"Evaluate a significant experience or achievement that has special meaning to you."
"Meisje, Meisje, Meisje" the automated voice echoes effortlessly through my headphones as my eyes fixate on the computer screen. My eyebrows furrow as I gradually struggle to imitate the voice through my headset: "Mmmmeeeijseee". A sudden ding and an image of a smiling little girl in pigtails pop up on the screen. My eyes light up, and a smile forms at the corner of my lips. According to Rosetta Stone, I finally did it! I pronounced the word correctly! It was then, that I realized my true calling.
It was November 10th, 2010, when I went to a quaint, little restaurant in Brentwood to make reservations for my birthday party. A complete stranger approached me and asked if I was from Holland. Most truthfully and naively, I told him that I had never heard of this country. The foolishness I felt at that moment overcame me, leading me to rush home and look up every detail I could about the Netherlands. My grandmother, a woman who spoke 10 languages, always advised me, "It is okay not to know something, but it is not okay not to learn about it." I never really understood what that meant until that very instant. The more I familiarized myself with the extraordinary history and the engrossing culture of this nation, the more I became enthralled with it.
The "happiest country" and its vernacular became like an unfamiliar addiction to me. I browsed the internet on the arts and culture of Amsterdam, but it still wasn't enough. I visited my local library, rented Dutch films, and even sampled Dutch cuisine. On Christmas day, my entire family was delighted as they devoured my home-made Kerststol, a traditional Dutch bread, made up of bread dough, dried fruits, lemon zest, and raisins. Later on, I discovered my doppelganger, seventeen year old Mariam, as I perused "God's Gym", a Dutch novel written by Leon de Winter. All in all, studying language became the only way for me to express my true self, and I was very proud of my achievements. What started out as a curiosity for Holland, suddenly turned into an immense enthusiasm to discover different languages and cultures of the world. What some people fail to understand is that every language has it's own beauty, it's own rhythm, and it's own purpose. Without language, there is no communication, and without communication, there is no development.
After discovering my own passion, I wanted to help others discover theirs. I spent months organizing a "Career Day" through my club, Future Business Leaders of America, to help inspire my fellow classmates in figuring out what they wanted to peruse in their own lives. My dream is to become an international attorney, and I feel that my pentalingual mastery will be a great asset in my endeavors. In my college years, my thirst for knowledge will be insatiable as I plan to spend my summers studying abroad. Ultimately, my objective is to promote communication and use language to unify the world.
My grandmother, a woman who spoke 10 languages (is she still speaking 10 languages? just curious? or did she pass away?)
The "happiest country" and its vernacular became likebecome an unfamiliar addiction to me.
Ultimately, my objective is to promote communication and to use language to unify the world.
Thanks for commenting on mine :)
