When I was 4 years old my father died. My mother was left to take care of me by herself. My mother tried to teach me how to make the right decisions in life. At that time I was very young. I did not understand what she was trying to teach me. She did not want me to play with other kids who were very disrespectful. She wanted me to stay at home and care about school, but the lessons she tried to teach did not stick. When I entered ninth grade, I got terrible grades. My mother was angry and disappointed with me –and worried. Consequently, she talked to my older brother. He was living in the United States. She thought he could talk some sense into me. But it did not work. I did what I wanted. In the end, it took my coming to the United States for me to take my life seriously. On March 2008, I moved to the United States - I was 14 years old. I came to Buffalo and was surprised and impressed by what I saw. I saw the big buildings. I saw the new technology, the fields of study, and the different businesses, all things that I did not see before in my country. I started to believe that coming to the United States was a good thing. I began to believe that it is the right place to start. I lived with my brother but I took care of my stuff by myself; I cleaned my own clothes, and cooked by myself. I began to gain confidence and learn what was needed to take care of myself. I always stayed at home during this time because I did not know anybody. Staying at home helped me to improve my English. I would study, learning many words that helped me later in my school, and gained the experience of