I believe that all things happen for a reason, and that difficulties happen so that one can appreciate the good things that one has. When I was thirteen, my parents made the decision to transfer me to my hometown school because it had a good quality of education. I took two days travel there by train, bus, boat, 2000 kilometers far away from my city in another province. I was very sad and disappointed with this big change in my life. I missed my city, home and friends. In this small ancient town, people still got their drinking water from the well, washed their clothes in the river, and had very limited electricity. The town house that I lived with my aunt’s family was very wet and cold in winter. Furthermore, on the school entry test, I ranked at the bottom ten of sixty students, although I had ranked tenth in my previous class in the city. These changes made me feel lonely, frustrated and discouraged. However, after I saw my classmates having not enough food or clothing, and walking more than seven kilometers from other villages to school every day, I realized that comparing with them, I was much better. Gradually I was affected and inspired by their spirit. They were optimistic, diligent and not afraid of difficulties. I started calming down and putting all my efforts into my studies. Every day, I got up at 5:30 in the morning to recite English words and literature. At night, after finishing homework, I studied till after midnight. When electricity was off, I would continue studying with a candle. Under that hard circumstance, I made a great improvement in all my subjects. After two years, I ranked third in my class. When at last, I returned to my city for the High School Entrance Examination, I became very successfully enrolled in a high ranking high school in my city. I firmly believe that those two years’ experience were a blessing in disguise because it entirely changed me. I became independent and strong, and learned to have an
I believe that all things happen for a reason, and that difficulties happen so that one can appreciate the good things that one has. When I was thirteen, my parents made the decision to transfer me to my hometown school because it had a good quality of education. I took two days travel there by train, bus, boat, 2000 kilometers far away from my city in another province. I was very sad and disappointed with this big change in my life. I missed my city, home and friends. In this small ancient town, people still got their drinking water from the well, washed their clothes in the river, and had very limited electricity. The town house that I lived with my aunt’s family was very wet and cold in winter. Furthermore, on the school entry test, I ranked at the bottom ten of sixty students, although I had ranked tenth in my previous class in the city. These changes made me feel lonely, frustrated and discouraged. However, after I saw my classmates having not enough food or clothing, and walking more than seven kilometers from other villages to school every day, I realized that comparing with them, I was much better. Gradually I was affected and inspired by their spirit. They were optimistic, diligent and not afraid of difficulties. I started calming down and putting all my efforts into my studies. Every day, I got up at 5:30 in the morning to recite English words and literature. At night, after finishing homework, I studied till after midnight. When electricity was off, I would continue studying with a candle. Under that hard circumstance, I made a great improvement in all my subjects. After two years, I ranked third in my class. When at last, I returned to my city for the High School Entrance Examination, I became very successfully enrolled in a high ranking high school in my city. I firmly believe that those two years’ experience were a blessing in disguise because it entirely changed me. I became independent and strong, and learned to have an