My family relocated to the US from Eritrea when I was a child. This change came with many obstacles which I conquered with persistence. Though I was relatively young at the time, I often look back to those times and remember how I overcame the difficulties of being immersed in a new culture through perseverance. Back in Eritrea, there was little-to-no expectation for girls to obtain an education; most girls were married at only 12 years old. However, my parents had bigger and better dreams for me than marriage. My mother did not want me to end up like her, with no education at all, and I dreamed of becoming one of the few female dentists to enter the male-dominated field. In pursuit of our dreams, my parents wanted to take us to the land of opportunity: The United States of America. I was just eight years old when my family emigrated from Eritrea. My father received death threats for his decision to raise his family rather than to go to war and eventually had to flee from the country. My mother crumbled under the pressure of raising four young children all by herself and had to make the hard choice of leaving her home in Eritrea. We were one of the few families who managed to escape the brutality of the Eritrean government and its oppressive policies. One of the obstacles I faced in the journey from Eritrea to Sudan was having to walk and drive 428 miles. At some points, we all had to be quiet, or we risked being brutally murdered. I witnessed people on the journey die from thirst and hunger. My mom, to protect us from the death around us, told me they were only asleep. There was a huge language barrier in Sudan, so it was difficult to converse with the people around me. This inability to interact made me isolated and confused. I had no choice but to learn the language quickly. With persistence and constant effort, I was able to learn the language and break down that communication barrier. I was extremely excited when my father told us that the US accepted our paperwork to come as refugees. It was the best day of my life! I was happy and excited to start school in the US, and I reignited my dreams of becoming a dentist. However, I worried that not being able to communicate in English would cause struggles in school and keep me from my goals. My fears melted away as I made connections at my new school. I met amazing teachers who helped me learn to read and write in English in only two months. Their support, combined with my perseverance and language-learning skills that I developed as a child, allowed me to thrive. I knew all the hard work paid off when I was given an award for having all A’s in middle school. This gave me the motivation I needed to work harder in school, and I maintained my straight A’s through high school. For me, my good grades were a constant reminder of the cycle of struggle, hard work, and accomplishment that comes from being an immigrant. When a new refugee student came to my high school, I became their guide and companion. I used my experiences adapting to this new environment to support them, and I paid forward the love and encouragement my teachers and other students showered on me when I first arrived. The challenges I faced in my childhood and as an immigrant helped me realize the necessity of pushing towards your goals.

My family relocated to the US from Eritrea when I was a child. This change came with many obstacles which I conquered with persistence. Though I was relatively young at the time, I often look back to those times and remember how I overcame the difficulties of being immersed in a new culture through perseverance. Back in Eritrea, there was little-to-no expectation for girls to obtain an education; most girls were married at only 12 years old. However, my parents had bigger and better dreams for me than marriage. My mother did not want me to end up like her, with no education at all, and I dreamed of becoming one of the few female dentists to enter the male dominated field. In pursuit of our dreams, my parents wanted to take us to the land of opportunity: The United States of America. I was just eight years old when my family emigrated from Eritrea. My father received death threats for his decision to raise his family rather than to go to war and eventually had to flee from the country. My mother crumbled under the pressure of raising four young children all by herself and had to make the hard choice of leaving her home in Eritrea. We were one of the few families who managed to escape the brutality of the Eritrean government and its oppressive policies. One of the obstacles I faced in the journey from Eritrea to Sudan was having to walk and drive 428 miles. At some points, we all had to be quiet, or we risked being brutally murdered. I witnessed people on the journey die from thirst and hunger. My mom, to protect us from the death around us, told me they were only asleep. There was a huge language barrier in Sudan, so it was difficult to converse with the people around me. This inability to interact made me isolated and confused. I had no choice but to learn the language quickly. With persistence and constant effort, I was able to learn the language and break down that communication barrier. I was extremely excited when my father told us that the US accepted our paperwork to come as refugees. It was the best day of my life! I was happy and excited to start school in the US, and I reignited my dreams of becoming a dentist. However, I worried that not being able to communicate in English would cause struggles in school and keep me from my goals. My fears melted away as I made connections at my new school. I met amazing teachers who helped me learn to read and write in English in only two months. Their support, combined with my perseverance and language-learning skills that I developed as a child, allowed me to thrive. I knew all the hard work paid off when I was given an award for having all A’s in middle school. This gave me the motivation I needed to work harder in school, and I maintained my straight A’s through high school. My outstanding grades served as a continual reminder of the sacrifice, hard work, and achievement that comes with being an immigrant. When a new refugee student came to my high school, I became their guide and companion. I used my experiences adapting to this new environment to support them, and I paid forward the love and encouragement my teachers and other students showered on me when I first arrived. The difficulties I endured as a child and as an immigrant taught me the importance of persevering in your pursuit of your goals.