I came to Canada from England as a teenager and attended a Canadian High School.  It was great because the level of education was so low that I had already taken most of the subjects and did not have to work very hard for 3 years.  Sadly, since the elimination of the 11 plus the standards in Britain have plummeted.  Watch the program 'That will teach them' for a splendid illustration of this.
I consider myself privileged to have been raised in a two parent family free from poverty and violence.  I was encouraged to read and was allowed to read adult books even when very young.  If one can read, one can learn anything.  I am privileged to live in Canada where individuals can make something of themselves if they want to make the effort.  I am privileged to have  had parents who were not well off so that I had to learn responsibility and self-sufficiency at an early age.  They taught me how to use cutlery properly.  Travel was another privilege, both as a child and an adult.