PERSEPCTIVES

A friend sent me this...I saw this.

REAL QUESTIONS FROM REAL STUDENTS

A student posed this question last week?  What if I hang out with gang members? 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT!!!

Why is it that some can enure the harshest of conditions and excel and others cannot???

La Historia de Yadira... Los hara llorar (It will make you cry) Than you Yadira

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Becoming a Triton, University of California, San Diego

My name is Jessenia Nuñez and I graduated from Mendota High School in 2010. I am a first generation college student. I come from a large family of 9 and both of my parents are El Salvadorian, and work in the fields. I am currently a first year at the University of California, San Diego and I love it. I live less then 5 minutes from the beach and the weather in San Diego could not be better. Thus far my overall experience has been extremely wonderful. I am majoring in Political Science and I hope to minor in Ethnic Studies. I live in a suite with 9 other girls and that’s were some of my best college memories have happened. My suitemates come from different parts of the state and different cultural backgrounds, and I have become very open minded to different cultures and people. Not a day goes by where I don’t meet new people.

My college experience began in the summer; I was part of a one-month transition program called Summer Bridge. This program was absolutely one of the best programs that I've been part of. I got to meet many students that came from similar backgrounds as I did, and I made friends that I know will be my friends for the rest of my life.

Once school started in the fall everything seemed to be going by so fast. Although classes are really challenging and I have to work tremendously hard I enjoy every day that I am there. There are days that I feel discouraged because things become difficult, but once I overcome my obstacles I feel as if nothing can stop me from reaching my goals. I am currently employed at a dinning hall and they are very flexible with the hours because they know that we are college students and our education comes first.

I’m really excited for next year because I have been hired to be a Residential Advisor and that is something that I really wanted to do. Living in a big city like San Diego and going to one of the top public universities in the country is drastically different from the small town I come from but it’s an experience that I wouldn’t change for anything.

I’m really grateful for the people that helped me get where I am today. Programs like that migrant program gave me a push forward so that I can obtain a higher education.

My UC Davis Experience Thus Far

My name is Raquel Calles. My parents are from El Salvador and I was born in California. I recently graduated from Mendota High School and am now attending UC Davis’s college of engineering. My intended major is biomedical engineering. I love UCD! The community is very warm and welcoming. There are many frozen yogurt shops that delight anyone’s sweet spot. Living close to the arboretum is wonderful because each day I get to see ducks with their ducklings, the sereneness of the water, and the beauty of all the plants.

I feel like each day I am proving all stereotypes wrong because aside from being a Hispanic girl, I became a mother my first year of college. However, I did not quit on my dreams. I want to show my son that no matter the challenges one is faced with, one should never give up on their dreams and goals. I have continued to follow many of the plans I had prior to the baby, by volunteering at two elementary schools here in Davis and helping with the organization of MECHA in Davis and MASA in Sacramento State. I have also joined intermural softball and every day I am showing everyone that a young Hispanic lady can blossom into a woman and keep going; getting stronger by the minuet of accomplishments.

I started school by living in the dorms and joining the student council but once I found out I was pregnant I was faced with a different ordeal. I moved out of my dorm and into the UCD student family housing I was promised that my son would have daycare and that as long as I kept my grades to par I would graduate from UCD. UCD had always been my dream, finding out that I was going to have a son my first year set me back on some aspirations such as going abroad but I thank God for the blessing he sent me. If anyone reads this I just hope they understand that dreams can be followed no matter the circumstance. I am proud now to be a mother. My son is 3 months old, healthy, happy and beautiful. Me, I am almost done with my first year and excited to start my second year. However I know that I will be here for 5 years since my major is a bit challenging and Mendota high doesn’t prepare its students for higher level math or science. A few years from now I hope to be able to blog about my graduation and all the challenges that I overcame. I am thankful for all the help that family, friends and overall UCD has provided me with. I thank God every day for being by my side and guiding me towards the right ways.

Hope this story inspires all to be strong, happy, and see the world through their good eye. Good luck with school and always study hard!

-Raquel Calles

 My name is German Ramirez. I was born in Cihutlan, Jalisco a beautiful town near the beaches of Mexico. I grew up in small town next to Cihuatlan, named “EL Charco, (the puddle) Colima”. My ranchito although small is a very nice place to live.  Believe it or not a film took place there and in some of the villages around the area. The name of the movie is “Rudo y Cursi” performed by Gael Garcia y Diego Luna. Great movie, I recommend it!. Now back to my secret.

