It is indeed true that the good things in life are free, but what most people fail to notice is that the greatest things in life, however, come with a enormous amount of sacrifice, difficulty, tenacity, hard work and determination. Everyone takes advantage of nice things, after all they are free and easy! Not everyone, however, takes advantage of the greatest things life has to offer. I don't blame them, quite simply, it's extremely easy to be lazy. Why put elbow grease into one, when the other is easy? I'll tell you why. This is a story of hard work, sacrifice, devastation, faith, desperation, perseverance and determination. My name is Maria de Los Angeles Delaz and this is my story. I was a normal teenager, most people who know me said I lived a very sheltered life, that I lived in a luxurious glass bubble where the world was. fantastic and dandy. My family was perfect, mom and dad were in love since childhood in Cuba. They lived next to each other, went to school together, got married, had me and moved to Madrid, Spain; where my mother's family was waiting for us with open arms. Four years later my sister Aida arrived and two years later my little brother Alfredo came into the world. We came to California with the great “American Dream” in mind. For us, higher education, job stability and freedom. Both of my parents worked from home and when high school came around I was dropped from LAUSD and started homeschooling. We were a very close family. Everyone knew what each other was doing, we ate all three meals together, watched the same shows, and even had a family night, where Monopoly was a must for the family. Everything was... middle of paper... what her heart told her was right for her. A Maria who lived life to the fullest. A Mary who would soon help people and be proud to let everyone know that Western Washington University helped her achieve her happiness, helped her achieve her lifelong dream. Why Western? Some people might answer for the beautiful campus and its beautiful surroundings. Others might say, because it's close to the Canadian border and the ethnic variation between the US and Canada would be something I'd like to experience. What is my answer? Because I know that Western Washington University is the key to my success. I know that Western Washington will help me reach my full potential, I know that I will achieve my dream of becoming a doctor, and I want Western to be the person I thank. I've been a diamond in the rough for too long, the Western will polish me. It's my time to shine.