We are interested in learning more about you and the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. How have these factors caused you to grow? (800 word limit) *
Growing up in the Philippines until the age of nine, I was oblivious to the societies and cultures in the world outside my own. The influences prevalent there were very different than the ones I experience now. I was surrounded in a place where the culture was built firmly on family and the belief that being socially active would help one overcome anything. The relatives of one family would open welcome arms to other family members until there was a network of families. My family in particular was so close and the majority of us lived in the same city. Contrary to our closeness my mother divorced my dad and moved to the U.S. when I was seven.
During the years that followed the divorce, I had to learn how to adjust without a mother figure for almost two years. My father and I were not poor, nor were we wealthy. Because of my mother's absence, my father had to work longer hours and step up as a single parent. Whenever I needed help with my studies, my father would hire a tutor. One of my tutors in particular was studying to be a nurse. She was so incredibly intelligent and cultured that I wanted to have that same level of sophistication. I knew that many Filipinos chose to work as nurses to escape poverty, but my tutor convinced me that the healthcare field had more to offer. When I turned nine, my mother decided that my life would be better in America. The tenacious connectedness I had with my large family dissolved almost instantly.
I was disconnected from the people I love and trust and transported into unfamiliar surroundings. I was full of fear, uncertainty and insecurities. I felt like I was living in one of those sitcoms I had seen on TV. New to America, I had to learn how to interact with people. I had to adjust to the school systems, and I had to follow the new culture. I was placed in a society where people were very different than the ones I was used to. I was shy and out of place so I learned the "American way" by quietly watching my classmates and other people. In time, I had started getting a grasp of the accepted norms and started to make friends. I was trying new things. I had replaced the strong family structure I had in the Philippines with support from the friends I had made and the activities I joined. It all seemed so surreal. Soon after moving to the U.S., my mother remarried, gave birth to my sister, and rented a house in the suburbs. In those few years of my mom's remarriage, I felt like a normal kid once again. I had a family unit that I thought would lend security and support until I could figure things out. However, I was placed back into reality when my mother divorced my stepfather after few years of marriage. I was with a single parent once more.
Living with my mother was almost the same as living with my father. She worked long hours and left me independent with regards to my school work. This time, though, I had no tutor. In addition, I had the added responsibility of watching over my sister. The pivotal moment I knew I had to rely only on myself and that I can achieve anything on my own was when my mother said to me "I wish I could be like you. You can be anything you want because you are smart." Not only did this statement boost up my confidence, but it also reaffirmed my thought of achieving anything I desired to become.
Throughout the years, my mother's financial situation has steadily worsened. My mother would say, "Don't be like me." This statement would constantly remind me of my goal and motivated me to strive for more. As a result my grades have steadily increased each year. I felt that it was my duty to give back to her with my success. I studied hard. And in that studying I realized my passion for science. Especially subjects related to healthcare. In healthcare I found that it was comprised of individuals who collaborated towards common goals. I remembered my life in the Philippines and how the family structure was extremely similar. I also thought about how highly I thought of my tutor for being a nurse. My ideas were confirmed when I took a Nursing Assistant course in the summer after my junior year. I met many happy people who were grateful to work within a family system. Healthcare seems to me like an opportunity to feed my interests and gain back that family I lost so long ago.
Growing up in the Philippines until the age of nine, I was oblivious to the societies and cultures in the world outside my own. The influences prevalent there were very different than the ones I experience now. I was surrounded in a place where the culture was built firmly on family and the belief that being socially active would help one overcome anything. The relatives of one family would open welcome arms to other family members until there was a network of families. My family in particular was so close and the majority of us lived in the same city. Contrary to our closeness my mother divorced my dad and moved to the U.S. when I was seven.
During the years that followed the divorce, I had to learn how to adjust without a mother figure for almost two years. My father and I were not poor, nor were we wealthy. Because of my mother's absence, my father had to work longer hours and step up as a single parent. Whenever I needed help with my studies, my father would hire a tutor. One of my tutors in particular was studying to be a nurse. She was so incredibly intelligent and cultured that I wanted to have that same level of sophistication. I knew that many Filipinos chose to work as nurses to escape poverty, but my tutor convinced me that the healthcare field had more to offer. When I turned nine, my mother decided that my life would be better in America. The tenacious connectedness I had with my large family dissolved almost instantly.
I was disconnected from the people I love and trust and transported into unfamiliar surroundings. I was full of fear, uncertainty and insecurities. I felt like I was living in one of those sitcoms I had seen on TV. New to America, I had to learn how to interact with people. I had to adjust to the school systems, and I had to follow the new culture. I was placed in a society where people were very different than the ones I was used to. I was shy and out of place so I learned the "American way" by quietly watching my classmates and other people. In time, I had started getting a grasp of the accepted norms and started to make friends. I was trying new things. I had replaced the strong family structure I had in the Philippines with support from the friends I had made and the activities I joined. It all seemed so surreal. Soon after moving to the U.S., my mother remarried, gave birth to my sister, and rented a house in the suburbs. In those few years of my mom's remarriage, I felt like a normal kid once again. I had a family unit that I thought would lend security and support until I could figure things out. However, I was placed back into reality when my mother divorced my stepfather after few years of marriage. I was with a single parent once more.
Living with my mother was almost the same as living with my father. She worked long hours and left me independent with regards to my school work. This time, though, I had no tutor. In addition, I had the added responsibility of watching over my sister. The pivotal moment I knew I had to rely only on myself and that I can achieve anything on my own was when my mother said to me "I wish I could be like you. You can be anything you want because you are smart." Not only did this statement boost up my confidence, but it also reaffirmed my thought of achieving anything I desired to become.
Throughout the years, my mother's financial situation has steadily worsened. My mother would say, "Don't be like me." This statement would constantly remind me of my goal and motivated me to strive for more. As a result my grades have steadily increased each year. I felt that it was my duty to give back to her with my success. I studied hard. And in that studying I realized my passion for science. Especially subjects related to healthcare. In healthcare I found that it was comprised of individuals who collaborated towards common goals. I remembered my life in the Philippines and how the family structure was extremely similar. I also thought about how highly I thought of my tutor for being a nurse. My ideas were confirmed when I took a Nursing Assistant course in the summer after my junior year. I met many happy people who were grateful to work within a family system. Healthcare seems to me like an opportunity to feed my interests and gain back that family I lost so long ago.
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