Reflective Essay: The American Dream

According to the latest census, 9 million people identify as being mixed-race. With the cultural diversity of America growing rapidly each year, students who used to worry about fitting in are now trying to find ways to stand out. I'm very proud to represent the small, landlocked country of Tajikistan that most of my American friends know little to nothing about. But, I'm even prouder to embrace a future full of success and promise as I'm determined to make my own version of the American dream a reality when I get to college.
Life hasn't always been easy for me. Back in Dushanbe, my school didn't offer very challenging courses because the teachers thought that since students didn’t pay that much attention; there was no point in offering students challenging courses. I neither supported nor liked this idea of education system because I knew something for sure that the potential of students
Being there for almost three years, I have had a lot of influence on both my friends and my teachers. For example, I remember that my 10th grade English teacher thought that I was a student who didn’t even know how to write clearly. However, the next year, I studied diligently and focused on my academics and when I started taking another level of English course from the same teacher, the teacher was shocked. She even said “I couldn’t believe my eyes how you were a student who used to translate when you were writing. However, now, your writing skills have improved so much that it exhibits skillful use of language.” My teachers were thrilled to have me in their classes which, of course, made my transition to the states much easier and much more pleasant. I also have had an influence on my friends by being an exemplary student both characteristically and academically. Basically, I gave them a valuable message saying “If an international student can ace all the challenging courses that my school has to offer, why I