Hispanic+Heritage+Essay+ICS16TOR

 "Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Till your good is better and your better is best." This quote was told to me by my dad when I was about eight years old. This quote reflects his pasts experiences, but also encompasses the fact that there is always room for improvement. Imagine that you are about 27 years old and you go to live in another country, having to leave the place you called home all your life. For my parents, home was Cartagena, Colombia. Knowing that it was better for their own and for their future children's future, they decided to move to the United States. Even with their personal and work-related problems, they had hope that it would all pay off one day.

Cartagena, Colombia is home to more than 800,000 residents (Cartagena). In the third-world country of Colombia, more than 127 million people are living on less than $2 a day. because of employment issues, these people can't do anything about their poverty, and rely on kind pedestrians for money or food (Colombia Facts about Poverty). The kidnapping rate was very high, but it's been on decline since 2003 (17 Interesting Facts). But, since 2003 was before my parents had decided to move out of the country, the kidnapping rate was at a high while they were still living in Cartagena. Colombia, as a country, was the highest producer of cocaine, meaning that their drug levels were high. Also, the school expectancy was only 13-14 years old because of financial issues (South America). All of these things were factors in my parents deciding to move from Colombia, for the good of themselves and their future children.

Born and raised in Cartagena, Colombia, my parents had been good friends since high school. Raised by well-rounded parents and surrounded by good friends, my parents, Saul and Rita Torres, always had a dream in their minds, to be successful. Attending the University of Cartagena, my father got his first degree in dentistry in 1989. Before moving to America, he worked as a dentist in his hometown. But, hospitals and medical facilities in Colombia tend to always be very overcrowded (Colombia Facts). This meant that my dad couldn't have the work environment he wanted. Realizing that he couldn't have the life that he wanted, he knew that he had to do something about it. After careful consideration, my dad moved to the United States to pursue his dentistry career. Not having enough money to keep a stable life by himself, some family friends in Chicago gladly took him into their apartment. Although he didn't have the life he was hoping for at the moment, Saul kept his hopes high and was later accepted into the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, an Ivy League school, also called Penn University. For someone who is completely new to the country and did not know much English, this was a great milestone to have reached. Around this time, my mom immigrated to America as well, and stayed with the same family friends as well. But, during his time at school, my parents had their first child in 2000, my brother, Sebastian. Then, in 2002, I was born, also in Chicago, Illinois. Because my dad was studying in Pennsylvania at the time, my mom took care of me and my brother until Saul finally graduated in 2003.

After getting married, Saul and Rita decided that it would be better to move to Florida because of violence in Chicago. So, our small family of four moved to Tampa, Florida. We bought our own apartment home in Tampa, and we later bought our present-day house. But, in 2004, my sister, Sophia, was born. After her birth, the house was finished and we finally moved in. Of course, my parents needed a way to make money. So, my dad got his own dentistry business, which he still owns today, and another job at a dentist office in Bradenton, Florida. After about five years, when my sister could now start attending school, my mom joined my dad at his personal office A couple years after that, Saul's office really started to have so much business, that he could finally leave his other job in Bradenton. Today, Saul and Rita have acheived their life-long dream of being successful, and even better, they did it together.

After years of long struggles, Saul and Rita are at a very good place in their lives. With their business being very successful, and their own children aspiring to be something great someday, they are very happy. Now, Saul can happily say, "Moving to this country was the best decision of my life." The endeavors that they faced as immigrants were hard, but without them, they wouldn't be where they are today. But, my parents will never forget where they came from. Saul and Rita, with their children, take annual trips back to their hometown, Cartagena. These two people are great examples of immigrants overcoming struggles because they overcame them, and succeeded. But, Saul does not think that this is all he is capable of. With the help of his wife and kids, Saul is taking the familiar virtue of hope into action everyday of his life. Saul knows,and also tells his kids, that he cannot stop until his better is his absolute best.

"17 Interesting Facts about Colombia." //Go Weird Facts//. Weird Facts, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. []
 * Works Cited: **
 * I know the notes that I took from this website are valid because I saw the same facts on another website.

"Cartagena, Colombia." //Wikipedia //. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 May 2016. <[]>.
 * I know this is a good source because our teacher recommended it to us.

"Colombia Facts and Culture." //Colombia Facts, Culture, Recipes, Language, Government, Eating, Geography, Maps, History, Weather, News, Economy, Family, Fashion, Events//. Country Reports, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2016. <[]>.
 * This website is a good source because we use it in class and the teacher recommended it to us.

"Colombia Facts about Poverty." //Opportunity International//. Opportunity International., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. []
 * I know this is a good source because the notes are accurate. I know these notes are accurate because I have been to Colombia and I saw these facts on other general websites.

"South America: Colombia." //The World Factbook//. World Factbok, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2016. <[]>.
 * I know that this website is a good source because it was provided and recommended by the technology teacher.