hello everyone! i hope you guys are having a great day! I recycled this essay from another application and i made some major changes, so its basically a whole different thing...
There have been many obstacles in the long road I took to get where I am today. One of them, however, stands out the most because it not only changed where I lived and what my environment was, it also change who I am and how I perceive things.
Although I live in the United States now, I was born and raised in Brazil. I grew up in the middle of a strong and emotionally connected family. If anyone had asked me five years ago if I could imagine living outside my comfort zone, I would have said no. Little did I know that in the next few months my life was going to be completely transformed.
My dad has worked his entire life drawing and managing shoe lines. When I was young, he was always traveling to distant places like Italy, China, and the US. The businesses in Brazil were prospering, but all of a sudden, our region started to go into a recession. My dad's company was compromised and his bosses offered him the chance of a life time: move to the US and start life from zero.
My family and I were devastated with the news. After all, my entire family lived in the same city, and leaving would mean missing all the fun. My parents, however, saw this as a great opportunity to give me and my brother an unforgettable experience. At first, I was really upset that we were leaving all our lives behind to create a new one in a foreign country. The last few months in Brazil flew by, and in the blink of an eye, we were boarding to our new adventure, the United States of America. I had visited the US before, but knowing we only had a one way ticket gave me a bitter feeling. The moment I stepped outside of the airplane, however, I felt lucky because I realized I had been given a once in a lifetime chance to become a better, more cultured person.
When I arrived in the US I had to face a road full of bumps. My English was limited, and I knew the United States was nothing like Brazil. Customs and traditions were different, and I learned this the hard way. In Brazil, when we greet people we usually exchange a light kiss on the cheeks. In the US however, there is this thing people like to call a "personal bubble" that should not be popped, and since I didn't know any better, I was constantly crossing that boundary. It wasn't until my english teacher gave me an american cultural lesson that I stopped doing that. Although I like many of the traditions practiced in the US, I have not completely "americanized" the way I am. I believe that being from a different country brings a lot to the table and it is a break from the ordinany. All my friends love my accent and my experiences from another culture.
It wasn't long before my parents found a good school district to move into. Although I had finished seventh grade in Brazil with excellent grades, the principal at my new school chose to hold me back due to the language. At first, I wasn't looking forward to repeating half of something I had already completed, but soon afterwards I realized that learning the language was more important. Ever since that moment I have been pushing myself harder and harder to keep getting straight "As". As I got used to English, I also began to value things like teamwork, creativity and innovation. The way everything was organized and respected amazed me because all of my friends were always doing something that in some way or another would benefit the school. It didn't take me long to adhere to those activities.
Days turned into years and eight grade was coming to an end. Since we had purchased a house, I thought we had settled in Boston. My father, however, had another trick up his sleeve. He told us he had gotten another job in Florida, and in a couple of months we were going to be living there. I was dispirited. I had been laying the foundation for my HS years since I had moved to Boston, and moving meant all those foundations had to be abandoned. After all, making new friends, getting used to a completely different culture and being 3,000 miles away from your family is not easy. Doing it twice definitely takes a lot of emotional strength.
We moved to Jacksonville in January 2007. Not long after that my parents bought a house and I started going to BTHS. Although I missed Boston, it didn't take me long to start feeling like I was part of something special. For example, my new friends noticed that I was still a bit upset about the transformation my life had taken and decided to make me feel better about moving. They invited all of their friends over for a barbecue and I was introduced to everyone. Since I had an interesting background and many thrilling stories to share, I had no problem making friends.
I take every opportunity I am given to learn, and I never hesitate to help others in their studies. I have always pushed myself to the best of my abilities, however, I didn't take honors classes in my 9-10 years because English was still challenging me. In my Junior year, however, I began taking AP and Honors classes. Those classes pushed me to my limits but I managed to raise the bar once again and maintain my 4.12 GPA. Besides studying, in my leisure time I joined clubs, tutored my brother, and worked 20 h/w in a grocery store.
My HS years were sensational. I joined many clubs and always engaged in school events. I joined Mu-Alpha-Theta to share my interest for mathematics with the school. Because I know how difficult life can sometimes be without a helping hand willing to pull you up, I joined the Key-Club to help others. My friends convinced me to join the Photo-Club because all I would talk about was my love of capturing life's most interesting moments and sharing them with the world. Today, I look back and remember all the good times I had while in those clubs and I look forwards to our next meetings.
My brother has difficulty learning and I helped him overcome this setback. Almost everyday we study together and I help him with homework. Ever since I started tutoring him, he has been getting better grades and making more friends at school. I am very proud of being able to help my brother, and although he takes it for granted sometimes, I know he will appreciate my help in the future.
Along the years I have succeeded in many environments, and I can never thank my parents enough for taking the risk of moving into a foreign country. I can proudly say that with a lot of effort and dedication, I overcame those bumps, and I can proudly say I am in the top 9% of my graduating class of 656 students. This entire experience has shaped my life from then on. I now know I have the capacity and ability to overcome whatever life throws at me next. I also learned to appreciate what I can do with my life as well as life itself. With these lessons learned from this experience, I am confident I can excel at the University of Central Florida.
thanks you everyone ;]
