User:ElVeracruzano/Sandbox

I arrived on America on July 1, 1998. I was only four at the time and I came with my parents who at the time were a young couple. I came from a small town in the Mexican state Veracruz. I left my paternal grandparents who I have not seen in over fourteen years. I grew up like any other American kid. I watched “Hey Arnold”, ate pizza, and said the Pledge of Allegiance. I grew up knowing that I didn’t have “paples’ my mother would always tell me not to tell anyone about my situation. The year I started my freshman year here at Chandler High School I promised myself I was going to study hard and not get into trouble. It is now my senior year and I have no idea what I’m going to do. Should I stay here in this country that is my home? Should I go back to Mexico? I have no idea. It angers me to hear when ignorant bigots call me a free loading criminal. I don’t want handouts! I want to be given a chance and do something with my life! They say that I'm not an American.To them it does not matter that I love this nation and it will always have a special place in my heart. I’m frustrated and stressed out. I don’t have a license and I don’t have a job. This burden has been really heavy but my good God knows why he does things and I will continue to worship him no matter what happens. All I want is a chance and an opportunity to advance in life.

When I was picking my classes for High School I decided that I was going to be in involved in a class called “Plants, Animals, and Leadership”. It was a class that belonged to the Agriculture Program and it was thought by Mr. Lewis. Many of my friends decided that class didn’t look interesting enough and many of them joined auto or woodshop. It has been four years since that decision and I have not regretted taking that class. I discovered that by taking that class I belonged to a student’s organization called the “FFA”. I have made new friends, had fun, and experienced new things, all thanks to the FFA. I have watered geraniums, planted jalapenos, and saw how my welding partner caught on fire! I love the FFA and even though many of my friends were picking the cool classes, I chose to pick the FFA and that has made all the difference in my life.