The seatbelts signs have been switched off, tray tables, stowed and my seat is upright.
A bit confusing. Did you mean the tray tables were stowed away? And, to flow better with the next sentence, maybe say "the plane has landed" or something like that.
future holds
held
I was a bit scared at first because as a thirteen year old boy, moving to another country alone was not at the top of my to-do list as I never expected to leave Nigeria for education until University moreover at that time, foreigners in South Africa were being attacked at the time because of xenophobia and this didn't do any good to my nerves but here I was and there was no turning back until holidays so I had to make sure I made the most of my opportunity.
This sentence could do with some chopping up, it's very long and hard to follow
one thing became clear to me, if there is one thing they love more than anything
,one thing became clear to me:
my opponents, mercilessly
my opponents: mercilessly
instil
=instill
Overall, you've told a very unique story that I think will stand out against other sports-central essays. However, at the end, I would suggest connecting back to the impact Rugby has had in your life. Relate it back to tackling your fears, and how you intend to tackle challenges in America. Good luck!