Many people have interesting stories about their origins. Some may feel that mine is just that, and others may not. I was born to a middle class family in San Jose. My family has never been very rich, nor have we ever been poor. My parents were well educated and had degrees to prove their education. My father worked as a thermodynamic engineer his entire post-college career, and my mother never worked in her field. One aspect of my family that is starting to diversify us is that we are a family of Christians. My parents always took their faith seriously, and so it inspired me to do the same. The faith I have, and the example of my parents, have both had a great impact on who I am today. Both of these factors helped me choose a school for myself when we moved to the Antelope Valley. I stayed at Desert Christian Schools from second grade until I graduated from high school. I liked studying there because the school was an environment where everyone knew everyone, and I liked this because I got along with most of the students there. One aspect of DesertChristian Schools that I miss is the daily Bible classes we took as part of our curriculum. Sometimes it felt like just another burden to add to my homework load, but looking back I realize that in those classes I felt like I was part of a community. In addition to the Bible lessons, I pursued other academic studies. In a standard curriculum, I found myself liking math and history, rather than any art form. I didn't hate music and writing was tolerable, but I couldn't stand drawing. For the most part, it seems that when given an assignment to draw something, it was an easy grade that required no effort. For me, drawing homework meant long agonizing nights, with... middle of paper.... ..we will offer the solution. One way to show what it means to follow Christ is to show kindness as often as possible, and a path to understanding the struggles and joys of a culture can only make it easier to find ways to serve that group of people. This is why, in the case of Mexican-American Studies, I will be interested in learning about immigration, language differences, and other issues plaguing Mexican culture. Mexican culture is seen throughout California, so applying the information I gain will be possible on a regular basis. I am a simple person, who comes from a simple background. I like to have fun, I learn and I have insecurities just like everyone else. I'm not perfect by any standard. I'm messy, I'm clumsy and I can be offensive at times. The only thing that sets me apart is that I follow Christ. Everything good in me comes from Christ, as strange as that may sound.