Winner: Sofía Prada Ávila 6B
HOW I WANT TO EMPOWER OTHERS
We often think about who we want to be when we grow up, but what does 'being' mean? Is it just what we do for a living? How we create a family? I think that being is so much more than that. It’s your opinions of the world, the things you’re passionate about, how you impact the people around you. Maybe as women we are expected to raise a family and just leave a mark on the lives of our children. Maybe just finding a way to earn money, your profession, but much more beyond that is the woman I want to be. I don’t know if I want to have kids nor what I want to do for living. I am actually still looking for something that fills me with excitement and passion and makes my existence worthy, though I am not sure if I’m going to find it. What I’m sure about is that I want to be a woman who inspires others, who empowers them, who makes a difference in her community, who makes others think, who just leaves every standard and stereotype behind and teaches everyone to do so. I want to be a woman who changes the world.
We live in a world in which we can be free but we actually aren’t. I think about this way too much than I should and I often found myself thinking about ways to change this. Things such as discrimination, standards and stereotypes are present in our society and even though we don’t notice them easily, they exist and are in every little judgmental comment we do about someone or something. Things such as “blue is for boys” and “pink is for girls”, “boys are strong” and "girls are weak”, “real men don’t cry” and “girls are way too sentimental” are examples of some of the thoughts that have at least once wandered inside our heads and have actually shaped us into who we are. We have judged girls when they do not cry because of a sad movie or boys if they do; if a little boy likes to play with babies instead of cars or transformers we call him “gay”. We use the word gay as an insult instead of respecting this community or even admiring their bravery to be themselves; has the fear towards difference taken over ourselves? This is just another example of the different standards we hold in our heads, and if we are honest with ourselves, it is not really our fault. We do not wish to think every time something happens; we just do. These stereotypes have been present throughout humanity and we have gotten used to them, we have been so afraid of difference we have turned ourselves against it, racism, sexism and now homophobia are some of the various examples of simple rejection towards diversity. These are thoughts and ideas that I ponder in my head and I really want to change them, more than anything in the world; I want to be a woman that is able to do so.
Right now I may just be a 13-year-old girl, who may seem shy or insecure or even slightly unsettled and maybe I am but these are just words, simple adjectives that don’t actually make me, myself. I have so many opinions about very important things. For instance, the meaning of existence or sexism, racism, self-love, identity, discrimination, even politic point of view or how the fashion industry affects everyone involved in it. I may not be the perfect girl or the one everyone hopes to meet, but I am okay with it and I hope that everyone can accept themselves as they are too. I hope to be a woman who embraces her flaws and encourages others to do so too, who promotes self-acceptance and inspires everyone to be themselves. I want my thoughts to turn into actions and my voice as something that others might actually listen to. I want to be courageous, empowering, inspiring and daring and someone who isn’t afraid to speak up or be who she really is, no matter the consequences or what others think because I don’t want to sit in silence, hoping for someone to do something.
Perhaps I am not this kind of woman today but I aspire to be, I might still judge others based on their appearance or even reject myself as I am, but I am trying not to, trying to fight all of this and to move on, perhaps this is the start. Fortunately, we have so many inspiring role models who make us realize the power we hold in our actions and thoughts, who inspire us to inspire others. Women like Malala, the girl who fought for girls’ education; Emma Watson, one of the most influential members in the ONU promoting gender equality; so many influential leaders on the internet who advocate diversity just like Tyler Oakley and an infinite number of amazing human beings that with small actions are changing their own reality and people surrounding them. Maybe I can be one of these people because as Emma Watson once said, “If not me, who? If not now, when?”
Camila Buelvas 6B
THE WOMAN I WANT TO BE
When you were little didn't you tell yourself: I want to be a doctor, a singer, a dancer, a veterinarian, among other professions you though you could only aspire? Well, I also thought of those things, and maybe that do part of what we want to be now. Those "dreams", for saying it that way, are now part of our future. in other words: All dreams and things we said or thought when we were little can now be a possibility of all types of woman we can turn into.
