The American Dream is rarely consistent. For many, like my mom, dreams change as situations change. My Mom had many hopes and dreams for herself before coming to America. She never imagined that she would be forced to leave her small town in Mexico and her dreams would be shattered, and new ones would take their place.

She always wanted to start a career as a teacher, she started teaching a small class of adults in Mexico and she is studying to become a teacher for elementary students, her father wasn't able to support his family and needed to make more money, everyone in her town talked about the “other side” (America) and how immigrants were able to obtain jobs easily, so he told them they were all crossing the border and living in America. “No one tells you what’s going on, they just told me to take a small bag of clothes, I left behind my things, my friends, and my home.” America seemed like a magical place, an unreachable place in another dimension, she always wanted to go exploring but never planned on staying.

During the first couple of weeks her it became impossible for her to become a teacher, depressed in a place where she couldn't speak the language and where she felt like she didn't belong, terrified at the thought of leaving the safely of her house and alarmed by the people she didn't know, she couldn't picture herself even going to school with them. “None of us would leave the house, we were all afraid of the police, but more afraid of the people.” she told me. In her small town she knew everybody and none of the girls had makeup and none of the teens would behave badly because they all had a family that need help in raising younger kids, cleaning, or making money to support the family. She said if you could walk, then you could work. For the next couple of years her only dream consisted of going back to Mexico, but she couldn't picture herself without her family


When she finally met my dad, he had his own dreams about settling down and starting a family so she went along. They married and had me, my sister, and my brother. A new dream blossomed; a brighter future for her kids.The happiest moment of her life without a doubt “When my kids were born”,she said without hesitation She has never been a materialistic person other Americans might say the American dream means becoming rich and famous, but my mom only wanted to be happy and she wanted her kids to be happy as well. She always tells me that she hopes I grow up to be way more successful than her and my dad.

Even though she wanted to leave America when she first arrived here she said she couldn't imagine leaving now. She told me “I’m proud to be an American every day when I drop my kids off to school and know that they're receiving a better education then I go.” To her knowledge would help any person become successful,she’s always encouraging me to try harder in school, because it will help me become more independent.

Over the years she realized she never accomplished what she first dreamed about due to the fact that she was always trying to please others and never wanted her kids to compromise. “I think the younger generation should focus on their dreams and education. They need to remember that they need to work hard to make it to the top and all responsibilities they have is just training for real life.” Curious to know what she expected of me, I asked her what her dreams were for me, she told me to do whatever makes me happy that she’ll support me and that she wants me to be content with myself as I start to age, I feel fortunate to have such a compassionate, wise, loving mother.