This is my dog Chuly. She literally means the world to me. Is it silly that a dog can mean everything to a person? No, not to me. Why? Because Chuly was once lost. She had no family and was on her own. One hot summer day, Chuly arrived on our front door step; frightened and in bad condition. We  saw her coming towards us, however she didn’t know is she should take the risk. We fed her some food, and though she was hesitant, she came forward.  We tossed a ball to her and you could tell she felt loved and at home. She was no longer alone, but as the day ended, Chuly was alone again. We all went inside and left our back gate open just in case she wanted to leave. We woke the next morning, and she was still there. lying on our front door step. It was as if she found her home. We didn’t chose her. She chose us.

Now, does this story matter to me? Chuly was alone and stranded for who knows how long. She was out in the real world . She didn’t know when a car was coming if she crossed the street. She didn’t have anyone to fill her water bowl or her food bowl.  Chuly was lost.  And though she is a dog, she makes me thankful everyday for what I am given. She makes me be thankful for my family and friends. She makes me be thankful  for my faith, talents health, education, and most of all the love and support. Not only does she make me thankful, but she makes me feel invincible. As if I can do anything in this world. My little pup is the world to me and I love her to death.

To the right is my family. My family are the one I turn to. Ok, so that’s what everyone says, but I really mean it. When I am around them, I can literally be a fool and wouldn’t care. I am who I am today because of them. If I’ve had a bad day at school, I remember that I couldn’t wait to get home and hug my parents, or tell my sister about how horrible of a day I had. I could not have been asked to be placed into any other family. My favorite part about my family is sitting at our dinner table and talking. Even after we’re done eating we can sit and chat about anything. Sharing the laughter and joy with them always makes me feel happier, but the best thing about my family is that we go to church. My faith plays an important part in my life. It keeps me on track and helps me with my struggles. I love being able to share faith with my family. It constantly is making us have a stronger bond with each other.

 This here is my cross country team. Being on cross country was probably one of the greatest experiences I’ve had in high school. For one it kept me in shape, but really it taught me how to be a strong person. I went into the sport having little background.  I wasn’t the greatest runner, and did the sport because I wanted to try something new. Turns out, I hated being in pain, but loved it at the same time, and though it sounds weird, I relate some of  my life experiences to cross country. In life, we’re all going to experience  highs and lows, but you can’t look back on your past because it will get in the way of your future. In XC terms: You run flats and hills, and in a race you don’t look back because it slows you down. In general running cross country has been an experience that keeps me moving throughout my life.

 Now, lastly, here is me. I am Andrea Rodriguez. I’m an average girl trying to get somewhere. I love picking out what I’m going to wear for the day, and doing my hair and makeup, but I also love read, run, and listen to music. I have a passion for these things. I wouldn’t just write them if I didn’t care for them. They are the daily things I do. I am also a current student at the University of Oregon. I have explained the most important things in my life, along with the most influential people  who love and support me (well and my dog). I want to pursue a degree in business, and one day become successful. I want to show people what I am capable of. I want to wow them. I aspire to be like all those strong women who made it somewhere in the world. I strive to be the best I can be, and though there are certain people who get in my way, I always try my best to disregard them. I have BIG dreams, but I start my achieving my goals one day at a time…I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m not giving up. I’d say, the race is long, but I enjoy every minute of it.