Marisabel Morales
Profesor N. Mandilawi
English 49
23 October 2012

The new beginning Sometimes life gives us challenges, to make us the person who we are. Some challenges are difficult and some of them are easy, but what is true is that they define us as a person. Sometimes, these kinds of incidents have to do with decisions that we make on our lives, either individual or whit the family. Moreover we have to do things in order to know who we are and what we want for our lives. Other times we do things for other people for them to be proud of us or just to be proud of ourselves. I came to the US at the age of 17, after I finished my high school in Mexico, I was born here in the US, so I decides came here to do my college. My parents are divorced so, I have 4 step brothers. When I first came here, it was hard for me to adapt myself at this new style of life everything was new and different for me, but I never imagine that this change of life, will represent the change of me like a human being. The reality is that all of these reasons make us the person we are and we will be for the rest of our lives. One of the biggest changes in my life that make be the person who I am is becoming a responsible person. When I lived in Mexico I was used to my mom making everything for me such as food, laundry, and sometimes even to clean my room. So when I first came here, it was hard for me that I was by myself, even thought that I live with my aunt it wasn’t the same. I began to mature. If I wanted to eat I had to cook, if I need clean clothes I have to do my laundry. At first, all this cost me a lot of work. Since, I was spoiled by my parents all the time. Coming here was the opposite, my parents sent me a certain amount of money per month and I had to live with that. I had to look for a part time job while I was going to school. At first this bothered me a lot, I complained all the time to my parents because they made me work and go to school at the same time. I always thought they were bad for doing this to me. One time I return to my country in Mexico, and I realized that my parents wanted me to be a person responsible and who valued everything I had. Although I went to vacation in my country I had to work in a factory with my uncle. There, I met people with very low incomes who told me their stories, and how they had to survive on the minimum wage they were paid. I worked there just to have some money for the weekend, but they worked to survive and support their families. Whenever I hear the stories of all these women I felt a hole in my stomach thinking about how I could complain all the time and being so irresponsible and that there were other people who had it a lot worse than me. When the vacation ended I return to the U.S and thought differently. I understood what my parents wanted for me. I decided to grow up and be a responsible person, find a good job and continue with my studies and although at first it was very difficult to stop being such a spoiled child at the ends I had my reward. Now I consider myself a strong woman, who does her best to go forward and help her family as well as studying to become a prepared woman and achieve what I always wanted to be. Also what my parents have expected for me. I thank my parents who have sent me away from them, that have made me the person who I am today. Secondly, I know I have to fulfill my goals and be a prepare woman and finish my career, not only for me but by my family. Being an example for my brother and sisters is another thing that made the person who I am today. My parents expect a lot from me as well as my grandparents, but most of all my brothers. My brothers always talk about me as an example for them and because I live here they think my life is perfect. They always say they want to be like me, coming to live here in United States to study and work here as well as myself. Representing an example