Personal Statement - Essay Example

I play a number of sports, including uni-hockey, tennis, karting, skiing and golf. Sports enable a person to discover things about themselves that might elude them in normal life. They have taught me perseverance, courage and the ability to accept both victory and defeat with grace. As part of my extra-curricula activities I have taken part in yearbook activities and, as stated earlier took a trip to Mali in 2005 in order to teach children English. I learned what it is to be a stranger in a foreign land, and will empathize more with those I find in a similar position in my home country of Switzerland.

I also learned the great benefits that accrue from helping others, both for society in general and the individual involved. The children I taught had little contact with the outside world before they met me, and expressed a fascination with this stranger in their midst that made me realize how privileged my life had been. Things I had taken for granted, such as always having enough to eat, living in a secure home and having a complete family cannot be relied upon by many of the children that I taught.

Many had known times when they went hungry, when they feared for their lives because of civil strife, and when they did not know where they would be living from one day to the next. But none of them seemed to feel bitter or depressed about these facts. These experiences made them more eager to learn, especially the English language that they saw as a way to education and the way out of poverty. Their hope and enthusiasm taught me a lot about the most positive sides of human nature, especially those that can shine even when the physical circumstances of the person do not seem very promising.

To conclude, I have led a full life up until now and am looking forward to the next stage of my education. My experiences in Mali showed me that hope, enthusiasm and optimism are the best manner to move forward in life. I learned as much from the children I taught