Chapter 1 REFLECTIONS
I am an Iraqi who was born and raised in Baghdad Iraq. This is my First year attending ECC. My long term educational goal is to obtain a Master Degree in Biology. I plan on getting my Associates degree at ECC then transferring to UB for my undergraduate studies and perhaps my graduate studies. My life time goal is to improve myself and the standard of living for my child through higher education. My career goal is to teach Biology, and ultimately teach at a university. Three years ago, I could not even see myself pursuing any goals that I had set for myself. I arrived at the USA and find full-time job at a community health center. My parents did not realize all the important values I had learned from them. Seeing my parents struggle to support me has helped me to learn some valuable rules to live by. First, you must work hard to achieve your goals. Second, you must never ever give up working for your goals. Third, that anything is possible if you try hard enough. I apply those rules to my life why I am so driven, and determined to make a better life for myself. The ECC has helped me to realize even higher goals than I could ever have imagined for myself. I had always loved the sciences, but taking a biology class at ECC emphasized that. This class showed me the fundamentals of Biology, and I enjoyed the class immensely. By the time high school came around I already knew that I wanted to take classes in Biology. After taking this class I decided that Biology would be the best major for me. Through my love for science I know I can make a difference in the lives of my fellow people. I want them to see