After leaving his family in the Marshall Islands at age 12 to get an education, Lewis and Clark’s Brasin Benjamin reflects on the pursuit for ‘something bigger’
Brasin Benjamin took a leap of faith when, at 12 years old, he left his family behind in the Marshall Islands in search of better educational opportunities.
“In the Marshall Islands, we don’t learn much English,” he said of his educational goals. “I wanted to learn English.”
Benjamin’s journey took him to his grandparents in Hawaii and then his aunt in Spokane, where he’s now preparing to graduate from Lewis and Clark High School.
He had difficulty fitting in for the three years he was in Hawaii. But after his grandmother died, he came to Spokane and began flourishing at Lewis and Clark. “When I came to LC, my English improved a lot,” he said.
His parents didn’t have a telephone, so he couldn’t keep in regular touch. Occasionally they would borrow a phone from a friend or neighbor so they could call and check on him. “We’re a really poor family in the Marshall Islands,” he said.
Though it hasn’t been an easy journey, Benjamin believes it has paid off. “It was tough,” he said. “I miss my parents a lot. A lot of my friends are there. But then here, there’s better opportunities.”
In addition to improving his English skills, Benjamin has been playing junior varsity baseball. “I just wanted to have fun with my friends,” he said.
School counselor Emily Magnuson praised Benjamin for his determination to better his life. “Brasin has persevered through challenges despite being young and he works hard,” she said. “Even though he has been through a lot, he always has a smile on his face and is kind to everyone he meets.”
It was through school that he learned more about how he could attend college, and something clicked. His family members in Spokane all worked, but he watched them struggle to get by with low-paying jobs. It wasn’t a future he wanted for himself. “I wanted something bigger,” he said.
Though his aunt is supportive of him, Benjamin said she wasn’t expecting him to talk about going to college. “When I told them I wanted to go to college, they didn’t know anything about college,” he said.
His mother was excited about his decision, envisioning a good job and a better future. “My mom really wanted me to go to college,” he said.
He’s been accepted at Eastern Washington University, but Benjamin said he needs to explore and decide what to study. He hopes that his decision to go to college can inspire other Marshallese students to follow in his footsteps.
He said he’s grateful for his aunt in Spokane being willing to take him in. “She’s a good aunt,” he said. “She’s helped me a lot.”
And now, Benjamin is convinced that he can succeed in bettering his future. “I go to school every day,” he said. “I’m a hard worker.”