December 5, 2008 was the day I transitioned to a new environment, coming to the United States. I was a 13 year old boy with no sense of direction only that of my fathers. My father had always told me not to waste my time pursuing a career that would yield no profit, low wages and worst of all a career that would have me standing on the unemployment line. In order words, he wanted me to be a medical doctor because he believed doctors are essential in today's society, no matter the economic status... He was wrong.
I was enrolled in my zone school to join the ongoing school year. As expected, my astonishment was on how different the educational system was and how differently students acted towards their teachers. However, that certainly didn't change the outlook on my ethics and my overall attitude. I was fortunate to be in a class that I admired - math class. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't the subject that enticed me; rather it was the teacher - Mrs. Diaz. Her teaching style fundamentally enhanced my love for math and science. Every day was a surprise to me. I was always anxious to learn a new topic. She instilled in me some kind of fascination that found a way to attract me to the wonders of math and its applications in the real world. She was able to reincarnate an already existing love for math and its prominent real world application. As a teacher, she got to know her students. Thereupon, she got to know me. As I grew closer to her style of teaching, my love for engineering grew as well. Yet, despite my outright admiration and necessary knowledge about the ideas of math and its application (physics), I still shunned the notion that I should become an engineer as Ms Diaz would say.
As I moved on to high school, I found myself taking math and physics class that I subsequently didn't need. I took these classes mainly because I felt the same spark I felt in Ms Diaz's class. I felt the same excitement that drove my desire to keep taking those classes. Ultimately, I was being asked, "what do I want to do with my life?" And as I threw this question to myself, I looked back at Ms. Diaz. I looked back on how she essentially buttressed my crumbling desire to be an engineer. She, for the long run has significantly galvanized my passion for engineering but the Material focus of the messages forced upon me by the media, and unfortunately by my father has clouded my judgment on what I should really pursue...Ms Diaz, my eighth grade teacher has made me realize that I need not be conformed by what my father expects of me rather I should be concerned with what I am solely passionate about - to be an engineer. And by doing this, success would follow suit.
