Agreed. Our people living in "poverty" for the most part still have cell phones and flat screen televisions. Not to say that there aren't people in some really poor positions, but there are so many social programs that would assist. You just have to take advantage of them.

I was not born to wealth or brilliance, didn't graduate college, but I work hard. I make nearly 60k a year and I own a home, have a newer car and my own personal American Dream is coming true. My husband didn't graduate college, he was a police officer. Neither of us are brilliant, but we work hard and do our best and have been able to raise my daughter well and now she is in college and will hopefully do better than we did.

The American Dream is alive and well, at least in Texas. It took a hit for a few years, boy it was rough from 06-2012. Things have improved though. Especially in Texas.

You might look into foreign exchange student programs to get here, maybe something like that would work. Or a program through a local church.