Undergraduate / 'Emigrating from South Korea' - World I come from essay [3]

Please review my essay.
Like how title states I had to write about world I come from.

"Stupid" - World I come from

"Stupid." "Thank you" Emigrating from South Korea and immigrating to United States was one of the biggest changes in my life. "Stupid," this is one of the name-calling I've received during thirteen-years of my life. I remember those days I cried because of these name callings. On the other hand, I also heard the phrase that I valued more than anything, that also made me smile.

I came to America when I was eight and entered school as third grader. Watching as my mom wave good bye to me, I felt anxious and started having pessimistic thoughts. My head started game of what ifs. Slowly I walked in to the class, hoping not to get noticed. But my attempts were failure. All eyes were on me. Slowly, I sat on small, empty, blue plastic chair. Then, girl who sat right to me asked me some questions. Unfortunately, I stayed mute because I had no idea what she was talking about. She probably thought I was a loner. Lunch time was the worst. Holding lunch in my hands, my footsteps stopped at lunch tables. Looking around, I was lost. I sat down on lunch table and started eating, while lamenting over my lack of friends. Going back to class, my teacher realized I do not have any understanding of English, and then made me sit next to Korean boy. I've realized just now that there was actually Korean in my class. I've learned that he came from Korea to learn English, and his father was learning golf. For about a month I depended on him.

Month later, my teacher gave me abounding amount of papers to solve. I sat on the desk and looked at it. I had no idea what this was about. I guessed 98% of it, and it wasn't even an educational guess. Then I realized, this was supposed to be a test. Oops! Week later, I met the boy's mother. She said she wanted to talk to me. Then she said, "Please refrain yourself from talking in Korean with my son in class. It's best for you and him." That was when I stopped depending on him. Two years passed, and I've adjusted to American life and did my best to learn the language. I also made friend. Her name is Maya. Maya transferred to our school when I was in fourth grade. When I first saw her, it was like watching me on my first day. I could obviously tell that she is very shy. During lunch, I saw her crying. I knew exactly how she felt at the moment. So, I walked up to her and offered her to sit next to me at lunch. She gladly accepted and received laconic response from her that made me so happy. Phrase that made me very happy... "Thank you." From then, we were best friends.

Award ceremonies were something I hated from bottom of my heart, since I could only get perfect attendance while that boy and his sister received gold honor rolls, rubbing it in my face. Determined, I've managed to receive not a gold honor roll but still an honor roll next trimester. I couldn't have been more proud and feel accomplished. But, my self- esteem crashed when boy's sister passed me passing derogatory comment at me "Hi, Stupid." I felt like a loser. I felt like I was nothing and I was immediately disappointed at myself for not receiving gold honor roll. Also her being younger than me brought more impact.

World I come from makes me stronger. Now when I receive criticism, I don't cry over it, but I find motivation in them. Also when world throws adversity at me, I have realized that I should look at these conflicts in a different way. For me, immigrating to America was a chance to learn how to adaptate in different environment and that degrading comment the girl made, motivated me to be where I am now, self confident girl who loves herself. And also... like my experience with Maya, when one faces conflict and becomes strong, they can also help others endure that adversity. This is the world I come from.

Writing Feedback / Incredible me essay (what makes me incredible for my language art essay) [2]

I was to write about what makes me incredible for my language art essay.

What do you think about my essay?

