As children we’re raised to never take anything for granted. We’re taught to be thankful for everything we have and everything that has ever been done for us. With that in mind, most grow up forgetting that valuable lesson. My presence here, in the United States, reinforces the idea of gratitude. I’ll never take for granted the leap of faith my parents took in order for me to live as I do today.

I was born in a refugee camp somewhere outside of Nairobi, Kenya. My parents emigrated from their war-torn homeland in southern Sudan in hopes of escaping the effects of the civil war. It’s hard to imagine my parents walking for miles and miles, taking any type of transportation available to get as far away as possible. Even more difficult to grasp is the idea of them leaving behind the only place they’ve ever called home.

The refugee camp was overcrowded and the blistering heat only made conditions worse. With such a large population, clean water and food was an issue. One family was given a bowl of grain or wheat and a cup of oil for food. On average, a family survived 15 days on those rations.

Medical assistance was even more lacking. People died from easily curable diseases because of the shortage of medicine. I was very sick as a baby. My father worked odd jobs and even went as far as selling his clothes to pay for the medicine to keep me alive.

I was too young to recall any memories from the camp, but my parents often tell me stories. Nighttime was the scariest for everyone. Families often packed their belongings in anticipation for sundown. The reason is because the rebels came out at night. They shot their rifles at the tents, forcing everyone to flee. In the midst of the chaos, the rebels raided the tents taking anything that could be of value to them including clothes, blankets, food, and even the tent itself. As soon as they left, the refugees would return. Those who were lucky enough to pack ahead kept most of their belongings for another day.

The conditions in the refugee camp were awful. It was not the environment in which my parents wanted to raise a child. They left southern Sudan to have a better chance at life, but what they found was another equally detestable situation.

By some miracle, an opportunity had arisen for relocation in the United States. My family was desperate and this was everything they could have ever dreamed of and more. My father was skeptical at first. He thought, “What if this turns out to be a big mistake?” Imagine being in their position. Again, they were leaving behind everything, but on a much larger scale. Neither of my parents had ever heard of United States. They didn’t speak a word of English. They were preparing to uproot our makeshift lives and move thousands of miles to a foreign country on an uncertain promise of a better future.

Hope inspired my parents to actively seek the opportunity to relocate. They hoped that by relocating they would give me a chance at a better life and a brighter future. Words cannot express my gratitude for everything my parents have done for me. I’m living a great life and my future is promising.

I’m appreciative of all of the opportunities here in the United States, especially the education. I work hard in school and do well. But I find it disappointing when some of my classmates take for granted the amazing opportunity they have. They treat their education as if it has no value. There are millions of children around the world, especially in Africa, who would do anything to trade places with those students.

The reason for the behavior of a few of my classmates is rooted in many issues. The most apparent contributor is society. From a moral perspective, society values a good education, but when it comes down to it there seems to be more pressing concerns. Instead of instilling the value of education, society allows the popularization of “teenage behavior,” the idea that “kids will be kids,” which results in more and more teens being irresponsible and accepting, for example, the idea that drinking rather than doing algebra homework is okay.

In addition to cultural influences, aspects of their daily lives reinforce their behavior. For example, parental support is a factor. If students don’t have someone at home to encourage them with their school work and remind them of its importance, then they’re more likely to stop trying than someone who does. Also, the hurdles these students encounter on their paths in life have an effect on everything they do. Those who started out on a tougher path tend to be more motivated to aspire considering their situation. The life paths that have been generally easy often produce people who continue to coast.

Regardless of which excuses those students use, there really is no justification for a wasted opportunity. Not everyone is blessed with the same opportunities in life; therefore, we should take advantage of the ones we have. We’ve all started out on different paths, but it is our responsibility as individuals to further ourselves despite our circumstances. My personal path, the path of an immigrant in search of peace and opportunity, has made me who I am today. The lesson I learned along that path was to not sit idly as opportunities presented themselves.

Nya Lony will be a senior this fall at Albert Lea High School where she is the editor of the student newspaper, the AhLaHaSa.