6Maria Cavalcante-Fleming's parents used to tell her that she must always "get up to fall again." Throughout her life, which has spanned continents, states, and countless challenges, she has always strived to do just that. Since arriving in the United States of America, her journey has taken her from New York to Hawaii, from Hawaii to Portland, Portland to Hawaii, and then Hawaii back to Portland. Each of the nearly fourteen thousand days she has lived in the country, from the ages of 31 on, have been filled with every joy and hardship imaginable. My Life in USA is a warmly told memoir of a very full life where Maria recounts memories, achievements, and accomplishments, as well as the people who stood beside, behind, and in front of her along the way. Armed with a faith in God, she meets every challenge head on, following the advice of her parents "get up again, and again, and again."