In my case, when I was little I told my family that I wanted to be a “little puppies doctor", but I didn't really know what that really meant. I just watched TV shows of kids taking care of little puppies, and that was the only thing I wanted to do. Well, as time passed by I knew what a veterinarian was, and also figured out that what I had said all my life, technically, didn't exist. That was really shocking for me, since all my life I had been saying that I wanted to become that.
As I started growing up I changed my point of view towards life and wanted to be a pediatrician which is my mother’s profession. Thus, the Colombian expression of "I got something on my veins" is applied in my case. Now I really want to become a pediatrician and save children lives.
I already talked about professional stuff, now it's time to talk about what do I want my personality, my emotions, feelings and a future family to be like. Again I will ask you: What did you think of your future husband when you were little? I thought that I had to marry anyone! I even considered the door if the situation called for it. Then I thought I had to have two children one girl and one boy and also I planned to have two dogs, female and a male, so they could have lots of puppies. I thought that was the perfect family, I always had dreamed of that. But again I grew up and started understand things were more complicated than I had pictured; however, I still want to marry someone and have a family. Talking about my personality I have always wanted and still want to be a trustful, honest, loyal, and kind person in which people can count on. I like this personality because I want to become a pediatrician in order to save lives and to become a support for others who are in need of someone. As I told you to remember what did you think, or what did you want to become when you were bigger, if you take a look to my story many things that I have dreamed of since I was little are the same things I want to do now. I want to become a doctor that helps children and saves their lives, but I also want to become a good woman that helps the ones that have psychological problems and need a shoulder to cry on. I want to be that type of person that helps everybody no matter what and is kind at the same time. I want to be a supportive wife that is there for her children, husband, and all of her family. All of this things is what I'm totally sure of. This is the WOMAN I WANT TO BE.
Margarita Perdomo Chamorro 6B
It is not very easy to write about what you want to be since my way of seeing life has been constantly changing from when I was small compared to today. When I was little I could only think about playing and learning, so that when my family asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up I would answer," I want to be a princess and eat many sweets. When I turned a little older and already understood more things of life, what I wanted to be was an astronaut because that was what most of the girls want to b. As you can see, I have been changing my mind frequently during my shortlife. Now that I’m 12 years old I really know who I am and what I want.
I want to study in a good university and graduate as a doctor. I chose a doctor because I love medicine and biology. Moreover, I want to have friends that help me plus I want to earn money to travel with my family. Something I really want to do is to continue playing basketball because it is something that makes me happy. But if I want to be really happy I don’t need much money or be very famous I need to love what I have. I want to be a woman who doesn’t care what anyone else says about her. I want to be special and leave a good mark on the hearts of others. I want to help a foundation of sick children because they are the future of Colombia and if you don’t live to serve, you don’t deserve to live.
Someone I really admire for her life style is my mother, for she is very close to God and all problems and difficulties she has she entrusts to Him. And even though she only wanted to have two children and got three she loves us all and she would do anything for us, she is like a super hero. Another woman I admire is Malala because she was and is very strong and does things that not everyone can do. Sometimes I think that studies are not so important but she makes me realize that they are the base of a good professional person. One quote that I really love about her is “a child, a teacher, a book and a pen can change the world. Education is the only solution.” She has quotes that make you think about the way you are seeing life. She is like a teacher for me, that despite the fact she doesn’t know me and perhaps never will, with her words and actions she can teach anyone.
For me sometimes is a little bit difficult to understand some of the wise words that my mother and Malala say but the only thing I need to do is to listen with my heart and think of how to apply those words in my daily life and not take it just s words and nothing more. In conclusion, I want to be like this two women: Strong, happy, intelligent, special but most of all I want to be like myself,12 year old girl, that has a very special family and very big dreams. If she studies and fights she can make them true.
