As a child growing up, watching TV shows, I thought America was nothing but a fairy tail. I thought this country was filled with flying school buses, riches, and nothing but great, easy opportunities. My interpretation was not true. Ofcource America has great opportunities but it was something you had to work for. These opportunities required sacrifices. Migrating to America from Jamaica was a new chapter of my life. It wasn’t clear to me what this new chapter in my life would be like. As a child growing up, watching TV shows, I thought America was nothing but a fairy tale. I thought this country was filled with flying school buses, riches, and nothing but great, easy opportunities. My interpretation was not true. Of course, America has great opportunities but it was something you had to work for. These opportunities required sacrifices. Migrating to America from Jamaica was a new chapter of my life. It wasn’t clear to me what this new chapter in my life would be like. When I moved here, it was nothing compared to what I expected. I thought this would be a great opportunity because now I would have the chance to live with my mom and grow nothing but a perfect bond with her. However, after the first week of settling in and moving to a new town, I barely saw her. She went to work almost 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the other 12 hours of the day consisted of her going to nursing school and taking quick naps. I never saw my mother, sometimes I would wonder if she even lived at our house anymore. After struggling for four continuous years, with three kids, and no sleep, hoping that the finish line was coming close, she ended this journey. She didn't have to work long hours anymore or go to school. My mother became a Licensed Practical Nurse. She fought her battles and made them happen. At first, I didn’t understand what she was going through; and especially because I didn't understand the currency of American money, I would waste all the things that I had not known that this was a great advantage. I took so much advantage of the things my mother could provide, there were times I had no money and had to wait until I glimpsed her at home to get something to eat. This experience allowed me to realize that not only every penny is worth something but that hard work pays off in the long run. Seeing my mother work continuously showed me that it is beyond important to take education seriously. It showed me that I should be grateful for all the things that I have and not take anything for granted. Here I am today, a 17-year-old black woman, born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, and nothing but a successful young woman. I have learned from my past experiences that every day is another chance to get the imperfect parts of life right. I have learned that I must work until I have reached my goal. My goal is to become a pediatrician and I promise myself that I will do everything in my power to allow this to happen.