Journey to my dream

I am an extraordinary person living in an extraordinary world away from my family and away from home. I am a Korean living and have lived in countries whose cultures are so different from mine. I am an international student pursuing to get the best education there is to fulfill my dream of becoming an international doctor. I went to Australia to study when I was in my ninth grade at St. Marouns College. I courageously went there alone because of my sheer determination to fulfill my dream.

Living in Australia was not easy. I had to adjust with almost everything. I had to learn how to live my life alone, to study and speak the English language, to deal with various types of people and to adapt to the Australian culture. All these difficulties I encountered did not hinder me from succeeding. I did everything I can to overcome these challenges and fortunately, I did. I learned the language and am already able to speak it now. I became active in several activities, even those beyond academics.

I became a choir leader, mass coordinator, student leader and a dancer in a number of school programs and events. I also became a translator for students who have language difficulties. I understood well their situations because I had been through that same stage in my life. I even had bonuses for helping these people because I became a recipient of the “ Translator of the Year” award and I overcame my fear in public speaking. I also did surfing. It actually surprised me because when I was still young, I was afraid of waters.

And ironically as it is, I did enjoy every single surfing experience I had in Australia. Growing up alone in a foreign country is like surfing for the first time. I had to first be confident that I can do it. Proper mindset helped me a lot to focus on what I was doing and to surpass all the trials that came my way. I also learned to be independent and to take care of myself. I became a stronger and better person because of the experiences I had.

I learned how to endure pains and sacrifices to get through life, to work with grace under pressure, to 8/20/2016 manage to stand tall after a downfall and to live life as I have never lived it before. After assessing myself and the things I achieved, I came to a decision of moving to America. I believe that America is a land of opportunity. I could broaden my perspective in life, which could help me become a better person. I decided to be here, as a senior, to go to a university with a belief that America can fulfill my dream.

I dream of becoming a doctor, like my mother. She inspired me to serve other people through medical services. My experiences opened me to a horizon of possibilities and to dreading pictures of realities. I want to help and serve people who are in dire need of medications. I want to give hope to the patients and to their families, as well. I want to be an international doctor because I want to help more people, regardless of race and color. The world I live in greatly influenced my dreams and aspirations.

Having been through a lot of adjustments and hardships, I became a person with a will to believe and a drive to succeed. “ You have your own way of living your life, of dealing with problems, and of winnings. Teaching is only demonstrating that it is possible. Learning is making it possible for yourself” (Coelho, 2004, p. 163). I lived, I dealt with problems, I won and I learned. Now, I am making my dream possible for myself. I have successfully finished my journey in Australia but it is not the end of it. It just marks the beginning of a new journey, here in America a journey to my dream.