Personal Statement

I remember that, as a young girl, I experienced a lot of academic shame throughout my elementary years of school. My primary language is Spanish, and I must admit that school was very difficult for me as a child for this reason. I started school when I was five years old, and I did not know any English. This made it very difficult for me to perform basic activities, complete school assignments, and do homework. I tried very hard to comprehend, speak, and write the language, but I failed to do so every time I tried. I would try to make new friendships with girls and boys who, ‘did not look like me’, but I could not do it, because I could not communicate with them. All I could do was wave and smile. I was also not able to build a strong relationship

There was no possible way that I could communicate with the students, teachers, and administrators. There were times when I would feel confused, emotionally unstable, and even sick, but I could not do anything except wait until the end of the day to go back home. All I cared about everyday was to go back home to be with my family. They were the only ones who understood what I would say. I appreciated to have people who would support me at home, but I dejected because I was very unsuccessful academically. This experience cause me to avoid vulnerability. I avoided conversation with others, because I was afraid that people would laugh at my broken English. I was not willing to make any mistakes; this, in large part, contributed to my academic unsuccess throughout my early years of schooling. This experience, however, encouraged me to continue to learn English and become proficient with the language. As time passed, I became more confident with the English language and began to be ‘vulnerable’. As a result, I made new friendships, became assertive, and improved academically. Although, there was a happy ending to my story, my experience as a child still follows me around everywhere I go. Today, I attempt to avoid experiences that make me feel uncomfortable or