first draft, i will like some constructive criticism
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 8:55 pm
As I walked through the doors of my parents home from a recent trip back to my home
country Ethiopia, I was greeted with numerous questions; however one question seemed
to keep coming up. If I liked the country and had plans of ever returning on a permanent
status. Which for me was a hard question to answer, at that time it had been close to two
decades since I left my homeland. While my stay in Ethiopia was filled with great memories
and experiences, I felt that I no longer had the ties that I once did to my country, mainly due
to fact that I had fully assimilated to the American culture. As a result I felt like a foreigner in
my country and was greeted as such. Discussing this with my parents, I can see that they
were disappointed in my decision. Which resulted in me asking why we came to America in
the first place.
My father looked right into my eyes and let out a huge sigh and said “I guess you were
too young to remember and maybe it is time I tell you my story, and how it affects your
story.” My father leaned back and started to telling me his story.“When you were four
Ethiopia was in a political unrest, at that time I was involved in politics. As the unrest
reached a boiling point and fearing persecution from the government I was forced to leave
the country, my family and seek refuge in a sovereign country. I made it to America, with
the fear of being persecuted if I ever came back to that country, and with my wife and my
children in my heart and on my mind I went to work on securing a permanent citizenship in
American and being able to reunite with my family once again.”
At that point I said you succeeded in doing that, you must have worked really hard I am
impressed that you knew at that time how to navigate through the immigration process
without a real understanding of America or even the language itself. My father laughed
and said “I did not do it by myself a lawyer helped me. Actually I do not consider him just a
lawyer but a friend he helped me file the right paperwork, negotiated my case and helped
me secure political asylum status which ultimately ledto all of us being here. If it was not for
the lawyer’s help, I would not be here, you would not be here, the rest of the family would
not be here and our future would not be so bright.”
At that point I started to think about his story and how the lawyer had such an impact on the
outcome of my father’s future, and how without the help of the lawyer my father would not
have been able to secure his citizenship or ours. The more I thought about his story the
more I started developing an interest in being a lawyer, I started imagining what it would
be like to sit down with clients, drafting up documents that would have profound effects on
their lives or helping the clients negotiate their specific situation. Most individuals lack the
necessary skills or the know how to draft up legal documents or have the ability to negotiate
in a legal manner and I knew that I would be good at helping them do that. Nonetheless, I
was in my second semester of my senior year in college and was graduating with a finance
degree and wanted to utilize that degree to the fullest.
However, recently my interest in being a lawyer was revived as I started developing a
company with my brother. I was involved in every aspect of the company, from developing
the website to writing the business plan. Yet it was not until I started drafting and negotiating
the sales contract that I knew that I wanted to do this for a career. While some might view
my drive to attend law school as me turning my back on utilizing my finance degree, I see it
as the next step. In order for me to be able to be a civil litigator so I can negotiate contracts
or draft up legal documents I need to be able to combine my finance degree with a law
degree.
My interest in civil litigation and law in general has continued to grow, I have spent
countless hours reading and gaining useful information about law school and I cannot wait
for the challenge. I feel prepared to study law and the information sessions that I have
attended at law schools has confirmed my desire. I look forward to starting my legal career
soon.
As a law student, I know that I will be surrounded with smart and talented people from all
walks of life with many experiences and stories to share and I look forward to sharing my
experiences and stories and learning the necessary skills that will help me accomplish my
goals.
country Ethiopia, I was greeted with numerous questions; however one question seemed
to keep coming up. If I liked the country and had plans of ever returning on a permanent
status. Which for me was a hard question to answer, at that time it had been close to two
decades since I left my homeland. While my stay in Ethiopia was filled with great memories
and experiences, I felt that I no longer had the ties that I once did to my country, mainly due
to fact that I had fully assimilated to the American culture. As a result I felt like a foreigner in
my country and was greeted as such. Discussing this with my parents, I can see that they
were disappointed in my decision. Which resulted in me asking why we came to America in
the first place.
My father looked right into my eyes and let out a huge sigh and said “I guess you were
too young to remember and maybe it is time I tell you my story, and how it affects your
story.” My father leaned back and started to telling me his story.“When you were four
Ethiopia was in a political unrest, at that time I was involved in politics. As the unrest
reached a boiling point and fearing persecution from the government I was forced to leave
the country, my family and seek refuge in a sovereign country. I made it to America, with
the fear of being persecuted if I ever came back to that country, and with my wife and my
children in my heart and on my mind I went to work on securing a permanent citizenship in
American and being able to reunite with my family once again.”
At that point I said you succeeded in doing that, you must have worked really hard I am
impressed that you knew at that time how to navigate through the immigration process
without a real understanding of America or even the language itself. My father laughed
and said “I did not do it by myself a lawyer helped me. Actually I do not consider him just a
lawyer but a friend he helped me file the right paperwork, negotiated my case and helped
me secure political asylum status which ultimately ledto all of us being here. If it was not for
the lawyer’s help, I would not be here, you would not be here, the rest of the family would
not be here and our future would not be so bright.”
At that point I started to think about his story and how the lawyer had such an impact on the
outcome of my father’s future, and how without the help of the lawyer my father would not
have been able to secure his citizenship or ours. The more I thought about his story the
more I started developing an interest in being a lawyer, I started imagining what it would
be like to sit down with clients, drafting up documents that would have profound effects on
their lives or helping the clients negotiate their specific situation. Most individuals lack the
necessary skills or the know how to draft up legal documents or have the ability to negotiate
in a legal manner and I knew that I would be good at helping them do that. Nonetheless, I
was in my second semester of my senior year in college and was graduating with a finance
degree and wanted to utilize that degree to the fullest.
However, recently my interest in being a lawyer was revived as I started developing a
company with my brother. I was involved in every aspect of the company, from developing
the website to writing the business plan. Yet it was not until I started drafting and negotiating
the sales contract that I knew that I wanted to do this for a career. While some might view
my drive to attend law school as me turning my back on utilizing my finance degree, I see it
as the next step. In order for me to be able to be a civil litigator so I can negotiate contracts
or draft up legal documents I need to be able to combine my finance degree with a law
degree.
My interest in civil litigation and law in general has continued to grow, I have spent
countless hours reading and gaining useful information about law school and I cannot wait
for the challenge. I feel prepared to study law and the information sessions that I have
attended at law schools has confirmed my desire. I look forward to starting my legal career
soon.
As a law student, I know that I will be surrounded with smart and talented people from all
walks of life with many experiences and stories to share and I look forward to sharing my
experiences and stories and learning the necessary skills that will help me accomplish my
goals.