Amanda G.

Harvard University, Class of 2010
Engineering
California

My mom said we were going to a better place, but when I came to the U.S. as a child, all that mattered to me was that I was going to see my dad again after a year of his absence. When, my mom and I arrived to my aunt’s house on a Friday night in December of 1996, we were given a bed surrounded by four walls of plywood sheets next to a trailer. We couldn’t stay inside the trailer because there were too many people sleeping there already. I later got a new school uniform and was excited to go to a school where I could get free lunches. I learned to speak, read and write English quickly and soon enough I became my parent’s translator as they started their own business and spoke to realtors about buying their own home. Throughout the process, I learned how to file taxes, how to read legal documents to protect my parents and how to manage a small business, but most importantly, through my parent’s hard work, I learned that hard work pays off.

It was not until high school that I realized I would not be able to fully enjoy the benefits of all of my hard work. While all my friends started to get their driver’s licenses, I had to remind myself that obtaining a driver’s license was not an option for me. This was not a big deal, until I realized that my legal status could potentially be an obstacle in applying to college. Contrary to common belief among friends and family, I learned that I was still eligible to apply to college; however, I would not be able to receive financial aid and was not eligible for most scholarships. I received acceptance after acceptance to schools that I could not afford. Fortunately I got accepted to Harvard, one of the few schools, which offered financial aid regardless of legal status. This seemed like a happy ending after much frustration, but I still had to figure out how I would get across the country from California to Massachusetts without an ID to present at the airport. I finally got a valid ID from my home country’s consulate, but each flight continues to be a nerve-racking experience.

Most of the time I can go on with life without having to worry about the obstacles of being undocumented, but from time to time, I have to cope with the irritating misconceptions that are publicized about my family members and with the frustration of waiting for others to decide what opportunities I will be given. Elections are upsetting because I do not have the right to vote and I am constantly reminded that I cannot study abroad or get a real job. Soon I will have to face even tougher obstacles in applying to medical school, graduate school, and getting a job. The option of going back to my home country will always be there, but my commitment lies in the American communities that have inspired me and shaped my values. For now, all I can do is to offer words of motivation to undocumented students who have not been as fortunate in reaching their academic dreams. I hope that you remember that your voice in support of the Dream Act can make a change in the lives of students around you and remind me that I came to a better place.