I feel as if there are a number of experiences that have built skills and character that I acquire. Through incidences at school, at home or out in the streets, I feel as if it all contributed to traits that I have and made me the person I am today. For instance, as the youngest in my family, I took on the role as mommy when my mom was not home. I love to clean, so everyday I would come home from school, do my homework and clean the house before my mom came home. My mom knew I solely did this, so she saw me as responsible. She then kept giving me things to do while my older siblings got away with doing nothing. Even though I saw this an unfair, it built me. Because of this, I am now more responsible and more independent than my older siblings.
An incident where my character was being tested was back in grade school. It was obvious that I was more heavy set than the other kids and they saw it as well. Being in grade school, everyone wants to have their say, so they would not let anything go unsaid. In short, I was bullied a lot by people that I used to associate everyday with. When I was in grade school, I used to play basketball with the boys at recess. Being so into the games, they used to make fun of me if they were losing. But the teasing did not stop at school, even my aunts and uncles used to make fun of me. I was raised with very low self esteem. When you are told you are something for the longest time, you start to believe it. I have had my days and nights with tears, but it made me grow and build into a stronger person. Now, I am confident. I could be thrown into a room full of people and make a speech because I have gained so much confidence over the years that I am okay with who I am now.
I am proud of my culture. I like being part of a minority even though the odds are against us. I feel as if being a minority makes being successfully so much more worth it because the stats say that a significant amount of us will not make as money as the majority. Being Filipino also has opened my eyes. It made me more open minded to things. For instance, there are many cultural difference between America and the Philippines; food for example. Most people are afraid to try things that are not familiar to them, but being of a different culture, I am not that hesitant to try new things.
Through all these experiences, I have found out that I am responsible, independent, confident and courageous. I have learned so much through this too. That is why though every bad event in my life, I take it as a learning experience. Even though it might seem like the worst thing in the world at the time, you walk out stronger and more knowledgable in the end.