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“Where are you from again? Mexico?” they ask.
“No, not Mexico,” I reply.
“Puerto Rico?”
“No, I’m from Cuba,” I say.
“What do they speak there, Cuban?”
“No actually, we speak Spanish.”
“Do you have Cuban cigars?” they assume.
“I’m sorry, I don’t.”
“Are you related to Elian Gonzalez?” they insist.
“Not to my knowledge.”
“Fidel Castro?”
I laugh and say, “Not him either.”
“So did you come here by raft?”
I shake my head no.
“Did you swim?”
“No, I came by plane,” I say.
“Do you like to dance salsa?”
“Absolutely! I love salsa!” I lie.
“Do you sing like Gloria Estefan?”
“No, I have my own voice.”
It’s stereotypes like these that I have had to overcome. People assume they know what type of person I am when they hear I’m from Cuba, but I’m here to prove them wrong, to prove you wrong.
I left my communistic homeland when I was three and like many Cubans we settled in Miami for sometime. I never realized I was a minority until I was seven and moved to a small town in Illinois. Don’t get me wrong, I always knew I was special, in the way every seven year old thinks they’re special. I just never knew I was different.
When I arrived in Illinois I noticed people had a hearing problem. They would constantly ask “what?” after I said something. Turns out they didn’t have a hearing problem… I had an accent.
The children still played with me regardless of my accent and I learned so much from them. They taught me that chocolate wasn’t pronounced “shocolate” and chair wasn’t the same thing as “share.”
When I was 12 I moved to a suburb outside of Cincinnati and thanks to my second grade class I no longer had an accent. I found that students were more accepting of me than they were of other minorities due to my light brown hair and light skin. This wasn’t second grade anymore; kids wouldn’t just play with anyone.
People were often surprised to hear I was from Cuba, telling me I don’t look Cuban. I would have to bite my tongue to not let out, “Well you don’t have blonde hair and blue eyes so you must not be American.”
Being a minority has certainly made me different, but not fitting the stereotypes have made me unique.

By Jl87d (Jl87d) on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 03:31 pm: Edit

Just to clarify what this post is about:
Are you asking 'Should I use this for a college application essay?' and 'What do you think of the essay?'

By Editrix (Editrix) on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 03:31 pm: Edit

Some people will probably tell you it's risky, but I like it a lot: It's fresh and interesting and has a real voice.

A few minor edits: In the first full paragraph, I'd probably delete "to prove you wrong," which seems too accusatory; the reader may or may not have stereotyped notions about Cubans. In the third sentence, I'd change "communistic" to "communist"; also, in this context, "some time" should be two words. In the last sentence of the essay, "have made" should be "has made."

Otherwise, I think it's terrific.

By Slipstream99 (Slipstream99) on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 04:29 pm: Edit

I like it a lot too. Definitely "unique"!

By Clickspring (Clickspring) on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 05:30 pm: Edit

Nope, not a good essay.

By Marite (Marite) on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 05:56 pm: Edit

>>but I’m here to prove them wrong, to prove you wrong.>> Is THIS why you left Cuba? Hmm....
>>in the way every seven year old thinks they’re special.>> Every takes the singular.
>> due to my light brown hair and light skin.>>
Either "owing to" or "because of" instead of "due to."
>>but not fitting the stereotypes have made me unique.>> change "have" to "has."

I'd still like to know more about who you are, besides being Cuban with light brown hair and light skin and no accent.

By Achat (Achat) on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 06:37 pm: Edit

You haven't spoken much about your Cuban heritage. You should. Make the essay unique to your situation. I liked it, it is a good start.

"Communistic" should be changed to "communist".

I'd suggest to take a good look at your family and talk about what makes you unique.

By Collegerocks (Collegerocks) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 10:31 pm: Edit

bumpity bump bump ;)

By Weenie (Weenie) on Saturday, October 09, 2004 - 07:16 pm: Edit

I read the essay, but still feel like I don't know much about you - and I think that is what Admissions is trying to find out. Maybe adding something more about how you FELT about the stereotypes, and specify what about you was very DIFFERENT from the stereotypes, and how these sterertypical assumptions affect your outlook on life. It's a great start though!