My name is Esteisy González, and I’m a sophomore at Miami Senior High. Asking for help has never been my thing; showing my struggles makes me feel ungrateful. However, I’m able to tell you my story, thanks to my mother, Maridalia González who brought me and my sister to the United States from Guatemala.  

Home 

    Although I live in a warm household, at times I miss Guatemala, the place where I was born, and    although I don’t live there anymore, it will always remain my home. The sound of the river and the radio every morning and the smell of coffee every afternoon were mesmerizing. Leaving Guatemala when I was 7 was so hurtful that I cried and cried for a month every night as I fell asleep. You might think I’m exaggerating, but no, I am not. See, in Guatemala I have all my family members and my favorite things such as my chalupas and empanadas and even my friend Mileidy.

    The main reason, though, is my sister. Her name is Shirel, and she is 10 years old. Due to her health conditions, bringing her to the United States seemed very dangerous and pricey at the time. Leaving Shirel with her grandma was a tough decision to make, a decision that we get reminded of everyday.  I’d do anything to hug her one more time. We make sure to Facetime her every week no matter how busy we are, and although talking to her makes me sad, I know that one day there will no longer be a screen between us. 

    As the oldest child, I feel like I have to try my hardest to accomplish everything my mother couldn’t. Ever since I was little, I’ve made the decision that I will be the one to make it big and be able to fulfill my mother’s wishes through me.  

Life at school 

    Life at school used to be very complicated, especially when I was in 3rd grade and only spoke Spanish. Tests and any normal activities were so out of my reach; therefore, my report cards were ugly. Thankfully, it only took about 4 months to start comprehending English. At first I wasn’t great at it, and even in middle school, I still struggled a little. I finally got out of ESOL in 6th grade, and it made me very happy since I finally felt like I was getting accepted.  

    Now I’m in high school, and it’s great. I only struggle with my grammar. Other than that, my English teacher Dr. Suarez and Dr. DeNight from my journalism class have been helping me get better little by little.  Though at first my grades were horrible due to language barriers, now I’d like to say, as a 10th grader, I’m better than average.  

College? 

     College has always been my goal though it feels so out of my reach, and at times I even question myself on whether or not I want to go. The reason why is that if I decide to go, it’s not as easy as it sounds. In order for me to attend a college, I have to get financial help. My parents are very hardworking and work daily. My father even works on Sundays. We are financially stable thanks to their hard work. However, I can’t say we are in the position to support something that is so expensive. My parents never push me about my studies. They believe if I want to accomplish something, then I should work for it. They believe all they can do is work to support me.  

Privileged  

     Living in the United States is a privilege. It provides chances that have helped my family’s life improve. At first, it was rough fitting in school while my parents were trying to get a job, so we always struggled financially. As much as it was a struggle, my parents were still able to find something that they were passionate about.  

   My dad’s work mostly focuses on building houses, roofing, flooring, and painting. His salary varies depending on the season; however, it provides enough to help support our family at times even extra. My mother is a housekeeper, she works for a company and has clients of her own; she believes if she puts more effort then soon she will have enough clients to open her own company.  

    It’s been about 9 years, and although adjusting was very hard, I’m starting to like Miami. 

Esteisy in Guatemala 

-Loves going to the rivers/waterfalls 

-Loves planting fruit trees 

-Loves riding horses  

-Loves running around barefoot 

-Loves lying on the ground