan was even more than our mortgage. But living in the Beautiful House for almost a decade now did not change us as who we are, even dating back to

As an international student, it is critical to consider schools which are friendly towards persons who may not share the same culture as the major population of the student body. Having lived and thrived in a culture so different from my own for sometime, I have learned that for the most part, people are a lot welcoming to my culture when I do not try to hide from it but rather, offer my different perceptions and opinions about the questions I am being asked.

The event that I am choosing to show my American Identity, is when President Obama got elected. I’m choosing this life event because, President Obama was our first African American to hold the office. Also President Obama was the first president born outside the continental United States. When I think of President Obama being the first African American president, I think that is amazing because, I would have never thought that he would win because of racism. I think that President Obama was a strong leader and was a great president and did a good job.

I was born in 1962, Detroit, Michigan. I remember it clearly, there was lots of noise, machines, and sparks - a very industrial type of place. I was being pieced together with my brothers and sisters, I don’t know how many of them there were, though. Probably around 400,000 of them. About 27,000 of them just like me, the “Classic” with my decent sized power and good body shape. My other brothers have bigger muscles and better body lines. They are called the “Ambassadors.” My sisters, the humans call them the “Americans” have a better ability to go longer without having to drink, and are very petite. But, aside from the building not being the cleanest, with dirt and dust everywhere, the place had a very tough sensation in it. Big metal machinery and bullet proof strength, was where I was born. Made 100% in the USA.

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.

The American Dream is something U.S. citizens and immigrants look for in America. This ideal is supposed to be the big picture/meaning of America, where anything can be achieved through hard work and perseverance. This motto is something we Americans live by and follow. I feel like the American Dream is it’s own destination; a destination where everyone, regardless of race, color, creed, or sexual orientation, can live peacefully and achieve even the craziest of dreams through hard work. Unfortunately, I feel that the society we live in today is not the American Dream, it’s something a little more divided. People today see a person of different color, race, etc, and judge them based off acts that are committed by past criminals with violent

My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive ; & to do so with some passion , some compassion , some humor , and style.” This quote is by one of my favorite authors and people : Maya Angelou. She always influenced me because the way she carried herself and where she came from. From time I heard “ Still I Rise” it reminded me of what type of woman I wanted to be. I always look of to powerful women the independent ones , the go getters. My American Dream is have live in my pursuit of happiness : to graduate from LSU with my PHD , pursue my career as a doctor , and purchase my own condo by age 25. This is my ultimate explanation of my Pursuit of Happiness.

I remember the first time I heard the phrase “American dream” it was when I was in my third grade English class. The phrase didn’t mean much to me back then but now it has a complete different meaning for me because it changed my life dramatically.

Standing in front of the perfect ‘American Dream' house with a white picket fence decorated for Christmas. Light up snowmen and reindeer, lights on the edges of the house. A nativity set in the corner of the yard almost forgotten about but still there. "Man, Ana. I can feel the evil pagan vibes just rolling off this place." Liz laughs as she walks up the front steps. Knocking on the doors, they are meet by a middle- aged woman in a Christmas sweater. The smell of cookies came from inside of the house, Liz looked at Ana real quick before she continued, "Good afternoon, Mrs. Johnson the meadowsweet maker?" Liz asks with a giant grin. "Why yes, I am!" Mrs. Johnson replies. "Wow, awesome. We were admiring your wreaths the other day at the Watson's