Carranza1 Monica Carranza A Career Que quieres ser cuando seas grande, what do you want to be when you

grow up? my parents asked me. They seem hopeful wanting me to say a lawyer, a doctor, a business person, but no, not me. I simply answered them with one word Arquitecta. I could see in their expression that they thought I was joking. They started to chuckle a little. My dad half laughing said, Que es eso? I explained to him what it was; then he responded, Por que eso? Eso es para hombres. I answered him with a stern tone, If boys can do it why cant a girl? He looked at me, realizing I was serious. I could see that to them becoming an architect was too little, it promised nothing in return. They wanted me to become something more, but what is more? An architect helps society just like a doctor. They help people have a roof on their head and call something theirs. But I understood what they were saying; they put all their effort to give my sisters and me an education so we could become someone and then give back to them. An architect, they thought, would not give them back anything. They had not realized however, that I wanted to be an architect to help them have their own home. I know that my parents dream is to own a house: a well-built structure to call home. The stories they told me about their childhood, full of poverty and the lack of resources encouraged me to want to be an architect. The anecdotes of their past make me think of how privileged we are to live in a place where opportunities are gifted to us, unlike children in other countries who will grow up not even knowing of what they can really accomplish.

Carranza2 My grandmas house is made out of dirt blocks. Its floor adorned with the greenest material, dirt. The kitchen is separated from the house. The doors: pieces of wood tied up together. The roof made from metal sheets. The restroom, a square, four walls made out of adobe, is across the property. There are only two rooms with a porch and the risk of frogs coming in or snakes appearing on top of the roof. A house so poorly built, yet holds so many memories to everyone. This little house, also a contribution to my dream, made me realize that just simplicity can give so many people huge joy. That is why I plan on going to other places around the world to build houses for people in even greater need. Maybe a little house can make a few people happier. Most young people, when we are faced with the simple question, What do you want to be when you are older? just answer anything, not really thinking the reason behind it. When we put our thoughts to it, we become aware that our family, our story, is what drives us to that career. No career is important than the other as long as one has the passion for it and the desire to help others. For me, architecture ensures both qualities: passion and humility, taught to me by my parents. I will build my parents their own house one day and will do what I promised my grandma; I will fix her house.