The reality of the “Dream” is the driving passion in most people regardless of age, sex, and cultural background. Everyone grows up having dreams. The way of life in California has developed many different ways they believe the California dream is like. People might have different definitions of what they would prefer in their “California Dream.” The California Dream is what we would consider “is simply a vision of the good life” (Rawls 22). It can be full of happiness, money, love, food, cars, whatever you desire; everyone has a different opinion. One person’s California Dream may be totally different from someone else’s and that is what makes us all individuals in this country. In the Circuit stories from the life of a migrant child, Under the wire, the author, Francisco Jimenez has brought an independent but intertwined stories follow a migrant family through their circuit, who works hard under the worst of circumstances. Impermanence and poverty define their lives. But with faith, hope, and back-breaking work, the family endures. They believed that once they cross la frontera, they’ll make a good living in California, “it is true that life is better there” (Jimenez 4). This story really impressed me that we shouldn’t be disappointed if we want to reach to our dreams, which might be our goals in the future. We should keep going and never quit. This story reminds my story come to California, but fortunately we didn’t come under the wire like the story of this migrant child. My husband and I moved to California more than three years ago with lots of realities and dreams. Our California dreams would include opportunity and success in education and career, economic issue, social welfare, and freedom.
Opportunity and success in our education and career is the most important reason for our decision to move to California. My husband and I are from Iran. We moved to California more than three years ago for continuing our education and finding an appropriate job. Before we came to California we searched in the internet and found out California has lots of good and famous colleges and universities. As I always had dream to work at a dentist office, I decided to study Dental Hygiene and to get my bachelor degree in UOP (University of Pacific), which is my big California Dream. I hope after I graduate I could find a good job as well, which is also my dream. My husband is an electrical engineer and he always had a dream to work in a big utility company. He started to work at PG&E Company after we moved to California. He is happy with his job because it’s a big and famous utility company in California, which might help him to get more promotion and progress in his career. “Opportunity and success, these promises are at the heart of the California” (Rawls 23). Most immigrants like us dreamed of the day when they could migrate to the land of opportunity like California. The California Dream is really so named due to the opportunity, which seemingly exists only here in California, for an ambitious person to be able to be an outstanding success through their own hard work and determination. People strive to achieve their own dream. Some people, already here in California, chase their dream by wanting to be more successful than their parents, and others that migrate into this country chase their dream by giving up everything just to get here and have the opportunity to succeed like my husband and I. We decided to leave our family and our country and coming to California because we like to be more successful in our life and reach to our goals and dreams.
In addition to our education and career, economic issue is another reason for choosing California as a dream land to live. “If California were a separate nation, it would be one of the world’s major economic powers” (Rawls 29). It is a rich state in terms of agriculture, entertainment, business, and industry. Especially, Silicon Valley, in North California, is a land of dream for most engineers. For example, since my husband is an engineer, he knew there would be many career opportunities for him in California, which would impact our life economically. Everybody have a dream to reach the power of wealth and money as my husband and I have also. Since it’s a challenge to own a house in California, it might make us to think more about money and financial aspects in our life. Spooner in his article, a new perspective on the dream describes a house, which is really our California dream. He explains “embodied in single-family house, located on large lots, surrounded by landscaped lawns, and isolated from business activities” (41). Images of having California ranch houses, red wood decks and patios, outdoor barbecues and a big swimming pool is always makes us to think more about the economic and saving. Rawls in his article, California, goes so far to assert that “money-making is a kind of fixed mania for many Californians, and the evidence of California’s riches is plain enough” (28). Therefore, people should care more about money and economic if they want to reach their dream house, their dream car, and other dreams, which they have to pay for it.
Besides economic issue, social welfare is another reason for choosing California as a state to live. Spooner in his article, a new perspective on the dream, mentions that “many exciting things there would be to do for fun and entertainment in California” (45). When I was a kid, I always like to come to the U.S. especially California because of some fun and entertainment places like: Disneyland, Six flags, and Hollywood. I loved to go to the Disneyland and talk to some famous characters like Cinderella, and Mickey mouse. It was my dream when I was a kid. I remember two years ago when I went to Disneyland for the first time, I realized my childhood dream came true and had lots of fun there. Besides, the nice weather and spectacular view of mountain and ocean in California really helps to improve our life style. Rawls in his article, California says that “warmth and sunshine, more glowing promises of the California dream” (23). My husband and I always had a dream to live in place like California, which have a very nice and sunny weather. The sun makes us to feel good, happy, and more energy to live. Also we love hiking in the mountains of California, which they are green, and spectacular. Therefore, my husband and I are satisfied of living in California because it let us to reach to our dream for better social welfare.
In addition to social welfare, freedom is another reason that makes the California a dream land for many people around the world. Many immigrants from many countries have come to California looking for a better way of life. In the past and present days, many countries did not provide freedom and quality of life many yearned for. For instance, my country, Iran, is like some countries, which does not provide the freedom and liberty of criticizing about a thing which you think is wrong. Also women cannot walk in the street without veil. They should complete cover for their hair and bodies. Besides veil, there are other stuffs, which people should obey the government rule in Iran. For example, I remember a day that my husband and I went to Napa Valley, which is located in California State. There are lots of wineries in Napa Valley, which they are very huge, beautiful, and famous. One of the owners of these wineries is Iranian, and the name of the winery is Dariush, which is a very famous and beautiful winery in Napa Valley. The owner of Dariush winery is successful in California, but if he was in Iran he couldn’t establish a winery because alcohol is forbidden in Iran. Nobody have to eat alcohol, otherwise they will fall to lots of problems, like going to the jail and torture. Therefore, to be free from some stupid forces from government rule was one of our big California dream. Rawls in his article notifies that “freedom, outdoor living, and romance, those are also the bright lights of California Dream” (24). My husband and I really love California because of freedom of everything, which we think is right to do.
To sum up, people should know that we live in a working class society and our dream is what we make of it. If we live in this country don’t expect everything to be handed to us on a silver platter. If we want to succeed in life and our dreams come true we have to work for it. Even though this country is full of opportunity, it doesn’t mean that it will come easy. People made this country out to be perfect, where everything comes easy and if we live here we will automatically have a wonderful life. Just like anywhere else we have to work for our dreams to be successful. We know in our lifetime, we will come across many obstacles and we know they won’t be easy, but if we put our strong foot forward, we can conquer anything, our California Dream.
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