It should not have been a shock to me, yet I couldn't help but feel frustrated. Once again, we were moving, and once again, I was forced to go through the monotony of being the new kid: the blank stares from teachers as they attempted to say my name, along with a fun little questionnaire about its origins. My dad's job required regular relocation and as usual, I had to come along. The moves varied in location and point of my life the one constant was the challenge of adapting to my new environment. The first move was out of my control. While most kids went on their first plane ride for a family vacation around six or seven years old, I left the US at the ripe old age of eighteen... months. I left Florida to spend my formative years in my parents' home country of Haiti. Growing up there, I learned to see myself as Haitian, which changed during the second move when I left for the bright lights of New York City. At the age of seven, I was forced to adapt to a new environment, culture, and language. My real challenges began in school. My English was barely conversational, and my parents refused to put me in remedial class out of fear that I'd fall behind. So, I sat in the back of the class with a handful of movie quotes from Coming to America (my "research" on the states) as my only means of communication. This inability to interact distressed me; I had always been an outspoken person. Talking was my defining character trait, whether I was debating, arguing, or simply conversing. But in this instance, I was stifled. My frustration acted as a catalyst for me to learn the language. I began to read anything I could find, and I quickly became addicted. Luckily, my parents were willing to finance this addiction. Within a year, my room was brimming with Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books. My mom thought it was a mess, but I thought it gave the room character. At school, my only issue was being reprimanded for talking too much. The third and most significant move occurred when I was twelve. We moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and the transition was sobering. My first impression of the area came from the miles of farmland I witnessed on the drive there, which made me question my parents' decision. But the new physical environment wasn't the only major change I encountered. The "Shore" was far from the metropolitan area I had become accustomed to, and its lack of people (and diversity) made me an outsider on multiple levels. The Eastern Shore happened to be a major conservative region in the state. Up until this point in my life, I hadn't focused much on my personal politics; I knew I leaned left, but I didn't know why. But on the shore, I was forced to examine the origins of my political beliefs and values. Like many, I had been quick to write off those I disagreed with, but I became friends with people before learning their affiliation. In doing so, I discovered that I loved debate. Through this discourse, I was able to gain a more holistic view of my beliefs, as well as a greater understanding of others' perspectives. This led me to want to work in public service specifically creating a nonprofit to provide children who weren’t as lucky as me with the same educational opportunities. In both New York and Maryland, I truly came to understand how the right resources in early education can propel someone forward. And through my nonprofit, I want to help disadvantaged children gain exposure to different kinds of people just as I have so that they can move through the words with a better understanding of where everyone comes from. Experiencing situations that forced me to adjust taught me how to adapt, and this ability has defined me and my interests. I've become an amalgamation of where I've been, and through this diversity of experience, I've developed a plurality of thought that has helped me contextualize the world around me. In college, I am beginning my journey through the study of political science. With my personal experience as a compass, I am excited to utilize my newfound knowledge to immerse myself in the dynamic side of social science and to learn how to be both an active participant and observer of the world.