The Event That Changed My Life

There have been very few events throughout my lifetime that I feel have impacted or inspired me with such noteworthiness and that I know will change my outlook on the world and affect me forever. One of those events occurred when I traveled to Portugal, my parent’s homeland. From this excursion in 2007, I learned the importance of family, most importantly the distant kind. It provided me with a totally different perspective on the world and how large and extended one’s family can really be; even across cultures and continents. I felt so fortunate learning this lesson at a young age and growing to appreciate the ideals I was brought up with as a child. The family I have in Portugal has always been there; however, their faces have aged and are blemished with the passing of many years and difficult times. Some newer additions to the family have started to become a part of the modern Portuguese workforce. One of my cousins was studying to become a veterinarian and another was working as a nurse at the local hospital of Montalegre (or “Happy Mountain”).

Living in the U.S.A as a child born to a Portuguese family, I have always longed to see the faces of those who I knew were supposed to be close to me, but had no idea where or if they existed. It will be four years ago this July that I first stepped onto Portuguese soil, and the experiences I had there were exhilarating to say the least. The food, the culture, and the people were at the core of my special journey. I traveled with my family through the countryside and the province of Tras Os Montes (or “Behind the Mountains”), happily saying hello to all the people we encountered, knowing that this was the “old country” (as my father refers to it).

One of the great parts about goin...

... middle of paper ...

...eed support and love you unconditionally “no matter what”. Who wouldn’t want to be part of a family? The main part of a family is the cohesion, and, even more so, the special bond they all share. When I heard about Mass Academy and went to shadow day, I knew there was a special bond between all those who attended the school. The students at MAMS treated each other as they would treat a brother or sister. The teachers were supportive of a student much like a parent. Everyone had this special bond. This is something that I admire and hope to be a part of. It is a learning environment and a support system like this that can help a student eager to make a difference in the world achieve true potential. The omnipresent love of family and friends is what keeps people together, and in this togetherness and strength as community we are able to achieve the once, impossible.