junma314 /
Oct 7, 2008 #1
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
Be confident to take risks, and nothing cannot be achieved. This is what I learned from my experience a couple of months after I moved out of Lupita and Santiago's house.
In the summer of my sweet sixteen, I determined to go to the United States as a foreign exchange student for ten months. Having left dear Mom and Dad in China, I stepped on the golden land of California all alone to start a new life with a Spanish American family: Lupita, Santiago and their son.
Though handicapped, Lupita and Santiago are very optimistic and nice. Santiago took me to school every morning and picked me up at every afternoon. Sometimes on weekends, we sat on the floor to play the musical instruments and sang together. Besides, led by Lupita who worked in a church, I went there for the first time in my life and began to think about religion. Every day we were busy but happy in our little sweet home until I started to notice that something was wrong.
In the beginning of October, 2006, Lupita told me Santiago was going to find a job to earn more money pretty soon. For the next several days, with their bright smiles disappearing, they sat in a daze and would say nothing to me. Totally puzzled, I could not help telling them my bewilderment one night.
Their answer surprised me. Contrary to what I felt, Lupita and Santiago were tired and worried during the past two months. First of all, working at church all day until late, they were worried about me who stayed alone in the house. Second, it was difficult for Santiago, who can only speak Spanish, to understand or communicate with me when Lupita was not around. Third, which was the most important, after I moved in, they were under tremendous financial burden to support their son studying in the college. "Sorry, we really like you, but we think it is better for you and for us if you can change a host family." Lupita told me their decision.
Lying on the bed, I could not help but cry. I did not want to change as I had thought we could live happily through the ten months. After I closed my eyes, all that in my brain was,"I have no idea what to do. It's hard to change a host family. Can I just stop being an exchange student and go home?" The next few days, I tried to search for someone who could help me because I could not ask Lupita or Santiago to change their minds. In addition, it was useless to tell my exchange program coordinator that I needed to change a host family which was not easy to find in California, otherwise I had to move to another state, a totally new environment. I told myself,"Now, I can not rely on anyone but myself. I must have faith in myself and I will solve the problem."
On a sunny day, walking on campus, I suddenly came up with an idea, "Why not try to find a new host family by myself in this school?" I can not bow to admit defeat because I have the ability to straighten hardship out.
I worked up the courage and inched into the office to ask some teachers for help to see if any of the students wanted to host me. "Well," said my counselor, "I'll try to talk to some teachers and students, but I'm not sure if any of them has that thought." I smiled and told myself, "Every thing will be fine pretty soon. It would be OK if I failed to find a host family at school as long as I tried." The next Saturday, I moved to my second and last host family. My American Mom is a teacher in the high school. I spent such a nice time with them for the rest time. I made the right choice.
I actually grew up from an immature little girl to a confident young woman who can face up complication courageously. Through this process of changing host family, I understood that I should not be coward but must trust myself when facing difficulties. If I had not succeeded in changing the host family, I would have missed the opportunity.
In college, convinced that the potential rewards outweigh my fear of changing, I will believe in myself to take more risks to catch more opportunities.
Be confident to take risks, and nothing cannot be achieved. This is what I learned from my experience a couple of months after I moved out of Lupita and Santiago's house.
In the summer of my sweet sixteen, I determined to go to the United States as a foreign exchange student for ten months. Having left dear Mom and Dad in China, I stepped on the golden land of California all alone to start a new life with a Spanish American family: Lupita, Santiago and their son.
Though handicapped, Lupita and Santiago are very optimistic and nice. Santiago took me to school every morning and picked me up at every afternoon. Sometimes on weekends, we sat on the floor to play the musical instruments and sang together. Besides, led by Lupita who worked in a church, I went there for the first time in my life and began to think about religion. Every day we were busy but happy in our little sweet home until I started to notice that something was wrong.
In the beginning of October, 2006, Lupita told me Santiago was going to find a job to earn more money pretty soon. For the next several days, with their bright smiles disappearing, they sat in a daze and would say nothing to me. Totally puzzled, I could not help telling them my bewilderment one night.
Their answer surprised me. Contrary to what I felt, Lupita and Santiago were tired and worried during the past two months. First of all, working at church all day until late, they were worried about me who stayed alone in the house. Second, it was difficult for Santiago, who can only speak Spanish, to understand or communicate with me when Lupita was not around. Third, which was the most important, after I moved in, they were under tremendous financial burden to support their son studying in the college. "Sorry, we really like you, but we think it is better for you and for us if you can change a host family." Lupita told me their decision.
Lying on the bed, I could not help but cry. I did not want to change as I had thought we could live happily through the ten months. After I closed my eyes, all that in my brain was,"I have no idea what to do. It's hard to change a host family. Can I just stop being an exchange student and go home?" The next few days, I tried to search for someone who could help me because I could not ask Lupita or Santiago to change their minds. In addition, it was useless to tell my exchange program coordinator that I needed to change a host family which was not easy to find in California, otherwise I had to move to another state, a totally new environment. I told myself,"Now, I can not rely on anyone but myself. I must have faith in myself and I will solve the problem."
On a sunny day, walking on campus, I suddenly came up with an idea, "Why not try to find a new host family by myself in this school?" I can not bow to admit defeat because I have the ability to straighten hardship out.
I worked up the courage and inched into the office to ask some teachers for help to see if any of the students wanted to host me. "Well," said my counselor, "I'll try to talk to some teachers and students, but I'm not sure if any of them has that thought." I smiled and told myself, "Every thing will be fine pretty soon. It would be OK if I failed to find a host family at school as long as I tried." The next Saturday, I moved to my second and last host family. My American Mom is a teacher in the high school. I spent such a nice time with them for the rest time. I made the right choice.
I actually grew up from an immature little girl to a confident young woman who can face up complication courageously. Through this process of changing host family, I understood that I should not be coward but must trust myself when facing difficulties. If I had not succeeded in changing the host family, I would have missed the opportunity.
In college, convinced that the potential rewards outweigh my fear of changing, I will believe in myself to take more risks to catch more opportunities.
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