My name is J. M. I am in 10th grade. I am from Guatemala. I came here 3 years ago with my mom and my sister. We came on an airplane and when the airplane went up, I was afraid to look at the ground. The airplane was better than a car or a bus. I was so happy because I was together with my dad. I was a little sad because my grandparents stayed there. I said “take care of you” and I cried. I saw my mom crying too and it made me more sad.
I was scared the first day of school because I didn't know English. I just speak Mam and Spanish at home. I didn't know what my teacher would say to me. My first friend was P. who I met in middle school. She asked me “ are you new?” I said “yes”. “I am new too” she said. She spoke with me in Mam. We discover that we were from the same country. We were in math class together we solved math problems together. She was good at math, so she helped me. I didn't know multiplication, division or the numbers in English. The teacher kept asking me what is my name but I didn't know how to answer. Also I didn't understand the homework she gave me. Then P. told me to not worry about how to answer the question, just to do my best and to be happy to be learning English. She said that learning English is difficult. When I came home from school my parent said don't worry if you do not understand English. One month a teacher told my parents if I could not speak English I didn't want to go to school any more. My parent encouraged me. If I go to school I will learn English also I will have a better future.
My dream is to go to college to be a nurse. First I need to finish high school. The reason why I want to be a nurse is because I want to work with children and help them when they are sick. Last year my parent told me that I can go to college if I want and I was thinking about what job I will do if I go to college. I decided to study to be a nurse. Second reason I want to be a nurse is because nobody in my family is a nurse. My uncle is a policeman and my aunt is a teacher. The last reason why I want to be a nurse is because it is a good paying job and I want to support my parents in the future.
My parent and my English teacher encourage me to do this job. First my mom tell me if I do this job I will have a better future and life. Before I didn't think about this job. I was think about just to finish high school and I will go to find a job. But when my mom tell this idea to continue be in school like in college and to be a nurse and I was think this job is not too hard. Also I was think that to get an associate degree and they pay you like $777 dollar a week. Another thing that I was think is that today I am 15 years old and my family take care of me but in the future I need to take care of them because they are important to me like my mom and my dad. Finally the other person that encourage me is my English teacher because she tell me if I do this job like nurse when she will get sick I will be her nurse. I think it is a good idea to be a nurse.