We walked through the maze called Macys .We was looking for the perfect kindergarten graduation dress. I began whining to my mother “but I want PURPLE.” Although I was whining I was careful knowing that if my mom began her lecture on respect there would be no McDonalds involved.

My mom was desperately trying to trick my five year old mind that “pink is the best color for a girl like me.” I was stubborn I had to have what I wanted.

My mother is loving , kind, and supporting, but she is very strict. Not you’re grounded for a week strict, silent treatment from everyone else and being cooped up doing absolutely nothing, strict. There are two sides two my mother The Little Mermaid and Ursula, and when Ursula’s onto you it takes a lot to turn into the little mermaid again.

Suddenly in the same aisle a girl let out a bloodcurdling scream that could possibly shatter windows. A little girl about the same age as me had unleashed that roar. She yelled at her mom “don’t you ever touch me again!” If I ever even thought about saying something to my mother like that my mouth would be cut ear to ear. That might seem violent to some people but that’s just how she grew up, able to respect her elders.

There are some greatly different values and morals from New York City and Conakry. (Where I was born) In NYC, it’s normal to go down a street and hear someone curse. It’s normal to treat the sky above you, the water you drink and the ground under you with such an egregious amount of disrespect.

No matter how I saw people disrespect their parents I just couldn’t.

In Conakry, everything is treated in a special way and everyone is your uncle aunt or cousin. To disrespect, yet, your parent that way is foreign way to me .I realize I can’t speak that way to my parents because of all of the sacrifices they have made for me
My dad left Conakry, me and my mother when I was nine months old, it was the year 2002.

After 3 years I saw my dad for the first time.

The pain he went through to leave his family and all he’s ever known and my mother learning English and working shifts at nights while attending school to be a licensed practical nurse is what drives me.

It is what drives me to wake at 5:00 every morning it is what drives me to go to school even when I am sick and tired.

It is what motivates me to be the best that I can be .So that their suffering does not fall in vain.