04.03.08
College? What’s that?…..
As I mentioned in my biography, I come from a Ukrainian-Russian family background. The educational system in the country I come from is very different from what we have here in the States. My parents both finished “high school” or ten grades of basic school. My dad, Yuriy, went on to expand more in his education to something that would be compared to a “university”. I believe he finished four years there, and got some sort of degree in the electrician field. My mom, Anna, after finishing the basic education school went to a sewing school. She got two years of education there and finished all the requirements for the program. I am the oldest in my family and therefore also the first person from my family to go to college. When I just started, I really had no idea what I was doing. My parents did not help me with applying or choosing where to go, because they haven’t gone to college here and don’t really know how the system works. After high school, I was completely on my own. I got denied financial aid and my parents decided that they were not going to pay for college because they paid for my three years of private school and have already put a lot of money towards my education. I am currently on my third term in Chemeketa and I am very proud of myself and where I got so far. However, my parents have always been there for me and helped me along the way. My dad actually pays for my book and all the required fees. That helps a whole lot. Being the first to go to college from my family was kind of scary because I was so unsure about what I was supposed to do and which career path to choose. But there are people at Chemeketa that have helped me very much on getting started. 
jake talley said,
June 9, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I was just really interested in why you are not attending a University. I mean just reading your blog. it sounds that you want to achive alot more. and you are only offered so much in a community college. so why not?