Oluwapelumi Akande

                                                                                                                                English 84

                                                           EVERYDAY HEROES

          Having learnt British English all my life and always being on top made my moving to the United State, not the best experience at the beginning. I felt it was a detriment for me due to my strong accent, and the type of English I was familiar with. It was a big cultural shock for me. In retrospect, I remember not wanting to associate myself with people especially my race because they would ask naive questions about Africa like if we slept on trees, but I had to get over it because it was not exactly their fault I mean they have been made to believe certain things that to me were just inane. I had to take the lowest English class due to my unfamiliarity with American English which made me despondent at some point, but I did not relinquish I aimed at working my way to the top. Which was easier said than done. My first English class I had the worst teacher ever, I mean at some point I thought I was just dorm that I did not learn anything but really I just had a very nonchalant teacher. At the end of the school year I got a “C”, which was not good enough for me especially my family, they did not understand that I just had a bad teacher they just assumed was that I was just lazy. Then one day I was opportune to listen to a message by Joyce Meyer that changed my life, one thing she said that really spoke to me was ‘take charge of your life and done blame other people for your shortcomings.” Immediately I reflected to that and I thought to myself why blame my teacher for not improving my English when I could just pick a book to read or go for tutoring. Next semester came and I was determined within myself to work hard with or without my teacher’s help. I pushed myself by taking honors classes and AP classes even though I did not pass my English AP test I was euphoric with myself because I took charge of my life and challenged myself which not only made me a better person but also helped my language barrier.