Only a month after my 13th birthday, my father made a firm decision that would change our lives forever. He wanted to help us migrate to the United States in search of better employment opportunities, political freedom, and higher standards of living. My Russian mom strongly opposed this idea since she could not imagine leaving everything behind, including her relatives, job, and the house we built together over the years. I was also skeptical about moving to America because the odds of our family succeeding in this new country without knowing English or having any documents were very low. Now living here for nine years, I finally understood that my dad was ready to risk it all in America only to ensure his daughter would have a successful and happy future. But in February 2019, only a year after buying our new house, my dad was diagnosed with the fourth stage of pancreatic cancer. The doctors said he had a month left, but my dad was not a quitter. He endured endless chemotherapy sessions, took tons of medications, and stayed on top of his insulin injections while also working on renovating our new home. Despite these efforts, his body soon began to give in. On July 28, 2020, four days after my 20th birthday, my dad took his last breath and forever joined our ancestors in heaven. That day, cancer didn't only deprive me of my dad, but it also took away my life-long friend, stole my mom's loving husband, killed my grandmother's son, and destroyed someone's older brother, uncle, cousin, and co-worker. Nearly two years later, I still refuse to celebrate my birthday because it hurts to think that another year has passed without him by my side. Yet deep inside, I know that my dad would want me to be happy and chase my dream of becoming a world-renowned diplomat. And so, I did! Still grieving, I continued to diligently study political science and take advanced courses as a part of my Honors Program at New Jersey City University. I also worked multiple part-time jobs to financially support my mom by contributing to the monthly mortgage payments, utility bills, and more. Meanwhile, I had the chance to intern with a Chinese I professor, thus gaining teaching skills and credits for my minor in East Asian Studies. In the spring of 2021, I represented Honduras at the New Model United Nations Conference in New York City, which helped me gain valuable diplomatic experience and added credits to my Global Studies minor. Later that summer, I worked with the US Census Bureau as a part of the Hispanic Association for Colleges and Universities Internship Program. The new skills I gained while working as a part of the Population Division team later paved the way for my current summer internship position at the US Agency for International Development Office of Transition Initiatives. However, I realize that all this success would not have been possible if I lived back in Russia, where discrimination, corruption, and constant violation of civil rights prevent people from reaching their full potential. I am forever thankful to my dad for becoming the catalyst for our move and always being my biggest supporter in pursuing these ambitious goals and dreams.

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Bolotnoe is a small Russian town in the middle of the Siberian forest, where winters last up to six months, and summertime only comes in July. You might never find this place on a map, but my Cuban father managed to live there for over twenty years with my mom, older brother, and me. Growing up in Bolotnoe, I realized that being the only mixed-race person in the region was very difficult and lonely because nobody could relate to my taste in Latino music or understand why I loved eating potaje (Spanish bean soup) for dinner. Therefore, when my dad's relatives from the United States persuaded us to move in with them, we knew that this was the only chance for our international family to enjoy political freedom, better living conditions, and find rewarding career opportunities. Living with my Cuban grandma, uncle, aunt, and cousins helped me to fully embrace Cuban culture and learn Spanish in just a year. For the first time, I felt understood and welcomed despite my mixed background since people were interested in learning more about it rather than judging me for being different. Even when attending middle school in New Jersey, I found it easy to communicate with my classmates despite not knowing English. However, it took me a while to understand America, where people from all walks of life can live in peace, work, and create families while speaking their native languages and practicing diverse religious beliefs. Learning to be more open to hearing compliments from strangers on the streets, or accepting help from somebody when I did not understand the school materials, was also very difficult. Even the American tendency to smile with their teeth did not make sense to me. After all, people in Russia never smile or talk to strangers on the street unless they have to. Most also tend to fend for themselves because life is tough, money is always tight, and nobody has time to be nice to others. Now an American citizen with nine years of experience, I can finally understand the true meaning of living the American dream. Despite a common misconception, moving to the US does not make one automatically wealthy and successful. Instead, you start from the bottom and work tirelessly to achieve your financial goals for many years. Recognizing this harsh truth, my parents had to work night shifts for minimal pay and study English at the local community college to improve our chances of becoming financially stable. Meanwhile, I did my best to excel in school and continue improving my language skills. After being accepted to High Tech High School, I thus studied French and Japanese for four years. I then visited France, Spain, and Portugal as a part of our study abroad trip, all thanks to my parents' savings. This unique experience inspired me to pursue a career in diplomacy by becoming a Political Science student with a minor in East Asian Studies in college. In the end, coming to the US taught me to appreciate my ethnic background by practicing Cuban and Russian traditions. On the other hand, learning Japanese in school and Chinese in college helped me see how similar our cultures are in the respect we share for elders, gifts we bring when visiting someone, or the slippers we wear indoors. Studying French and Spanish helped me better explore my European roots and my love for international music and food. For the US, global exploration thus opens opportunities to attract experts from the most distant corners of the world and use their knowledge when building a stronger nation together.