Growing Up As A Mexican American

1237 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The importance of academic success

I was raised in an encouraging household where both of my parents greatly valued education. Although they were high school graduates, neither could afford to attend college; a combination of family and financial woes ultimately halted their path. As a result, my parents frequently reminded me that getting a good education meant better opportunities for my future. To my parents, that seemed to be the overarching goal: a better life for me than the one they had. My parents wanted me to excel and supported me financially and emotionally of which the former was something their parents were not able to provide. Their desire to facilitate a change in my destiny is one of many essential events that contributed to my world view. Growing up as a Mexican-American, I was exposed to a completely different range of foods, people, and customs. My household was largely filled with images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other numerous saints. These images as well as a number of different candles and incenses demonstrated my cultures’ strong belief in the Catholic faith. Even the food had a distinctive Mexican taste as the flavors combined with the spiciness of peppers produced an overall mouthwatering meal. Spanish was regularly spoken at home in everyday conversations with family and friends. It was not until I started kindergarten and – to a lesser extent, preschool – that I became fully fluent in the English language. However, I began to acquire English long before by watching educational television shows such as Caillou, Dragon Tales, and Clifford the Big Read Dog. I developed a routine pattern of religiously watching these educational shows where the main characters became like close friends constantly teaching me new things and show... ... middle of paper ... ...as gone through those very same experiences. I arrived to college with many common misconceptions about the so called college experience. Similar to William Dereiewicz’s argument, for me college became this one thing everyone must do to earn more money. To be more successful I had to look towards the “STEM fields – science, technology, engineering, and math” (27). I am personally guilty for falling into this common misconception but have since learned that college is more about experiences. College gives you the necessary skills to function in your chosen major. I came to Montevallo as a Biology major but have now began to question that decision. Looking towards the future I am hopeful that I will adapt to my newfound independence and develop my own set of moral beliefs and similar to my parents provide my future children with better opportunities than the one I had.

Show More
Related

  • Becoming Mexican-American Chapter Summary

    553 Words  | 2 Pages

    Becoming Mexican- American has been such a great book so far! I truly favored how Sanchez focused on factors that contributed to the migration of so many across the border north to the United States during the first many years of the twentieth century. During that time, immigrants experienced groups of people trying to Americanize and Mexicanize them and their people. This is a fascinating topic, and Sanchez pulls it off really well. It makes it better because Sanchez is Mexican-American himself, the son of Mexican immigrants, and his sensitivity to the nuances of the culture are very apparent throughout the book. It is the story of the creation of the Mexican-American culture, specifically in the early 1900's in Los Angeles. In addition, also in Los Angeles, Majority of the immigrants would experience the efforts to Americanize them, which was then proceeded by counter attempts to mechanize the immigrants to maintain their loyalty and to return to Mexico. This back and forth contribution developed a Mexican American identity, which was evident in food, and clothes. For example, it was particularly evident in the

    Read More

  • Is College Worth The Effort?

    898 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagine telling that to a student who just finished four years of hard, grueling, expensive work; or, even worse, a parent who paid for their child to finish that same grueling work. But, in some ways, that statement can’t be any further from the truth. College can prepare a student for life in so many more ways than for a career. However, in the way that college is supposed to prepare soon-to-be-productive students, that statement could be right on. As a student myself, I’ve found college to be a little bit of both. I often find myself asking, "How will this help me later in life?" But, then again, college gives me more control over my life and where I want it to go. In trying to figure out what exactly made college like this, and whether the way I felt was felt by others as well, I interviewed an Anthropology teacher at Las Positas College, Mr. Toby Coles, and I examined an essay by Caroline Bird called College is a Waste of Time and Money. The two sources offered interesting views from both side of the spectrum.

    Read More

  • My Mexican American Culture

    603 Words  | 2 Pages

    My parents did everything they knew to help my sister and I learn and respect our Mexican culture. Born into American culture but raised by Hispanic parents, often was difficult for me. Since I was little I had to manage and balance two very different cultures at the same time. There were many times while growing up that I encountered complex situations in regards to language, whether to speak Spanish or English and when it was appropriate. I felt a lot of pressure having to act as an interpreter for my parents when we were out in public. At home I was told to speak Spanish so I would not forget, but at school I was taught to only speak English with my teachers and friends. However, when we would go visit family in Mexico, I was expected to only speak in Spanish, since speaking in English in front of family members who only spoke Spanish was seen as disrespectful. So learning two languages has been very beneficial to my life and for my family. By

    Read More

  • Growing Up Speaking Spanish

    1542 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many people immigrate to the United States from different countries to begin a better life. Once in the American territory, the first step for success is to learn the English language. Richard Rodriguez, the writer of "Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood" describes the language decisions he faced as a child: "Outside the house was public society; inside the house was private" (16). The English language is the primary language in the United States, and it must be learned to be able to communicate with the public world. The language that we speak at home is considered to be private because it is only used in the presence of the people we feel comfortable with, our family. Families immigrate to the United States from Mexico to find and give their children a better opportunity to succeed. The children of immigrants who have been raised or born in the United States were able to adapt much faster to the English language. The Spanish language, in the case of Mexicans, is part of our origin that most of us inherit from our ancestors although in the United States many, including me, seem to add a new language, which gives us better opportunities.

