My father is an ambitious man; he always wanted what was best for his family. ... We were forced to relocate and journey back to my parents' homeland, Mexico. With all
this instability, my life seemed to be everywhere - except where I wanted it to be. ... My parents' only wish when they emigrated from Mexico was for each of us to have a better life than they had. ... Looking around at my surroundings, I knew that if I did not work hard for what I wanted it was not going to be miraculously placed right at the palm of my hand. ...

• Word Count: 983
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Mexicans also stayed on the farm with them in the barn. ... The Mexicans worked from farm to farm all year around. ... The novel didn't state it, but I assume the Mexicans were uneducated also. ... I think if the Mexicans were educated they could have ran their own business and maybe even had their own farms. ... All of the Chandlers in one way or another had their only little plan on how they wanted to escape. ...

• Word Count: 1137
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Being a Mexican-American growing up in a family of ten siblings with an English speaking father and a Spanish speaking mother was the best thing that ever happened to me. I loved living in the riches of two cultures, two languages, and absolutely relished celebrating Mexican and American customs and traditions all under one roof. ... I quickly learned, Spanish was not tolerated in my classroom, or school for that matter, and it was not long before I assimilated to the ways of our school system and learned that it was best to forget and dishonor my Mexican culture. ... I made it through my mi...

• Word Count: 948
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

I am a Mexican-American raised in USA, but I did not know grow up living the America way of life. ... I always wanted to become part of the medical field, and I was so sure about it. ... I was terrified and I did not want to be embarrassed anymore. ... I felt a release on my cheat and I could breathe again. ... I was so anger, and I wanted it to end. ...

• Word Count: 975
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

I feel like it would not be any stretch of the imagination to assume everyone would like to live a privileged life. ... For instance, say a family of four (a mother, a father, and two children) come to the US illegally from Mexico and decide to settle in the state of Texas. To reach Texas coming from Mexico, they will have to cross the wide Rio Grande, which is the river that creates the boundary line between Texas and Mexico. ... When the parents have their children holding jobs as a result of low-wages, they will probably want the kids to get an education, so their next generation won...

• Word Count: 664
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

We can all sit around and complain all we want that they should be the ones learning our language, but the population is only going to increase, and it is going to become more difficult. ... That is why I feel that it should be crucial for the American K-12 education to start teaching children as much English as well Spanish from first entering grade school to graduating high school. I will be focusing on three main aspects on the importance of knowing a second language; where our country currently stands compared to other countries, why being bilingually disadvantaged is occurring, and the b...

• Word Count: 1140
• Approx Pages: 5