Personal Narrative: My Four New Environments

I've learned and realized a key fact; there's more out there to know and experience than what I was always use to. Changes will always happen; it can either be good or bad; you can either learn from it or earn from it. I've lived in Guyana, South America with my family up until I was nineteen years old, then I moved to Miami, Florida with my eldest sister for college. Moving from one county to another was a significant change for me and if affected every aspect of my life. As I got acquainted with my new home and surroundings in Miami, I found myself reminiscing and comparing how differently I've lived in two countries in terms of; dependency and responsibility, characteristics of school, and freedom from dull routines.

This past year, I have been apart of Naperville Central’s brand new Special Spaces club. When my friend approached me and asked me to join, I agreed even though I had no clue what I was involving myself in. In retrospective, I can honestly say that becoming a part of Special Spaces has been one of the most meaningful, fun, and fulfilling experiences I have had in high school.

I think that my family realized that I had crossed the threshold between childhoods when I began to form my own opinions. This first took hold when I took part in poverty stimulation at my local shelter. I was giving a character and a story behind the card I was given; the story made me become emotionally attached to this name I had been assigned and the family in which I came from. The experience made me question the prejudice of the society I was living in. How many times had I avoided eye contact with the people on the side of the road begging for money? I began a long journey of soul searching and questioning the beliefs my parents had raised me on. My thoughts were continually brought back to a book by C.S Lewis, it was called Out of the Silent Planet; a character named Weston believed that individual human lives don’t matter, they must be sacrificed to save mankind.

What Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci coined "The New World" was now overrun by man-eating zombies. It all started in Chile and Argentina; news of a highly infectious pathogen had begun spreading at breakneck speeds. By the time epidemiologists had discovered the cause of this pathogen it had already spread to the Western half of the United States and was making its way east.

When it comes to what separates me from other teenagers, there would be quite a bit to tell. I would say a major difference which separates me from my peers is my love for barbershop harmony music. I do not have a quartet of my own; however, I love to sing barbershop tags with other friends at church. I set myself apart from the world because of my beliefs: as a New Testament christian, I believe the bible gives us all instruction concerning spiritual matters.

Go back to a time, when smart phones, and laptop were as thick history textbooks. To a time when a whole gallon of gas cost a little more than a dollar. The year is 1998 and in this year I was born. I was given to a very loving mother and father, that with their extraordinary love gave me the unextraordinary name of David. I grew up in the wonderful city of El Paso, Texas.

Who knew that things could change so abruptly, it almost felt that my whole world was flipped within a blink of an eye. Things were going to be different from now on, the people, the weather, even the fresh summer breeze from the coast will soon become a cold bitter winter breeze. This all came to my mind when my mom announced to my family that we’re moving, to New Jersey, once my school goes on summer break. At first, I began to panic, why do we have to move? Why can’t we just live here? We don’t even know anyone there, except for my aunt. We just moved here three years ago from New Jersey, and we didn’t like it, that’s why we only lived there for a month. Then why would we would we like it now? I question my mom, and I demanded explanations

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.

I have only one word: listen. Humans became so loud, shouting to be heard over everyone else. So concerned with ourselves, our jobs, our money, or the internet that we stopped paying attention to the pieces of nature around us, beautiful and ugly alike. We try so hard to fill our lives with meaning in the most unmeaningful of ways, promotions and new cars, when there’s so much more to living. The trees sing when the wind blows and we’re listening to the radio. Hermit crabs chirp, dolphins name themselves, prairie dogs have voices and we ignore it all in favor of Facebook What doesn’t directly affect us is blocked out or put on a back burner so we won’t think about it. We became so removed from the natural world we no longer notice what’s

A Utopia should be a place where everyone feels safe, a place where there is no hatred, no crime , no discouragement, disapproval, or judgement. Everyone should be equal. No one should have to be put into a catagory depending on their popularity, their wealth, their race or even their looks. Everyone has their role and no one should be considered not important. Everyone is truly happy. This is how I want my Utopia to be.

Over the years my neighborhood, family, and environment has shaped me to become the person I am today. It’s been a rough ride here and there, but the view is great and I am ecstatic and ready for the adventures that will cross my path.

Experiencing a new culture is usually life changing. I first started going to Tijuana, Mexico three years ago because my dad was deported. The only places I had ever been to were here in California. When going to a new place I never thought there would be a drastic change in the environment, or people. It’s amazing how a border can separate two worlds and make them so different.

On a weekly basis, I am pushed beyond my comfort zone. Each week brings two new clinical days with new people, situations, and diagnosis. I never know if I will know how to react and do the right thing. Every clinical day I feel a little nervousness because I feel out of my comfort zone. I handle this by recognizing that I do have the tools that I need to succeed. It also comforts me to know that there is a team around me for support. Some days are always better than others, but I have found ease in this by accepting that each day is a learning opportunity. Knowing that my presence that day affects someone's life allows me to appreciate going beyond my comfort zone. From past experience, stepping out of my comfort zone has always benefitted

Utopia ‘ahhh’ … I was told it was the land of the free, the place where anything was possible no matter where you were from or who you were. I had once stupidly thought that it would’ve been possible for a man like me, a man with skin darker than most and a family without a spare penny, to do the impossible. To achieve a better life. To save my family from poverty. A man once told me that I cannot succeed in life until I want to succeed as much as I want to breathe.

Have you ever opened your eyes and found yourself thousands of miles away in a completely different part of the world with a different language and new people. I was ten years old when my family and I moved to New York. Of course, before I moved here I was oblivious of what was waiting in front of me because I was so young. I had to face the reality of adapting to the New World which was going to be difficult. One of the most challenging tasks that I had to face was learning the language that was completely foreign to me.