”We are moving to California,” my father said. “This is a great opportunity for a better education.” My father had just arrived at our apartment in Queens, New York City from a long business trip. When he told me, I did not know what to think. This must have been the third time already, having to move from Korea to Poland and back, and then from Korea to New York right after. Though I felt uncomfortable moving frequently, it made me learn to avoid attachments to my surroundings. I felt like I had nothing to hold on to anymore; it seemed like I would have to leave everything behind again.
Despite the challenges, these events also brought me to a positive realization of what is important in my life, one being my family. When we lived in New York, my family and I did not have much; however, as a family we were there for each other. My mother, sister, brother and I settled in a single bedroom apartment, while my father was away for business. My uncles, cousins and grandparents lived in the same neighborhood, so we had many gatherings, which drew us all close together. Since my relatives were so involved in my life, I inevitably gained support and guidance from them, which helped me find the second important thing to hold on to, my dream. As I increasingly recognized and valued the support of my family, I gained motivation and focus toward my dream of becoming a nurse.
My mother and grandfather especially influenced me. My mother has been a nurse for many years; vividly observing her work made me realize that I wanted to pursue something similar. Although my mom played a great role in the realization of my dreams, my grandfather is the one who most significantly impacted my decision to choose nursing as my focus. By the time I was in high school, I was in California and my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer. I was told that he was alone most of the time in the hospital, because the rest of the family was working and could not visit. I decided to miss a week of school and flew to New York to take care of him. I did not regret my decision. When I was nurturing my grandfather, I felt like my actions were of a real nurse, benefiting another with positive efforts.
Now that my focus is set, I am eager to get on track for the opportunity to pursue nursing as a career. I hope that college will give me the chance to get started and contribute to the community in positive ways. My experiences and transitions have given me sensitivity to other people’s challenges and the desire to serve with an understanding of an individual’s situation. Ultimately, I am looking forward to encountering new ideas and different perspectives through collaboration with my peers while gaining a further understanding of how I can help people through my chosen career.