Undergraduate / Walking around the top observation deck of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, I realized my dream [4]

Discuss an accomplishment or event that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood.

It was walking around the top observation deck of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, when I realized my dreams. In that moment I acknowledged that I was one of many beings surrounded by people all over the world. In an instant, this moment changed my perspective on how I felt about the world. Although I can't describe it thoroughly, my dreams became tangible. My potential fueled my ambition and the impact I could have on others. At the age of fifteen, I matured, driven by my new mindset. I comprehended that I was a global citizen, and every day since...I realize I have a great deal going for me. The passion within me is from the world around me and the immensity of what I have to offer a world in need. I am captivated with my future, and everything that I do now is for the benefit of my goals. Traveling overseas has been the greatest event of my life, and it has initiated a great step of independence within myself, my family, and community.

When I was fifteen, the opportunity of traveling with People to People Ambassador Programs presented itself. This occasion is not given to many people from my town. I live in McAllen, Texas, a region where opportunities are scarce. Living in America's "most impoverished" region, and ranked amongst the "less educated" cities in America, are rankings that, for an instant, have led me to believe that I may not be "good enough". I am of Hispanic ethnicity and I was born permanently blind from my left eye due to glaucoma. I recognize the limited opportunities such as poverty, discrimination, and barriers of physical disabilities that I am exposed to, and yet through all of this I hagve prevailed. Although tags are branded to the region that provides my education, and I may not see the world as others see it, this only fuels my desire to succeed all the more.

Coming from a complacent family, my parents were always satisfied what I had achieved. It was I who believed I could attain that which lay beyond my reach. I desired more than what was expected of me, and it is that which has led me to where I am today. Having traveled for three straight summers, I learned that being surrounded by people of various ethnicities gave me such an indescribable feeling, encouraging me to do things greater than myself. It is being in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people that drives me to know everyone's "story". I wish to mature and be globally interconnected and experience as much of the world as possible. My experiences abroad gave me the opportunity to reflect on certain fears and confidences I possess. Immersing myself in a different way of life as well as helping me grow as a person has equipped me with the skills to adapt to different situations.

A strong desire to do more for the world and my own community has served as a driving force in my leadership role as McAllen High School's Interact President. An organization of 175 members is motivated by its passion to give back to the community. The skills I have learned abroad have helped me lead this organization. Meeting new people overseas gave me a new sense of humility and compassion towards others and resulted in my desire to make a change. My dreams of helping those in need have fed my desire to become a defender of the innocent and a voice for the underrepresented as a criminal defense lawyer.

It is my journey of discovery which revealed a new realm of thought and possibility for myself. Traveling abroad molded me into the person I am today, compassionate, diligent, and determined to leave my mark on humanity.