As a mentioned before, my ranchito it is very  small and the school was composed of two classrooms. The first room was made up of students from 1^st – 3^rd grade and the second grades 4^th-6^th.  We were about 20-30 students in each classroom.  Every student had books depending on their academic level. My teacher strategically divided the classroom into three groups according to levels.   I recall every morning my teacher had an assignment ready for us.  That was the best way to start the class and from there she would stop one group at a time and teach the lesson.  Then she’d assign an assignment and continue with the next group and so on.  It was very hard to learn but that how it is when you live in small village.

The first time I paid attention to the importance of school was during the 6^th grade. We had no Junior High or High School in the area. I really wanted to continue an education and I wanted to finish the highest level possible. The closer Junior High was in Cihutlan, Jalisco but it is a 20-minute drive and of course we didn’t have a school bus. I still recall my mom’s word with pain “I am sorry mijito, but I don’t think you will be able to continue studying”, I didn’t even want to ask why.  I knew the culprit was transportation and the lack of money.

Sometimes you just get lucky!  That same year when I was about to finish elementary school, a new junior high was built on the village.  My mom got so happy because she really wanted me to continue my education.  It was called Tele-Secundaria.   Believe it or not, all of the lessons were taught via TV.  I happily graduated from the Tele-Secundaria.  Then I came to this country.

Back to step 1.  Coming to the U.S was not easy. Everything was different to me.  My mom enrolled me at Dinuba High School the same week I arrived.  I had to finish high school in three years.  I wanted to walk on stage with my class. The other option was to move me back a year, but I didn’t want to.  When there’s a will there is a way.  After long negotiation, my counselor agreed to give me partial credits for classes I completed in Mexico.   There another battle began; I was behind one semester in credits.   To compound the challenges, I didn’t know a word of English.   Consequently I had to take English as a Second Language classes.   I put a lot of dedication because I really wanted to graduate on stage.  After jumping through all of the hoops, I did it!

At first I dint know if I would be able to attend college so I worked to help my mom.  But the dreamer that I am did not forgive me that easily.  I had dreams of attending CSU Long Beach.  Little that you know, I got accepted to CSU, Long Beach.  Wow what exhilaration.  But life has a weird way of telling us how insignificant we are.   I could not go!  Give us you say, never…  Not I!  That summer after I stopped feeling sorry for myself, I enrolled at a community college.  You see, it doesn’t matter where you get you degree as long as you get one.  I didn’t know what I wanted to study so many wonderful choices.  After changing it professions four times, business called me.  I received my degree in Business Administration with an option in Accountancy.  You see, I feel so proud of myself because I paid all my education with my hard work and dedication.  Yes you read correctly, no grants, no loans… all paid by the fruits of my labor (not by choice).  I worked at the packing-houses during my entire college career.   I am not going to sugar coat it, it is super hard to be a full time student and at the same time a full time employee.   You have to be two people on one.  Although I wanted to get involved in some type of activities at the school, I just didn’t have the time.  Free time is limited but that’s the price one has to pay for success.  I learned about life the hard way and that’s what makes me so strong.

I am a dreamer. I dream lot.  I have many projects in mind.   I know they may not be easy to achieve, but they are not impossible either.  One of my dreams is to have my own export fruit label.  I have created a logo with my label named “G`man Fresh”, so far many people have liked this. I just need the one with the money.  “Sonar no cuesta nada” (dreaming is free), so let’s dream. I don’t know how many of them I will accomplish but it’s not for lack of trying.   All I know is that I have the GANAS to do it.

I am planning to return to school in the future to get a Master within the education field.  I do love numbers but, I love being outdoors and people too.   Going to different schools to help students is something I truly miss.  You see, I think that children need someone to help.  They need a mentor who will guide them through the obstacles of life.   Some times parents don’t know how to help their kids because of the language or lack of education.  Educating parents is something we need to work on.  Parents will have a better understanding of how the school system works, what different programs are available for their children. Not too many of our people graduate from college now days. We are the one who could make a difference in their lives.

Sometimes we learn the hard way but who said, “Life is simple”.  Sacrifice is the key word for success. Set as many goals as you can, you may not accomplish them all but you will learn from them.  Heck, if I attained Bachelors degree, I don’t see why you cannot.