American Reality by Rafael

American Reality by Rafael - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

Immigration is a sensitive subject for most people, but I know the story of a man who risked everything for a better future. My father was born and raised in El Salvador and lived a humble life. He made the long walk to the United States once the Salvadorian Civil War started. Working hard his entire life, my father was able to bring his family to America and he made a new life for not just himself, but for all of us. I have learned many life lessons from my father, but most important is that being an American is a lot more than just a birthright.

El Salvador is a small yet dangerous country, and life for my father there was a daily struggle. Farming, hunting, and bartering were daily things for the people of El Salvador on top of going to school and holding an hourly paying job. Even though it was hard work my father was content, but he always planned for better things. He would always say to me, “you must always plant the right seeds,” meaning with patience and persistence things would work out.

Suddenly, the world collapsed around my father when the Salvadorian Civil War began. It took him several years to tell me about what happened back home, and I understood him more when he finally did. He watched friends and family die in a war that meant nothing to him. My father escaped death several times thanks to quick thinking and pure luck. He made the decision to ensure his future, so he dropped everything and traveled to the United States with help from the right people. My father wanted to return to El Salvador, but he loved the American lifestyle and made it his permanent home.
My father made a new life in the United States, and eventually brought the rest of his family here before starting one of his own. Since the time he immigrated to America he has been a productive member of society. Today he is a U.S. citizen going through the same problems as everyone else and he considers that a blessing. I realize that my life could be worse, and I am grateful that I have the best opportunities available to me. It is all thanks to my father, an immigrant from a third-world country, who made a decent living when the odds were stacked against him. That is what being an American is all about. If he was able to accomplish so much, given his background, then I am able to go above and beyond.

In the end, being an American is about hard work and determination for success which my father has taught me. He was born and raised in El Salvador, and forced to leave it when the Salvadorian Civil War began. My father made the long journey to America and created a better life for himself and his family. Today he is a citizen and has been a productive member of society from the start. I will do as my father did and “plant the right seeds.”