Unfortunately, after I was discharged, I struggled to adjust and ended up dropping out of high school.
That same year, I moved to Mississippi with my mom to help take care of my sick grandmother. I briefly enrolled at Hinds Community College, but I wasn’t mentally ready and dropped out after just a few short weeks. For a long time, I was paralyzed by fear and self-doubt. I felt unsure about my future.
Then one day, things changed. I discovered my passion for teaching. Helping people from around the world learn English on the HiNative app opened my eyes to how much I enjoyed teaching English as a second language. More than that, I had a shift in mentality. I realized that I was a much better student than that boy who had dropped out of college. That I wasn’t just a failure—I was someone with potential, and I was determined to prove that to myself. So, I earned my GED, enrolled at San Bernardino Valley College, and worked hard to graduate. Eventually, I transferred to UC Berkeley.
Fitness has always been a big part of my life. I do weight-training and mobility exercises to stay healthy, and also because I’m pursuing fitness modeling.
I also love learning about different cultures. I enjoy going to cultural festivals and participating in language exchange and intercultural exchange events.
