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Became A Canadian Citizen
It takes a significant event for someone to remember something that happened to them when they were three. Moving from Germany with my family was a big change; we had to learn a new language and adjust to the new ways of living. As far as I remember, it was an exciting time for me. But that change did affect me; I had to learn a lot about my new enviornment and I still wonder what life would be like if my family decided to move somewhere else or not even move at all. -
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Emmy's Milestones
A great deal of things can happen in sixteen years. Things that can shape someone physically, mentally and emotionally. Here is a glimpse at the things that have changed me throughout my life so far. -
Changed Schools
<i>SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT</i> When my family decided to it was time to move from our apartment to a house, I was thrilled. We found our dream home; it was the on the other side of town. It was during the last week of summer when I finally realized that I'd start grade four in a completely new school with completely new people. I got through it and met people I'm still friends with to this day. Through that experience, I learned how to come out of my shell and developed socially. -
Went to Enrichment
<i>INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT</i> When I was in grade seven, I got the wonderful opportunity to go to Enrichment. It was a month-long program where I had the chance to go to a new school for one day every week; the focus was world issues. It was a fantastic experience because I was challenged to learn and discuss different current events. I learned a lot that month and getting mentally stimulated helped me develop my learning process. -
Visited Bosnia
<i>EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT</i> In summer '07, my family and I went on a vacation to the country we originated from -Bosnia. It was my first time visiting the place my parents and older siblings spent the beginning of their life as a family so it was incredibly interesting and informative. It took me a short while to realize how different life was in a country still recovering from a war was; I realized many were not as fortunate as me. That experience taught me the importance of thankfulness. -
Injured My Foot
In grade eight, I had an accident while I was in gym class and very badly hurt my ankle. I spent the next three weeks in crutches -one of those days was on my birthday! It was an eye-opening experience for me because having to depend on crutches and other people to help me catalyzed my discovery of the signifcance of being grateful for those little things I took for granted. -
Won Citizenship Award
Leaving senior school and preparing for the new world of highschool was a pitoval moment for me, as it is for everyone else. During that memorable graduation ceremony, I was surprised to hear my name get called out for one of the school's prestigious awards. I got the Citizenship Award for 'kindess, respect for others, and responsibility.' It was a great moment for me because it felt that I was being recognized for something I thought was just me being me. -
Joined WAYVE
<i>PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT</i> When I was in grade ten, I joined for a local youth-led anti-bullying group called WAYVE (Working Against Youth Violence Everywhere). It was a year-long program with weekly meetings. The group of us created a presentation revolving around the issues that face youth today. Becoming friends with the other teenagers in the group and having to present in front of entire schools shaped my personality because I gained courage and was less afraid to speak out. -
Sister Got Married
<i>EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT</i> I was always best friends with my sister, El. She was a really big part of my childhood. Even though I completely saw it coming, I was very sad when my sister got married and moved out. Once she left, I felt very alone for many weeks. Although I didn't really lose my best friend, I lost the proximity and value of seeing her in person everyday. The experience helped me develop emotionally because I learned independence and dealing with bittersweet events. -
Got A Job
After grade ten, I wanted one last summer of being a kid. I enjoyed the three months of sleeping in and having no responsibilities. Then, at the end of August, I decided to get a job as a cashier at a nearby store. Getting a job was a very educational experience because I learned the importance of self-reliability. I saw that only I was responsible for being punctual and doing my job correctly. Getting a job really taught me how to be responsible and how to manage my time wisely. -
Started Running
<i>PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT</i> One fall day in grade eleven, I spontaneously decided to go out for a run. Once I felt the wonderful satisfaction and pride of completing a run, I was addicted. To this day, I go on runs about three times a week and have taken my habit to participate in charity-run marathons, such as the yearly Run For The Cure. This habit has helped me improve physically, from my stamina to my willpower. -
Got My Driver's License
Getting my G2 is one of the happiest memories I have. Even though I was petrified during my driving test, I remained calm, remembered the rules, and eventually got the pink slip that allowed me to drive on my own. It was a great feeling because I knew that getting the license was all my own doing and I felt like it was a great accomplishment. -
Applied for University
Applying for university was a very scary experience for me... but only at first. Once I saw how easy it was, I realized it was nothing to worry about. It was strange, however, to make such significant choices involving my future. I still felt very young to be making these independent, important decisions; but that hour-long process taught me that soon I'll be in charge of my own life with no one to tell me what I should do. -
Started Volunteering at A Daycare
Even though my volunteer hours were completed long ago, I recently decided to volunteer at a daycare because I've always enjoyed working with children. It's been a very rewarding experience because I've learned a great deal about different age groups and just how unique children can be. -
Writing Was Recognized
Two gruelling months after submitting a short story, I recieved a letter from a publishing company telling me I got through the first round of their writing contest. It was a very great day for me because writing has always been my passion, so being told I was good at something I absolutely love doing was one of the best things I could ever experience. Getting that letter will be a memory I will treasure forever.
