Imagine packing your bag one day and flying to Seattle without knowing any English. 

Imagine living with the worst possible host family. 

Imagine the snow when you were born in a tropical island. 

Imagine looking at one arrogant stats professor and decide that you deserve a title too. 

Imagine setting your goals so high that you scare yourself. 

Imagine presenting the solution to a problem that no one else has thought of before. 

Imagine seven nationally recognized professors, including the president of your university, and the legend who created the community college system for the state of Florida himself questioning and judging you for two hours. 

Then, Imagine them asking you to leave so they can deliberate. 

Imagine yourself standing outside the room for what seems to be an eternity, because everything you've worked for, sacrificed for, is in their hands now and not in yours anymore. 

Imagine them calling you back to the room. 

Imagine them all standing up at the same time, as you enter the room, all these people you've been calling 'doctor' and 'professor' all those years, telling you, one at a time: "Congratulations Doctor!" 

Imagine earning a Ph.D., a Doctor of Philosophy degree, the highest degree given on earth. 

I wish I could describe the feeling to you, and don't expect to feel this way again.  It's flying as an eagle above everything, and everyone is in slow motion around you.  Maybe I will feel that way again one day, when I get married, or when I see my first child, or when I meet God.  I only hope... 

Now, imagine driving away from that meeting and not paying attention to the road. 

Imagine stepping over the lane next to yours, and the guy driving next to you scream at you: "You Stupid!" 
You smile, you can't stop smiling...
And later one, some supervisors with a master degree will try to tell you what to do. 
You'll smile, you won't stop smiling...

People may leave you, material things can be destroyed or taken away from you, but academic achievement will follow you to your grave, and hopefully beyond. 

The cost is high and I have blamed my high blood pressure, the loss of a few hair and some great relationships on the uncountable sleepless nights in the computer lab.  But I would not have done it any other way.  I played the cards that were dealt to me, and I always believed that the journey was more important than the destination.  I always knew that the degree wasn't the end, but the tool that I needed to reach my vision.  The reward is even higher: to have the privilege to send the elevator back down so that others can have a better experience. 

So, this is for you, Dwayne, who showed me the promise to your mom, tattooed on your arm;
for you, Rachel, who inspired me with your courage, looked at cancer in the eyes and cancer looked down;
for my baby sister, #6 Réjane (int the blue dress in the background), a doctor herself from Howard University Dental School, because she didn't understand the concept of "impossible," I'm so proud of you;
and for my other baby sister, #7 Amy, a Jurist Doctor in her own right from Syracuse University, because she refused to lower her standards;
to my other sisters, #4 Joujou, a pharmacist from Haiti, who is not afraid to start all over again, become a nurse in a foreign language,
and #2, Poupa who has won every single battle;
And I'm also proud of my brothers too, #1 Jeandy who knows absolutely everything,
#8 Nick, who is working on his journey,
and #3 Addlay who can still make me laugh from the mental institution and keep me humble;
 and for all of you who chose the academic path when you could easily be doing so many other things. 

I should tell you that studying is the easy part.  The challenge is to keep studying even when the people closest to you don't understand you, leave you or interfere with your study.  Keep studying even when what you really want to do is to punch that professor in the face because a couple of them have no business teaching anyway!  Keep studying even when you're broke, sick and have bills to pay and financial aid lost your application!  Keep studying even when you doubt yourself!  Keep studying because there are many people that would love to switch place with you right now! 

The good news is that, in the academic game, it's not the smartest ones who succeed, but those with the greatest determination, the strongest commitment to achieving something non-trivial, those with no "plan B." 

We don't all have to get a Ph.D., but whatever your goal is, you will know when you get there,

like DMX,

that

only you can stop the rain.

-The Doctor Formerly Known As Pavlov, Equal But Different.

Pavlov,
Sur la route de tes frères,
avec Jésus,
tu seras le compagnon discret,
l'apôtre rayonant,
le témoin fidèle
de la vie et de l'espérance.
Frère Joseph Bellanger,
Saint-Louis de Gonzague,
Haiti, September 6th, 1986

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Dr. Pavlov Rameau can be reached at:

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Send mail to rameaup@fiu.edu with questions or comments about this web site.  Copyright © 2003-07 Pavlov Rameau, Ph.D.  All rights reserved.  The opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily reflect those of Florida International University.   They are Dr. Rameau's and should be interpreted with the sense of humor that is at their source.   Copies, links and references to other authors are protected under the "educational purpose" section of the U.S. copyright laws.  Last automatically updated 04/18/2008 01:37:31 PM. 
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