Scholarship / Factors and challenges in my life; find purpose in this world [7]

Famous philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once said, "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." Bilingual education was a disadvantage during my childhood. As generic as it may sound, the language barrier is easily the biggest challenge and hurdle of my life,however, I have enjoyed the language barrier before me and used it to learn more about the American culture and myself in a country that offered me a new life.

My dad day in and day out struggled to obtain a permit that allowed me to reside here in the US, once he got it, he took me to live with my aunt to Dallas and he returned to Houston, it was the first time that I separated from my whole family. When I moved here, I knew a few words of English, but I couldn't speak or understand what people said to me. I felt so bad because I couldn't ask in the store for help, I couldn't read warning signs. One day I was walking in the school hallway, when I suddenly heard a teacher asking me to take off my jacket, I understood that she wanted me to unzip it, so I unzip it, she told again to take it off, her class that was also in the hallway stared at me weird. I felt so embarrassed.

During the first days, I came back from school exhausted so that I had to take a rest for a while, stretching myself on the bed. For all the time, I strained every nerve in order to understand what the people were saying and why they were laughing. Constantly having to deal with unspoken rules and new physical surroundings made me feel alienated and tensed. Later on I realized that goals merit hard work if you really want to reach them. I was tired of non-being able to communicate, to show my feelings and thoughts to the others or just simply ask for a pencil in the classroom.

The goal was clear,learn English was the only thing that I had in my mind and in order to achieve it, I needed to study hard and ask for help. So I started asking classmates for help when I struggle with a word or phrase, at first teachers scolded me because they thought that I was just talking to interrupt the class, but later on they knew my case and they became more patient with me. At home stacks of magazines and children's books filled the floor of my room, I read a different magazine every week day and a book during morning weekends. When I watched movies, I turned on the subtitles.

After all that hard work I started understanding others well enough that I started to communicate with people. Finally I would like to say that I broke the language barrier and that now I can speak English freely. The language transformation was a long process but I did it.

Scholarship / How do I make myself a better athlete [2]

Tennis is a rigorous and elegant sport that demands complex abilities. And sometimes it may appear difficult to play when other players have more experience in the court than me. When this is the case improving to match their abilities or even over passed them it's a journey of hard work, sweat and tears. Setting a goal mentally and physically, practicing to the end and learning how to use my mistakes in my own benefit make a huge difference between the athlete from yesterday and the actual athlete.

As any other journey preparing what you are going to need during it, is an essential part. In my journey setting a goal is the startup. My goals need to be realistic so that I can be capable to push my body to its limits without sacrificing safety. By breaking those into smaller goals allow me to accomplish them effectively in a specific time period and organize myself each day; in this manner I could avoid stress and reduce the risk of quitting.

Once my goals have a good base, practice play its role, turning my goals into reality. I ask for advice to the people that I know well and are willing to help me such as teammates and coach. With their help, I start practicing during class and after school. I like to stay to motivated every time I step into the court so I can give my best when practicing and accomplish what I have set.

Practice will not ensure a good result until I learn from my mistakes, they can be described as opportunities for learning. When something do not come out as I expected, I do a meticulous examination of every movement to find the problem and the cause of it in order to prevent it from happening again. Having in mind what caused the problem, I proceed to focus and ask for opinions from my teammates and coach on that area until I mastered it.

Undergraduate / The idea that the livelihood of the family may not sustain us longer, not allowed me to sleep [2]

It's midnight and I hear the footsteps of my dad going to the kitchen after a hard day of work, I get up from my bed and seize those fifteen minutes available for dinner with him and share anecdotes about school and work. Once in bed , the idea that the livelihood of the family may not sustain us longer, not let me sleep.

One day my sister and my mom came home with a couple of shakes, I asked them where they had purchased those shakes, they responded excited that a health club was giving free shakes, The health club was part of a company that sold vitamins and supplements where you could make money by becoming a distributor. Then they began to talk about success stories that hit me by their beginning both the business and their motives. Without hesitation I told my mom to take me to the health club. This was an unique opportunity that could not be taken lightly and which would provide me some capital to help my dad with the household expenses and the probability that my dad would had only one job.

Immediately, my mom took me where she went, we entered to a small suite in a plaza that at first sight it seemed more like an office than a health club. A man with a cheerful personality welcomed us. He asked us the reason of our visit. In my anxiety to start working I went straight to the point, and I asked him for a job.

Without delay the guy started explaining me the process to become a member, the point was clear and concrete to earn money I needed to sell the product to everyone, at anytime, anywhere. At first glance it looked like a double , people was everywhere, so it wouldn't be a problem to talk with people. Then I received my membership and a set of manuals that would help me to know more about the products and the company. I felt blessed by this opportunity, it come when I most needed it.

A few days after getting accepted in the job, a little voice in my head was telling was supporting me to go outside and sell those vitamins and supplements. I had a responsibility and every minute worth it. Excuses did not become a barrier, transportation was not necessary to reach more people when you can walk and knock on the doors of every single house in my neighborhood.

I offer the product to almost every single house in 4 blocks, but unfortunately no one seemed interested in buying, I returned home with morality tatters, but then so I suddenly saw my dad resting on the sofa before going to his second job. I Asked myself "Why I'm doing these?, What's the reason of this job? it might not be the easiest work in the in the world, but the effort is worth it.

I realized that when you have a reason that reason gives you a goal and when you have a goal you would do anything to reach it. Discipline and perseverance are the tools for a better future. I don't want to say someday " why I did nothing?".

Undergraduate / "We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us" - Every goal in life is determined by the actions [2]

Considering your lifetime goals, discuss how your current and future academic and extracurricular activities might help you achieve your goals.

Every goal in life is determined by the actions we do right now. Experiences and feelings have a lesson to teach us something new that could later on be applied in the future even if its blurry for some people. Since I was a kid I always dreamed of being an architect that would change the world and make it a better a place. Activities in school are contributing their bit on the person I want to be, similarly to those special ones that will become available for me during college. Their contributions will be formidable and difficult to vanish.

National Honor Society was a spark that motivated me to help the others. In this organization I feel part of a great team that work for the common good of the others.One of the most satisfying moments I have in this organization is helping out in the community. My peers and I are always aware about our responsibilities in the organization; we show up to every meeting and contribute our ideas when are needed. We need to represent a good model for the other students in the school. An architect is a person that need to be passionate in his field and Honor Society makes me feel passionate of what I do.

Tennis is a rigorous and elegant sport that demands complex abilities. And sometimes it may appear difficult to play when other players have more experience in the court than me. As any other journey preparing what you are going to need during it, is an essential part. In my journey setting a goal is the start up. My goals need to be realistic so that I can be capable to push my body to its limits without sacrificing safety. By breaking those into smaller goals allow me to accomplish them effectively in a specific time period and organize myself each day; in this manner I could avoid stress and reduce the risk of quitting.

"We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us" Architecture classes will guide me through a process to get in contact with people that will benefit from buildings, homes, parks. Cities are the heart of the civilization whereby they need attention and constant changes to keep its culture vibrant and at the same time useful for the daily activities. I think having a sense of community in the place you live in and always reaching out and proving as much help as you can to others and your community is by far one of the best qualities one can have. It's so inspiring how this career can truly just change the essence of a society. Being part of an architecture class will motivate me to be innovative in ways that would shape the buildings and turn them into useful tools and even masterpieces for the good of individuals.

The school and colleges activities will reinforce my values and perceptions, which will allow me: to be a goal seeker thirsty of new horizons; passionate of the things I do, especially when its for the common good. I will take advantage of all these opportunities in life, employing them wisely to change the course of the world.