My mother was huge and pregnant when she traveled over to the states from Haiti. The creature tumbling in her belly would make an exit three months later in January 1994. As I grew up, I had to adapt to two different societal norms, but my parents were always more prominent. I am positive they were terrified the entire process hoping that their kids wouldn’t be brainwashed in a new country that they knew nothing about. Watching them maneuver as if they were not struggling to adapt gave me all the motivation, I would need to take on the world. I came up with the best principles, morals, and decorum from both my Haitian background and my American culture. That’s why I am certain I will continue to climb up the ladder of success.
Being raised the way I was I had a great balance of a west-Indian upbringing and an American adaptation. My Haitian family instilled things in me that show up in my work over and over again. The strictness I was ruled over with caused me to not fool around with my craft and actually do everything to my best ability. The richness and vibrancy from the island were always in my parents and they decorated our lives with things from their motherland. The colorful stimulation I received fueled my creativity and personality. Life in America was far less challenging in a lot of ways compared to over in Haiti. Even though I didn’t need certain skills, my parents always taught them to my siblings and I in case of an emergency. Knowing more than what would ever be required of me, left me filled with skills that I could always bring out as hidden talents. In both cultures however, I learned about struggle and determination. Americans seemed to be so nonchalant with everything. The life I knew in my home was strict, there was rules, regulations, and a system to always abide by. But when I stepped out of the door, I could do things my own way. No one was waiting to hold your hand or guide you. There were no standards for how you should run your life. The American society had this “do what works for you” attitude and I loved it. The life I wanted to live hung in the balances of the two spectrums and I was honored to be born into two very diverse cultures.