Please help me out! thank you!
Prompt: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
When I was 13 my parents dropped me off in the middle of a foreign country, alone for two whole weeks. Most may see this as an act of neglect or carelessness, but this was nothing too out of the ordinary or unusual to me. Let me explain why. In today's society we are living in a world of diversity. Personally, I am a part of the population living a life of mixed cultures. Being born to a Slovene mother and Italian father has evoked my life to a unique mind set and collection of assets. Most people have the basic knowledge of the Italian culture and see it as boot-shaped country commanding a long Mediterranean coast line in Western Europe. Slovenia on the other hand is typically unfamiliar to majority of civilians I have come to encounter. It is a small alpine country sited in Central Europe that was once under the control of Yugoslavia. That being said, my parent's morals are somewhat looser in some aspects than the typical American family. My parents believed that the best way to learn something is to be exposed to whatever knowledge you desire to obtain. This is what led to my temporary abandonment at mere age of thirteen.
My grandfather never had the opportunity to learn the English language. This developed a language barrier between us. The only way to overcome this barrier was to learn the language myself. This resulted in my parents shipping me off to attend a two week long program in Slovenia to develop and build speaking and grammar skills of the Slovene language while also learning about the culture, customs, and geography. Initially, I was not so fond of this idea and the thought of being alone with a weak understanding of the native language did not intrigue me, but in the end I actually had the time of my life. I loved it so much that I was able to partake in this program for three additional years under an awarded scholarship. This camp has had one of the biggest impacts on my life for multiple reasons. Most importantly being that it gave me the opportunity to learn a language and have ability to communicate with my family. I also made friendships that will last me a life time. I have been blessed with friends from Belgium, Macedonia, France, Indonesia, Germany, Portugal, Canada and even a few from the USA. It is a great fortune and honor to have friends from all around the world and be able to communicate with them on a daily bases through social media.
My experiences at camp and the fact that my mom, dad, sister, and I are the only members of my family that reside here in the states, has inspired me to want to learn more about different cultures and societies. Every other summer, my family embarks on what typically is a two month excursion. During this time our main purpose is to visit our family in Slovenia and Italy. Each time we plan to make a few stops to explore new territories. I have had the amazing opportunity to visit various countries throughout my short seventeen years of life. When traveling to places like Netherlands, Austria, Turkey, Croatia, France, Costa Rica, and Aruba I am able to explore a diversity of cultures, economies and different lifestyles far more effectively than I would have ever learned from sitting in a classroom.
My future studies, life and career will definitely always be influenced by my background and experiences. It will help me to achieve my goals and develop me into a person that is exploring, accepting, productive and a compassionate human being with an open mind who wants to contribute to the bright future of the world.
