Celeste L
Language Arts, Per 3
July 17, 1995

Seattle is completely different from the country where I grew up. When I was in my country, I never thought about my future, i.e., college and living on my own, because all I thought about was how to get out of the life I was in. The day I stepped into this city, my life began to take shape.

Before I lived in Seattle I grew up feeling as if I were living everyone else's decisions. I felt like a "puppet." Everyone told me what to do and what not to do, what to say and what not to say, what to wear as well as where and which way to go. The day I arrived in Seattle, I felt a big change in my life. I am now learning to be an independent person.

People here allow me to make my own decisions. For example, I choose my own clothes, when to go out with friends and what school to attend. The person who allows me the most freedom is my mom whom I am living with right now. What is wonderful, is that these people never turn their backs during those times that I cannot decide; they are there to help me decide, but never to tell me what to do. Now that I am away from the old life-where people make decisions for me- I have started to prepare for my college studies by joining the University of Washington's Upward Bound Program. This program is helping me to graduate earlier from high school, and get into college. I am now aiming to get good grades for as long as possible. I am even starting to plan what coarse I am going to take in college.

The city of Seattle gives color to my life. However, the people are the most important part that makes me who I am.