Reflective Essay For Communication Class

I was born in Cuba, a developing country full of intrigue and discrimination. Due to the fact that I was not a Pioneer, someone who participated in Communist Party’s political activities, I was hindered from taking full advantage of most of the system’s academic resources. The one event that stays most fixated in my mind is when I was rejected by a public school because of my religious beliefs. When I was 12 years old, I had started taking drawing classes in an art gallery and was getting ready to take an entrance exam in order to be admitted into an Art Institute. After weeks of preparation and training, the day of the exam came, however, because I was not a Pioneer, the school would not allow me to even sit for the exam. That act of discrimination …show more content…
is learning English. I came to this country when I was thirteen years old, and of the adaptation process learning the language was the hardest part. When I first arrived here, I went to live in Houston, Texas, where the Hispanic population was scarce. After living a year in Houston, we moved to Miami which was much better because the majority of the residents spoke Spanish. However, when I started high school, I realized that I had to learn the language as soon as possible if I really wanted to succeed academically. I worked hard to leave the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program which held me back from taking electives, and Advance Placement classes. Passing the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in both ninth and tenth grades meant my efforts had paid off. My next step to improving with the language was to take classes where I will be with regular English speaking students. I then took my first Health Science class, where I met my first mentor, Mrs. Liset Icaza, who until today is a great friend. Taking AP classes and joining competitive clubs such as the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), facilitated the process of mastering the