Personal Narrative: My Life As A Car Ride

People could say that my life is similar to that of a car ride; where there are bumps in the road that can or cannot be avoided; when there are times when the car ride is rough or smooth; when it is lonely or populated with loved ones; and how the car will keep going at different speeds until it has run out of gas. My life has been filled with its typical ups and downs, excitements and fears, and its fair share of accomplishments and failures. I come from a world that I did not want to be a part of, but looking back on it now, I feel that the events I experienced in my past have shaped me into who I am today.
I grew up in a middle class, Catholic, and Filipino household where obedience, good behavior and superior grades were the key to getting what you wanted. I grew up with my grandparents and my mom in a suburban area in Paradise Hills. Since my dad was never present in my life, I modeled most of my behavior from my grandpa. My life may

have seemed lavish to others, however, my family was struggling to sustain. Conserving money as well as keeping my faith intact during school were some of the challenges I faced. However, these challenges offered me vast opportunities to find out who I truly am. The low amount of money that my family dealt with made me realize that I wanted to work as someone who earns a substantial amount and can sustain a big family. This is where I realized that I wanted to enter the healthcare field. And this is where I discovered HSHMC.
Health Sciences High and Middle College did not seem that scary to me -- although the compact hallway was distressing.

Taking various college-level courses throughout my high school career taught me that my calling was to be a Pediatrician who still stuck close to his faith. During my sophomore year of high school, I decided to join the youth group of my Church -- Saint Michael Parish. After the first few meetings of me being my awkward self, I said to myself, “This is where I want to be.” From then on, I was seen around the Parish at least two times a week. At the start of my junior year, I was asked to join the Core Team of Youth Group and the Confirmation 2 Retreat Team who works hand in hand with the Youth Coordinator, Arla Sigarlaki. And recently, I was asked to be one of the two leaders that would lead the Retreat Team that I was just on a year ago. And from there, as I enter my senior year of high school, I decided what I wanted my future to look like: a Pediatrician with a big family that is also a faithful

Catholic.