Creative writing Essay:
Leaving my Home Country for college in the US.
GRADE--A-
Probably you won't ever know why life sometimes a way has of kicking you when you
did your best or even worse when you're down. And let me tell you that I have come across this
issue so many times in my life and still don't find a magic answer. That's why the main purpose
of writing this paper is to share my story about my soccer career, some of the challenges and
successes that were thrown at me in my last days living in Colombia, and the process of having
undergone ACL surgery and then, in a month, still being convinced to take a big leap and leave
my country for college to restart my life. Also, I want to illustrate the changes and events that
happened to me when I left my “comfort bubble,”, into a new world full of adventures, where the
opportunities are limitless and where I was surrounded by things that I had only seen in movies. I
LIKE THIS.
Hopefully, through sharing this experience I can help those adolescent girls who are
being bullied or harassed to realize that it will never be wrong to feel vulnerable and seek help. I
also want to be relatable with some of you that are foreign students or young athletes who are
about to take a big step. I want to encourage you to do it! But, realize that sometimes unexpected
things happen, and you will have to deal with THEM and find an escape from them to thrive in
your life again. I also know that going through a big life-changing experience or just having a
cornerstone in our path could be terrifying; we probably share that feeling, that's why finding
inspiration and encouragement from someone else's stories could push us to overcome whatever
we are struggling with. YOUR TONE IS VERY COMFORTABLE AND ASSURING TO
YOUR READER.
But, before I begin let me tell you something about myself. I grew up playing, breathing
and enjoying soccer and I can't say THIS about other girls, but you will find one here who loves
the game. Living in a small town in Colombia, and I know what your first thoughts will be about
where I come from;:;A a third-world country, with a past of drug trafficking shown by violent
and dangerous scenarios, or perhaps you have never heard of Colombia before, and that's
fine.There is no doubt that Colombia has other things to be proud of, but currently I consider
myself a young woman who takes credit or blame only for my actions, and my country's past
will not define me, but my future decisions will.WELL SAID Therefore, even if you don't
understand the culture, you can take away something from my testimony, either a life lesson or
maybe a challenge that you are scared to take. YOU TAKE THE TIME AND SPEAK WELL
AND COMFORTABLY TO YOUR READER
Foreign students would understand that being born in a developing country, where
people criticize you for what you do or don't do, your physique, your circle of friends, your
economic situation, or even your education and your way of thinking, is difficult in trying to find
opportunities and build a prosperous future due to different factors such as political corruption
and its injustices. For those reasons and more, I was trying to win an athletic scholarship in the
U.S., not just for a new life experience, but to find a life purpose, one that would motivate me
every day and help me build my confidence and personal growth. And if you're wondering, yes!
I received a soccer scholarship and had the opportunity to study at the University of Central
Arkansas for the fall term of 2021.
The moment I committed to UCA I knew that my life was going to change forever, I was
afraid of leaving my family and the house that saw me grow up for the last eighteen years and
where I spent my best memories. But despite having those sensations, I was completely aware
and grateful for such an amazing blessing because not many of the young people (native
Colombian students) have the opportunity to study abroad and discover new life-changing
experiences, and nor DO many athletes have the chance to obtain an athletic scholarship that
facilitates developing their performance on the field and building a career at the same
time.
The true beginning of my journey started when I was SIX 6 years old, and since then
playing soccer has always been my stress reliever, AND the field was the place where I could
forget all my problems and where it made me the happiest person. But as I look back, life seems
easy and without any worries, which makes me wonder how contradictory we are by not
enjoying our childhood to the fullest as one of our best times because of the desire to want to
become adults.
Although I had played all my life, I knew that the level in the U.S was going to be higher,
and I also knew how important it was going to be to maintain an excellent GPA so as not to lose
my scholarship. I recognized it was not going to be easy, much less being a foreigner, but I was
excited to get started as quickly as possible. So there I was, a couple of months ago, preparing
for a big change not only physically but also mentally, trying to highlight my skills and feel like I
could fit in because one of my biggest fears was that I didn't want to feel less or not good enough
in contrast to my teammates.
However, things got a bit complicated during the beginning of the year, and that dream
of being able to travel to the US was getting further and further away. Personally, it was a very
hard process, which changed my life completely. It all started when the feeling of pressure was
rising more and more on myself for wanting to be the best and not end up disappointing my
parents, who despite the scholarship, had made an investment in me for my stay at the UCA, in
addition to this fear, and as if things couldn't get any worse; the coach with whom I trained for
many years began to have strange and unusual behaviors. He not only referred to me with
comments that made me uncomfortable, making each practice a hostile environment with
suffering anguish and humiliation which negatively influenced my performance, he also tried
inappropriate and uninvited physical contact. All this without my consent, was certainly a type of
sexual harassment that I became aware of long after I refused to please what he said.
As a consequence, he also began to distrust and doubt that I could not achieve my goals.
Yes, my coach, who is not supposed to be the person who supports you and gives you the tools
to be the best version of the athlete you can be? Well, I also thought the same, and apparently, I
was wrong. It was devastating to hear him in each practice say that I was slow, selfish with the
team, and a fat soccer player, that I had to dedicate myself to something different. For a moment
I thought he was right and maybe quitting was the best because he was always a great role
model, but later, I reconsidered and said, Fuck him! My dream was not going to end because of
people like him, I realized that he was giving me those negative comments just because I refused
to please his wishes as a harasser. I discussed it with my parents who helped me file charges
(currently, Colombian law is taking up the case), and WERE the only people who filled me with
positivity to find a new purpose that would help me prepare for the challenges ahead.
