Honduras

One of my school mentors first told me about Bella. At the time, back in 2013, I didn’t think I would make it to college. I didn’t think it would happen to me.

I was applying to anything that I fit into the requirements. I learned from my family, everything requires effort. Even though what you’re facing is hard, there’s always a way through.

My school counselor helped me prepare my application. She pointed out the requirements and asked me if I thought I was eligible. She was my support.

I’m from Honduras. English is my second language. Family plays a big role in the way you act and how you approach problems. My parents had to work, so my grandma raised me, and we were really close. She taught me not to overreact to stuff that other people say.

Coming from another place, people will perceive you as a different character. Just know that that’s going to happen and try your best to change the way that people perceive you and show them that you’re not that person.

I usually call her every month now that I’m in the U.S. Every time I talk to her, everything has a reason to continue. She keeps me motivated. She taught me how to be a good person. She taught me that if you fall down, get right back up. It’s hard. A lot of time, you feel like if you fall down, you feel “I can’t.”

When I came here, I came with my mom. After a year, we emigrated. I thought that my mom and my dad would stay together as a family, but they got separated, so that was a hard time.

Now I understand other people when they go through hard times and they don’t see any reason to live or to do the good things in life.

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I was really sad, and it affected me a lot, even though I understood why they separated. I had to be an example for my little sister.

Home is your first school in life. It teaches you how to be a good person.