Growing up, I was forced to teach myself proper grammar and mechanics because my family spoke ebonics. I soon realized that I had to speak, read, and write properly in English to be successful in today’s world. While studying abroad in France, it was imperative to possess the necessary skills to instruct my French peers as an English tutor. I sought to study abroad in France to develop an international education and to be more qualified to successfully perform at the university level. Not only did I further develop my skills as a self-taught English scholar, but I also developed the ability to speak, read, and write French. As a result, my fluency in French has encouraged me to further study the English language. My experience as a child and …show more content…
After returning from France, I sought more knowledge, so I enrolled in five local community colleges in hopes of receiving my Associate's degree upon receiving my high school diploma. Prior to senior year, I previously earned 17 college units, but I am attempting to graduate with 60 units by spring 2017. The experiences I had in community college have helped me understand the drastic difference between high school and college, which can act as prerequisite enrichment courses at the University of Chicago. My commitment to intellectual curiosity flourished tremendously after these experiences because taking college courses taught me how to be engaged inside and outside of the classroom. Instead of participating in senior events like field trips, picnics, and movie nights, I chose to pursue a higher education because of my harsh circumstances. My intellectual experiences have prepared me to transverse into a rich education such as that of your …show more content…
When I first began studying history as a child in elementary school, I was always taught that whites were saviors to colored people, but that is merely the standard interpretation of history. Now, I can observe things from a different point of view. While studying at El Camino College, I learned about the Berlin Conference in 1864, where European nations divided the African continent for economic benefits. As an African American woman this agonizes my soul because in history, colored people have been dehumanized. In schools, kids learn a Eurocentric, patriarchal version of history, which is rationalized as progress instead of raw history that is inclusive of minority communities that have experienced oppression. At the University of Chicago, I hope to learn about the myths in history. History remains intriguing to me because it can serve to provide endless interpretations and ideas. History has abetted me in feeling compelled to make a difference in today’s society and to speak out against social injustice, so it does not repeat itself. World history provides the strongest foundation to re-examine and understand unjust happenings in the modern