American Opportunities

American Opportunities

It's difficult to imagine the expanse of America. Whether you grow up in the country, a small town, or a city, it's hard to picture a life so different, yet so close. Many places in America have the city, the country, and small towns all within a relatively short drive. However, the opportunities in America don't end with places to live. There are tens of thousands of colleges to attend, all different climates, and all different communities.

So, why bring all of this up? Because in America, there are no limits to opportunity. When you open your eyes to the wonders of the country, there is nothing to stop you.

One of my dreams was to get a guide dog. In America, there are about a dozen different schools that train guide dogs spread in about as many states. I thought I would have to wait until I was 16 to receive my dog, but I was incorrect. An organization in North Carolina partners with a guide dog school in Canada to get dogs for younger kids. With all of the different schools in America, it was incredible that there was a partnership like this that, even though the school wasn't in America, the opportunities for American children still held firm.

A good friend of mine named Hope grew up on a farm far from society. The nearest town was 60 miles away, and farm life was all she knew. However, she found life on the farm very isolating and wanted to move away. She was able to attend college in a large city, and then moved off to New York, now working for a perfume company. Her life is completely different from where she grew up, and she could not be happier with where she is now. Life changes in America don't have to be this drastic, but the fun part is they can be, and many people take advantage of that. (In a good way, of course.)

I have always found it incredibly difficult to find a job. : don't need a full-time job right now, but even a part-time is difficult to land. It hasn't been just me, though. Many other blind people have experienced the same thing. Incredibly, I recently discovered an organization that has specialists available to help people with disabilities find jobs. Employers are hesitant to hire someone who they don't think will do a good job. It makes sense that they would want to hire the best of the best. But what they don't know is that people with disabilities can work just as well as anybody else. With these specialists, it has only broadened the opportunities for people with disabilities to find work.

Finally, in America, where there is an interest or a need, there is a business. Not just businesses, but groups and nonprofits as well. These businesses themselves are fantastic, but what is truly amazing is how they can be started by anybody. There is nothing in the way of someone setting up a new company, and it is never too late. My dad didn't enjoy working for his previous company. So, he went and set up his own. His good friend is currently in the process of purchasing a ferry to take people on and off of an island. There is no shortage of ideas, and in America, they can be executed.