MY life story
My name is Gelila and I am a senior in high school, about to transition into college within the next year. I am 20 years old and can speak three different languages: French, English and Amharic (the national language of Ethiopia). My parents live and work in Ethiopia where they raised me to become who I am today. I currently stay in Minnetonka, in Minneapolis, Minnesota with my aunt and her family, but I plan to move out after high school so that I can attend university.
I came to the US from Ethiopia 18 months ago in pursuit of a better education because the school I previously attended became extremely expensive and my parents couldn’t afford it anymore. The alternatives were not as good as what I could get here due to the developed and dynamic nature of American education. The US academic system enables students to pursue their passions as much as possible and transitions them into careers related to what they enjoy doing. This creates well rounded individuals who know what they want in life and contribute to society enthusiastically.
To keep fit and stay competitive I used to be in the volleyball team during my freshman and sophomore years of high school. This opportunity enabled me to meet and interact with students from different backgrounds and countries who have settled in the America just like me. I was also a member of the art and music club where I excelled and received an award from the Egyptian Ambassador to the US for a painting I did depicting the American country landscape. Despite the demands of these extra-curricula activities, I have managed to maintain above average academic scores and currently hold a 3.16 GPA with the additional responsibility of being the class leader.
When I start university I would like to major in International Relations and minor in French because I have a passion for diplomacy and languages. French was an optional subject in school while I was in Ethiopia but economic and social developments over the last decade have transformed the country into a diplomatic hub which has created a demand for professionals conversant in foreign languages.
After I get my undergraduate degree I plan to move back to Ethiopia and become a translator at the African Union. Our capital city Addis Ababa (Amharic for ‘new flower’) is the headquarters for the African Union, a continental body uniting all African countries; the headquarters for United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and several other global organizations that work in Africa. It therefore makes sense for me to study International Relations and French because these will enable me to excel in that environment.
In the evenings and weekends I work at Jamba Juice, a smoothie shop located in Minnetonka, near where I reside with the aunt’s family. I really love my job because it is fun and easy and enables me to interact with hundreds of people every week. This has improved my English and my social skills.
I also play the piano and the guitar, two instruments that I have been playing since I was 10 years old. My mother used to say that if a person can master a musical instrument, then they are very patient and ready to learn more about life than they have received from society. It may sound funny but the inspiration behind my learning to play more than one instrument was the need to make my parents proud of me.