Carolina Tovar Borrero HDFS 105 21 Paper April 3 2013 Every individual has a different background story that follows them into the future No matter how much some try to stray from their pasts it is embedded into ourselves Kate grew up in the wealthy Upper East Side of New York and was able to pursue her dreams to travel the world despite having events in her life to put her down I believe that because of the changes that Kate went through from moving away from the glamorous Upper East Side into a public school she was able to appreciate both aspects of her life Without knowing both aspects of living in a wealthy community as a very privileged young girl and as an average middle class single mother home during her adolescence she was able to view two different perspectives in life While doing so she was able to understand what her goals are and what she wanted in life I easily see myself in the same ways that Kate has grown up Thinking back to all the opportunities my life has brought me it is easy to admit I have lived a privileged life On my mother s side while living in Colombia I was a spoiled grand daughter to the very first female pediatrician from El Valle De Cauca and a very successful business man From my father s family was a long line of doctors and lawyers My parents were also very hardworking individuals my mother owned her own daycare and my father was a mechanical engineer who worked for a very large company in Colombia Needless to say as a young child whatever my family needed or wanted we would receive it whether it be from our own parents or other family members Going from having luxuries in Colombia to living in a two bedroom apartment for the five of us was nothing short of a shock My father had to change his career because in America he would have had to go back to school to fulfill other requirements needed to continue being a mechanical engineer so instead my mother helped get him a job teaching math and science to middle schoolers Although living through this new lifestyle was very difficult for our family it is an experience that completely changed us all I now appreciate the fact that my parents worked so hard to accomplish every single goal set in mind As a family we sacrificed a lot in order for our futures to have as many opportunities as we needed and wanted available It is because of their determination and all their examples of strength that I am who I am today For my family coming to America was a huge step towards bettering our quality of life unfortunately for the time being it felt my world had been flipped upside down From being a carefree child roaming the big beautiful city of Cali Colombia hand in hand with cousins with the availability of aunts uncles and grandparents to the feeling completely alone in a strange new home was a complete culture shock It was then I understood everyone has a story Although mine currently no longer consists of scrapping by each month and living within the confined walls of a small two bedroom apartment for all five of us I can now appreciate the luxuries of life I ve been granted I have a desire to help others achieve the pleasures of life in which I finally indulge in Ideally I want to be able to also travel the world and see many more different ways of lives Because I understand the importance of perseverance I want to have an impact on those that believe they have nothing else to give Just like Kate because of all the trials in my life I better understand myself and everything I want to accomplish in my own life I understand the concept of only having one life to live and taking advantage of each moment I am grateful for my past and am proud of who I am today because of it