    Read More

  • Personal Statement: Growing Up In A Mexican Family

    1018 Words  | 3 Pages

    Growing up in a Mexican household where education isn’t a priority or important has been one of my major obstacles that I’ve had to overcome. Although my family’s culture believes that education isn’t necessary their experiences and lifestyles have influence and motivate my choices for my future. I come from a home where I have no role model or someone influential. I have no one to ask for advice for college or anything involve in school. In most homes, older siblings help their younger siblings with their homework or projects but in my house no one was able to provide me with any help. I grew up to be independent and to do anything school related on my own. My parents are both immigrants who didn’t get to finish elementary

    Read More

  • Application to Columbia GS

    1575 Words  | 4 Pages

    My story began on a cool summer’s night twenty short years ago. From my earliest memory, I recall my father’s disdain for pursuing education. “Quit school and get a job” was his motto. My mother, in contrast, valued education, but she would never put pressure on anyone: a sixty-five was passing, and there was no motivation to do better. As a child, my uncle was my major role-model. He was a living example of how one could strive for greatness with a proper education and hard work. At this tender age of seven, I knew little about how I would achieve my goals, but I knew that education and hard work were going to be valuable. However, all of my youthful fantasies for broader horizons vanished like smoke when school began.

    Read More

  • The Benefits of Attending College and Receiving an Education`

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    My parents have this perfect life for me pictured in their heads, and the first thing they see me doing is going to college. They expect the best of me, and so by going to college, I will not only have fulfilled their goals for me, but I will have accomplished one of the goals I have set for myself. In our culture, when parents come to the age where they can’t support themselves, it is the duty of the children to look after them.

    Read More

  • Effects Of Going To College

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    I grew up in a household where my mom was a high school graduate but had a baby so she was not able to go to school, and my dad was a high school dropout. So the pressure of going to college was very high. My parent would want me to join every club and expect the best grades possible. They didn’t want me to do like them and miss the opportunities and chances I had, they wanted me to do better than them. You get to have that fresh new start, get to meet new people, and also gain independence. Parents always want their kids to do great and strive for their

    Read More

  • Questioning the Necessity of College Education

    1363 Words  | 3 Pages

    A college education has been linked to the American Dream. The American Dream consists of accomplishing dreams and success in the United States. Society has established an emphasis that a college degree will lead to economic and social happiness, but it is important to take a step back and realize that a college degree is not the only way to achieve success and accomplish the American Dream. This socially constructed norm has considered students as disappointments when they choose to not pursue or realized that a college path is not for them. Even though a college education is believed by all as an essential part to an individual’s success, it is not entirely the path to everyone’s success. There are going to be students who are not going to want or be able to pursue a college education, and for those, instead of labeling as automatic failures, there needs to be promoting of alternative routes. A college education is a privilege not a necessity, it will not determine if a person success or failure.

    Read More

  • Growing Up In A Latino Community

    422 Words  | 1 Pages

    Being 7 years of age, a child’s only problem should be which toy they should play with. Unfortunately, for Eric Lopez at 7 years old he was put to work with his family to help support the household. Being the oldest of 3, the responsibilities of being the oldest meant working with his parents after school and on weekends, taking care of his brother and sister, and still maintaining to keep up with his schoolwork. This is the reality of how growing up in a Latino community has humbled Eric’s vision of life in this country. Experiencing the societal effects that economic policies have on Latinos first hand has influenced his designs tremendously. Although, through all the challenges Eric faced he managed to persevere and managed to enroll to

    Read More

  • My College Choice Process Essay

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    Because my family struggled financially, we were evicted from many homes and were dependent on government aid for a large part of my childhood. I saw the opportunities my parents lost because they did not have high school diplomas, let alone a college degree. I knew that obtaining a college diploma would help me move up in status. Because of my experiences in society as someone who was poor, I was motivated to create a better life for

    Read More

  • Reflecting on My College Experience

    663 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many years ago I remember my parents telling me that in order for me to become successful a college education was a must. They always told me that if I wasn’t in school I could no longer live at home. Both of my parents attended college but neither of them finished. They did not want me to go down that same road because they really regret not getting their degrees.

    Read More

  • What Is Invisible Monsters Essay

    816 Words  | 2 Pages

    I started college ten years ago with the hopes of graduating back in 2010. That dream was derailed multiple times due to my life being “more about the past than their future,” (Palahniuk, 1999, p. 117) but in the fall of 2015, I started for a third time and proved to myself that I do have the determination to continue this dream. As for my parents, they’ve helped support me each time I tried my hand at school. They are the first people I’ve called after receiving a grade on a tough exam or assignment I’ve worked hours on, they’ve let me read them papers or presentations for opinions on flow and content, and they encourage me to try my hardest, to never give up. I would love to repay their hours of support by finishing my bachelors for them

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Going To College

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many people as children are told that going to college would be the best decision to make if they wanted to become a successful person in their life. People who missed out on going to college say that they regret not going to college when that had the chance to. At an early age it’s drilled into are heads that going to college is the best choice to make. We are told that at a young age and it follows us till we get to high school. Teachers, parents, and peer encourage us to go to college, if we would like are dreams to come true. Although, it’s shown that students who go to college are able to earn more money than an employ with a high school diploma. What people don’t know is that college requires planning and having a goal set in mind, and we may not have those things plan out and fall short a the finishing line. Despite all the benefit college previse, many college student have trouble pursuit of their goals due to academics problems, working while attending class, and financial problem.

    Read More

  • Personal Essay: Gaining My Experience In College

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    Growing up, my parents, they always told me keep my grades up, to never put important things aside. They said learn from them, they had my oldest sister at a young age and they were not able to graduate or go back to continue educating them self. They struggle for so long, from buying themselves clothes, to paying the mortgage. Always put school first, work on myself to have the life I want when I am older, my parents said. Saying that, I believe; all the money I am spending, sacrifices I am making, skills I am gaining, and being able to say I fulfilled my goal will be worth it in about seven years for me.

    Read More

More about Growing Up As A Mexican American

Open Document