Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. We suggest a limit of 500 words or fewer.
It was the summer before ninth grade and I had absolutely no place to go. It was yet another dull school break spent at home; I was sick and tired of home and I just wanted to leave. I kept thinking to myself that one day I'd travel the world; I would go to Paris or London, maybe even Greece. But I knew that for now if my parents couldn't go anywhere, I couldn't either.
While so many people complain about how hard it is to get into America, my family complains about how hard it is to get out. People from all over the world come to America to have the life they always wanted; to have the American dream. However, many are blocked from their dreams because of immigration policies. Immigrants have to pay thousands of dollars for lawyers just so they can open up a case. I know this, because this is what my parents had to do.
My parents have been through two different lawyers, have received papers and have had them taken away. When I was a little girl I remember going to the city and waiting outside for my parents to get out of the lawyer's office. My parents complained time and again about their lawyer and how much money they had to spend on immigration. My mom would even say she was going to leave America and go back to Portugal. In fact, I have two older brothers, and the eldest was born in Portugal and came to America when he was four years old. Yet that, at the time, didn't matter to me. Growing up I heard all about my friend's vacations to places like Italy or Spain, and how amazing it was. But as far as I was concerned, I was trapped in this bubble called America.
About three years ago my parents finally received their green cards, and the bubble finally popped. That summer my parents and I traveled to several different places in Portugal. I met family I didn't even know existed, and I went to places where I couldn't believe the beauty. However, the American dream was not completely fulfilled. Although my parents received their green cards, my brother did not. He is almost thirty years old and is still paying for a lawyer to help him get his green card.
I feel very lucky to have been born in America because I can go anywhere in the world and be able to come back with no problems. However, I feel that this country is made up of so many immigrants that the immigration process should be easier and run smoother. America is supposed to be a place where people can feel free; but instead, it's a place where people feel trapped. And this needs to be changed.
This experience has taught me how hard the real world can be. I feel that knowing this will allow me to succeed in Penn State, because it opened my eyes to how much someone must go through to achieve what they want. I look forward to learning and experiencing new things during my college years.
It was the summer before ninth grade and I had absolutely no place to go. It was yet another dull school break spent at home; I was sick and tired of home and I just wanted to leave. I kept thinking to myself that one day I'd travel the world; I would go to Paris or London, maybe even Greece. But I knew that for now if my parents couldn't go anywhere, I couldn't either.
While so many people complain about how hard it is to get into America, my family complains about how hard it is to get out. People from all over the world come to America to have the life they always wanted; to have the American dream. However, many are blocked from their dreams because of immigration policies. Immigrants have to pay thousands of dollars for lawyers just so they can open up a case. I know this, because this is what my parents had to do.
My parents have been through two different lawyers, have received papers and have had them taken away. When I was a little girl I remember going to the city and waiting outside for my parents to get out of the lawyer's office. My parents complained time and again about their lawyer and how much money they had to spend on immigration. My mom would even say she was going to leave America and go back to Portugal. In fact, I have two older brothers, and the eldest was born in Portugal and came to America when he was four years old. Yet that, at the time, didn't matter to me. Growing up I heard all about my friend's vacations to places like Italy or Spain, and how amazing it was. But as far as I was concerned, I was trapped in this bubble called America.
About three years ago my parents finally received their green cards, and the bubble finally popped. That summer my parents and I traveled to several different places in Portugal. I met family I didn't even know existed, and I went to places where I couldn't believe the beauty. However, the American dream was not completely fulfilled. Although my parents received their green cards, my brother did not. He is almost thirty years old and is still paying for a lawyer to help him get his green card.
I feel very lucky to have been born in America because I can go anywhere in the world and be able to come back with no problems. However, I feel that this country is made up of so many immigrants that the immigration process should be easier and run smoother. America is supposed to be a place where people can feel free; but instead, it's a place where people feel trapped. And this needs to be changed.
This experience has taught me how hard the real world can be. I feel that knowing this will allow me to succeed in Penn State, because it opened my eyes to how much someone must go through to achieve what they want. I look forward to learning and experiencing new things during my college years.
