Lupita never lowered her standards or expectations of what her Quincinera would be like. She just modified them. When her papa lost his part-time job, it seemed that all hope was lost. After all, he had secured the job to pay for Lupita to have weight reduction surgery, and to pay for her costly Quincinera expenses. Knowing that the event was symbolic of her step into maturity, Lupita refused to give in to despair. She found alternate solutions, gained tremendous wisdom, and still had an unbelievable celebration that energized and united a whole community. She also achieved some lasting lifestyle changes, and reached some sky-scraping goals for her life! In the process, she learned determination, and drive, and gained a significant increase in her self-esteem.