Karina Rayo

October 3, 2015

Professor Lennon

English 6A

“I Grew Up With…”

            Many people think that kids that grow up poor, without a family, or deal with stressful problems will end up in a bad path. For example, kids who attend a private charter school and have a supportive, loving family will always be superior to a kid who grows up on the ghetto side of town and who has a single mother that never has time because she is trying to make ends meet. Having everything you want and need as a kid to help you grow as a successful person is very helpful. However, I do not agree with the thought that kids with fewer luxuries do not assemble a drive for success in all of their problems. Personally, I have always wanted more in life because I did not grow up with much.

            Growing up with fewer things than many other kids that I would go to school with does not mean that I grew up with less happiness. Through everything I had my family. For a very long time my family of 6 and I lived in a single. Many people would cringe at the thought of how clumped up we must have lived. However, it did not really bother us. We have always had a great family bond. I believe that living so close together in a time of so much stress really brought us even closer.

            I grew up with a single mother of 5, so money was always a problem. My mom had a bad marriage where she was forced to leave with all of us. She had to do it on her own. I remember growing up and always seeing her stressed. We never really got to go out or buy clothes when we wanted to. We did not have money to spoil ourselves, or live a life with luxuries. As kids my siblings and I knew not to give my mom problems because we knew how hard she worked just to keep us with shelter, light, and food. It was hard for my mom because she is an immigrant from Nicaragua and did not have anyone to help her or an education to fall back on.

            Fortunately, I have been able to continue with my education even though my mom and sisters did not get the opportunity to do so. My mom only got the chance to finish 10^th grade because she got pregnant at an early age. My sisters finished high school and attempted to go to college but with a lot of problems they decided to work and hold school for later. I feel like growing up and being the first in the family who is pushing their education is very hard. Not only do I have to fight the stereotype of being Hispanic and uneducated, I also have to fight the feeling to give up when times get tough. I believe that education is the key to success.

            Every problem we have had truly has awakened a drive to become successful in life, so that my family and I never have to return to all that we lived through. Every person is born with some sort of ambition. I believe everything my life gave me even more ambition and many more reasons to want it all and give all I can to those who are important to me. My life so far has shown me that life is short and you have to push through any hardship because before there can be a rainbow, there must first be rain. I have always wanted more in life because my past pushes me.