I already said that these last few months before leaving Colombia, were exactly like a
roller coaster? Well, they were. As I said at the beginning, life hits us in the most painful ways or
when we are recovering from a setback because that is how I felt as if life was sinking me
deeper. It was already summer, and in one of the games with the national team, when trying to
make a sharp move on the field, my knee got stuck in the grass making a “pop” sound and
leaving me on the ground instantly. I knew immediately that something bad had happened and
my tears of pain made the situation seem much worse than it already was. The physical trainers
helped me go to the hospital, where they did an MRI scan and in just a few hours they gave me
the worst news that an athlete could hear; the anterior cruciate ligament has been torn, AND
THEYwe must operate. Being injured like this for the first time in my life WAS is such a huge
mental and physical pill to swallow. What once used to be my sweetest escape from everything
going on in my world, was taken away from me in seconds without a cool story to go behind it. I
thought that my dream had been completely ruined and that the coach, after hearing the news,
was going to take away my scholarship to belong to the team to give it to a player who was in
better condition than me. I was devastated, I could not sleep, I did not want to eat, for fear of
gaining weight and what they were going to say about me. I did not stop crying for the first 2
weeks and I entered a depression that only my parents helped me overcome. And by highlighting
that, THIS is exactly what you parents need to hear, BECAUSE from my experience I can tell
you how important it is to support your children regardless of the circumstances when they need
it most. Some children are more grateful than others, but the fact that you are there when nothing
else is there for us will be something we will be grateful for all our lives. After having such a
support system, things got better, the coach upheld his decision and said that I could come,
attend classes and take advantage of the university staff and facilities for my recovery. The truth
is that I could not be more grateful;, it was a miracle that despite what happened, I still had the
opportunity to travel and study abroad.
That same June, and with 28 days left to complete the final details about what my
transition to the United States was going to be and take the plane that was going to change my
life, I had to change everything to undergo my first surgery and face taking that same plane on
crutches. WHAT A TRIP!, getting to the UCA was not easy, not only because our plane was
delayed and we had to buy another ticket and make a connection in Dallas, but because my
passport had disappeared. To put you in context, my parents and I looked like pirates in search of
treasure, but it was a giant and unknown island, we did not know how or where to start looking,
and frustration began to rise because our next "ship" left in a few hours. After minutes of
searching, we gave up and waited for someone from the embassy or the airline to tell us what to
do. I did not want to return and wait any longer to arrive. And it's not because of bragging but I
think my life was written, BECAUSE it was about ten minutes before our plane left Dallas to
Little Rock, when one of the airport speakers said that some passengers found an abandoned
passport in the bathroom and that they had left it in the lost and found office. The moment my
dad heard it, he ran as fast as he could - as if a dog was chasing him - he brought my passport
back and we went to the boarding gate (one of the advantages of being on crutches is that they
understand your late arrival).
After arriving in Little Rock and then Conway, I certainly felt in a new "bubble,", but I
mean it in a good way. When I arrived the campus was beautiful, the neighborhoods were quiet
and peaceful, the houses looked very cozy, the people couldn't be nicer, and the most important
thing was that my coaches along with my teammates were the new best family I could belong to.
Spending a week, my parents and I were satisfied that I had chosen a great place to start over, to
leave all the past behind and become a better person, to learn that sometimes God may have
taken everything from you temporarily, to show you who you really are without it.
That last week with my parents was quite emotional, I knew that they were afraid to leave
their little introverted girl and release her to a world of independence. It was time for them to
leave, with curiously and heavily expectations in their heads of what was is going to be my
future; we stood in the large living room at Bear hall, and said goodbye, I still remember their
last words;
-"Are you happy here? If you are, create a better version of yourself and if not, remember that at
any moment you can catch a plane back home," they said.
-“I am, actually. Because this place will become my new home, and this is where I'm supposed
to be”,I answered them.
Once the days passed and college life was around the corner, my teammates started
training - which was hard enough to watch as I really wanted to play. I usually sat on the side of
the court, and I came to conclude many things, which maybe I would not have been able to
realize if I had not gone through my injury, and and I think you can get something out of it;; If
you are an athlete what are those things going on the field that goes through your mind? Certain
smells, sights, feelings, or memories, such as the adrenaline of the game, the fans, the pressure
from coaches or family, the fear of failure or making mistakes or not being good enough at
something. VERY GOOD DETAILS Those that make us stop for a moment, a moment of
concentration with our inner voice and make you appreciate every detail and second in which
you are present.“ We only appreciate what we have, when we lose it” and there is no other quote
that can better describe my current thoughts., And it is because personally in the last two months
those details are what I have been able to realize how valuable they are after having my ACL
injury;, before, I was a perfectionist, selfish, and even hard on myself, and thanks to the time I
had to have that reflection, I concluded that everything in life is not about being good at things,
BUT to enjoy them., I may not be good at drawing, writing, cooking or even playing a sport, but
I like the feeling that leaves me after doing it and that is what I have learned that is most
important.
“You may not be able to alter reality, but you can alter your attitude towards it, and this,
paradoxically, alters reality. Try it and see.” - Margaret Atwood, Attitude, 1983. GOOD
QUOTE
No matter how bad life gets, it is upto us as to how we choose to react to those
uncomfortable and irking moments. Leaving Colombia in the way things turned out, it's a story
of my increasing awareness of what we are meant to be, a story of learning to stay in with
positive mindset ,to never give up .If you ask me how I envisioned my life as it is today, maybe I
would tell you that I fulfilled my dream, and maybe not the way I thought it was going to be, but
after all that I had to go through, God and maybe the universe made me FIND found a person
inside of me that I did not believe existed, and it is a new version that I am prepared to improve
every day, not only do I feel lucky to have made the decision and travel, I also feel happy to
have written my story, share it for the first time and noticed that adversity will not define our
goals. Because once the mindset is changed, everyone willingly participates in the growth and
improvement of their own situations.