"Incredible Me"
"Happiness depends on ourselves."(Aristotle) What is the purpose of our lives? Is it the ultimate goal of happiness that, all individuals are searching for? Think of your goals and dreams. They are something that you wish to achieve or to do, for these make you happy. "Know thyself"(Socrates) No one knows why this universe was made or why we are here. What is the answer of the life, the universe, and everything? The recent book that interested me is the book, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Adams, using his magnificent imagination, describes Earth as the super computer that is built to find the ultimate answer of the life, the universe, and everything. Sequence of this book is, Restaurant at the End of the Universe. In this book, there is a torture machine called, Total Perspective Vortex. This device immediately destroys brain of the victim. When you are put in to this device, you can momentary take glimpse of the entire universe, and somewhere in it there is a dot, microscopic dot on a microscopic dot, which says, "You are here." This is a torture device because it makes you realize how unimportant you are compare to every galaxy, every sun, etc... Only person who survived in this device is the character named Zaphod Beeblebrox. When it showed him, "you are here" mark, he interpreted the mark as simply telling him that he is the most important being in the universe. Unlike those victims who suffered in this device, I believe that I am an incredible, important, and special in my own way. I believe my ultimate goal of searching for happiness and knowing myself makes me incredible. As a result, I have a craving for knowledge, a dreams and goals that are far away as stars, it will take time, but I have an ability to make a jetpack to reach them, and a piece of pie of myself.

Knowledge is very important part of our lives. We study in school to gain knowledge. I need knowledge to obtain the chance to gain more different knowledge in different environment. Knowledge can be used to find about you, your beliefs, and opinions of what you like and dislike can be developed and known through knowledge. I am incredible because I too have this knowledge. I am highly interested in history. This could be genetic, for my father is also very interested and intelligent in history. I love the fact that we are studying history so that we do not make same mistake in the future and the very fact that I have a favorite subject, which proves that I know some part of me. I hold a lot of common sense. This includes music and art. I've learned piano for many years. As a result, I am able to identify many pieces, composers and also I have taken liking to classical music. Also I understand many paintings like what object symbolizes in certain piece, what color was used to identify the mood, and who the painter is. Knowledge is wonderful. Learning and to understand what actions will satisfy you can bring happiness. Like how Aristotle stated, "Happiness depends on ourselves," We must know what satisfies us in order to make action that makes us happy. Knowledge is endless and I believe I am incredible to have determination that I will study forever to gain as much knowledge as possible.

If you try, even the dreams that look impossible can come true. My parents always taught me to dream big. However, my mother told me that sometimes that dreams won't come true even if you give your best effort. However, she says that I will be happy just by giving my best effort. I agree with her. Even if I couldn't reach my goal, if I am able to say that I tried my best without deceiving myself, I will be very proud and happy. Just understanding that I have gone as much as I can, and admitting that I am lacking, not because I didn't do my best, but I wasn't born with brightest brain, I think I will be sensing great accomplishment. My dream is to get in to great university such as MIT. I couldn't figure out which major I would like to study, however my dream is to have job that I enjoy, to have a lot of vacations, and to make more money than average so I can take my mother and father to Japan in winter and spring to enjoy hot springs and to look at cherry blossoms, also to go to Turkey to observe great architectures, and just to travel around the world. Another dream is to get accepted into society and becoming person that can influence world greater. This can happen if I have a lot of knowledge and wisdom. My general goal is happiness. These are dreams that will make me very happy and will make me feel I have lived my life well.

Who am I? I ask this question hundred times a day. My answer to this question does not exist. If answer to this question is one whole pie, I only hold small piece of it. It is very ironic that I do not know myself, but then I am the one who knows me the best. However I am incredible because I hold this small piece. I know my basic beliefs. I know that I am conservative, protestant, and could be utilitarian. I also believe in personal responsibility. Therefore, I think that you can't have others live your life for you. You are responsible for your own options. Of course, I will live my life according to my beliefs. I am very happy and grateful that I can live my life however I wanted to and I am also blessed to have chance to know about myself and to learn how to live my life.

In conclusion, my belief of ultimate goal as happiness and knowing myself makes me incredible. These motivate me to wish to learn more, to make me have dreams and goals, and to have personal knowledge about myself. I believe that individual should learn and know themselves, for this makes one being be able to improve and reflect themselves. We humans have many flaws. Many teachers and parents tell us to read. That is because we need knowledge to live our lives. I am very proud of myself because I am fulfilling my duties as student and daughter to my parents. Also I am very thankful to myself for being incredible and unique. Life is short, however I would like to live my life to fullest with no regrets.