Cecilia Portugal
I came to this country alone five years ago from Peru.
In Peru I worked as a teacher's assistant while I studied Child Development. When I was twenty-four I dreamed of coming to the United States to make a better future for myself and my family. To prepare myself for life in the U.S., I spent two years taking classes in English, driving, cooking, massage, and cosmetology so that I would have alternative employment options if needed.
I left Peru when I was twenty-six, bringing with me many hopes and dreams. My decision to migrate to the U.S. was very difficult for my parents to accept, but as always, they gave me their love and support. My parents are an important inspiration in my life. My father grew up in an indigenous community in the Peruvian mountains, illiterate and without even speaking Spanish. To better himself, he started studying, first to become a professor, then a lawyer, until he became a judge. As a judge, he has dedicated himself to helping the poorest and most vulnerable communities, and despite widespread corruption, my father has remained straight and honest. At the age of sixty-six, he still serves an indigenous community in the rainforest.
My father has taught me that we can achieve great things if we study and work hard to achieve them, and from him I have inherited the desire to help others. Upon arriving in San Francisco, I started working as a babysitter but I knew I had the potential for something more, so I found work at Katherine Michiels School as a preschool teacher. In the three years I have been working at KMS, I have directed various projects. Every year I teach the children new dances and songs in Spanish which they perform at the annual fundraiser. I also teach Spanish and art, and have organized art shows to present the students' art. I directed the kindergarten summer program three years in a row. I offer counseling to parents who are having trouble with their children and I resolve conflicts between students according to the philosophy of the school. Most importantly, I always give my best and do my job with love and dedication.
Life here has not been so easy. In order to support myself all alone and send money to my family, I have to work forty-five hours or more a week at KMS as well as babysit nights and weekends. I have realized that the only way I will be able to improve my situation is to keep studying, which is why I started taking classes at City College.
My biggest dream is to be able to resume my studies full time and finish my career as an elementary school teacher because I have always loved teaching. As a bilingual teacher I believe I can help immigrant Latino children by being able to communicate with them in Spanish, instead of allowing language to be a barrier for them to learn and develop normally, condemning them to fall behind.
One day I dream of using my education and experience to make a difference in the poorest communities of Peru. I dream of going to the indigenous communities in the mountains and building a non-profit educational center that would not only be a hub of learning, but also the beginning of a better future for the community. I would like to work with the women of the mountains and teach them that they are the most important teacher in the lives of their children. I believe that as they involve themselves in the intellectual development of their children and teach them to believe in themselves, they can contribute to creating a better future for their children and their community.
Finishing my education and becoming a teacher will mark an important achievement for myself and my family, as well as give me the opportunity to pursue my dream of helping others and making a difference in the world.