Estefanía Cardona 6A
Right now I know I am not very happy with my life, the only escape I have are my dreams, where I can create my own world and my fantasies. The woman I want to become is CONFIDENT. I consider that being confident can make me see things in a different way. Confidence can make people stronger and original. I don’t want to be the perfect girl, for I want to be authentic and careless about what other might say about me. It is that, and nothing else, the type of woman I want to become: confident, in order to believe in myself, so that someday I wil really believe I am a good woman.
María Paula Pardo Ruiz 10A
I hate that at this point of my life many people ask me, what do you want to study? Or in which career do you see yourself in some years? Because, even though I know I am in a crucial moment of my life where I have to make important decisions for my future, I am completely lost in these aspects. I don’t know what I want to study or where, I'm still very confused. And there goes the problem, because when people ask me, I really don’t know what to answer. However, there are other aspects of my future life that I have completely clear. But those have nothing to do with my career, which is also very important, but for me the most important thing is to have clear the kind of woman I want to be, more precisely, the one I want to become.
First of all, I see myself in some years with a family, a loving family. Even though we are living in a society where marriage is overrated and it doesn’t have the same strong meaning for most of the people as it had before, I consider myself one of the few persons who still believe it is a promise that should last forever. That is why I wish I find that one person with whom I want to share my whole life along with something that for me is essential to human life: children. What would the world be without kids? It would be so boring, colorless. That is my biggest wish; to have kids. Throughout my life I've noticed that I really love to be around kids, and although being a mother is a great responsibility, I am totally willing to take it.
Another thing I have very clear about my life is that I want to be, in whatever I will be working, very happy and proud of what I do. I know that money is a very important and determining factor in whatever I choose to study and work for a living; yet I prefer to have not that much money and be happy with what I do and have time for my family, than to be completely alone and feeling miserable with my job. Life is just one so it is better to enjoy every moment of it than to waste it on things that make you unhappy. Moreover, I want to be an independent woman. Even though I said before that I want to share my whole life with someone it doesn’t mean that I am going to depend on that person economically or emotionally. I hope to reach all my goals and accomplish all my dreams without letting anyone to be an obstacle for that.
Finally, something that school teaches us throughout the years which is to have a huge love for service. To help others is something present in all of us and I am very thankful for that. For this reason, I have discovered that I love social service, especially with kids. For instance, I know that throughout my life I want to make many things to help others, to help children or anyone who is in need of a helping hand.
It doesn’t matter what I am going to study, or where I am going to live, the most important thing is that I have clear the kind of person I want to be and the path that I want to follow. I want to be a person full of values, an example for my kids. I want to be happy, and leave a print of my own essence in the world. This is not only in helping others, but also in whatever it is I do. I think that it doesn’t matter what you want to be in life, as long as you are the best in it. Moreover, doing all those things with all your heart.
Valentina Chica Dueñas 10B
When you ask me what kind of woman I want to be, tons of words come to my mind and fill it with dreams and goals. One who takes good care of her home, powerful, helpful and happy are the main words that make up my future in being a Superwoman, with the power of being the best “me” that I can.
Taking good care of my home, because one of my main goals is building a family, with a loving husband and, hopefully, three children. Additionally, I really want to have a balance between work and home, for I wish to spend more time with my kids and see them grow, rather than spending time at a desk at work. I prefer arriving home from work being welcomed with plenty of kisses and hugs. I want them to be the ones who make my life much better, to be my booster.
Powerful, in two ways, in a professional way and in a human one. First of all, powerful in my career in order to achieve one of my main goals: to become an ambassadress, to make the world understand that there is more to Colombia than just wars and drugs; that my country has a lot to give to the world. Moreover, powerful mainly in a human way, because I want to build my life with all my mistakes, sad things, and also really happy moments, for the sake of getting each day stronger and “powerful” to assume life with a great attitude that allows me to be really happy, and to help others.
Happy, because as many philosophers and writers state: It is the purpose of life. Happiness allows you to live and not to just exist; it makes life better in every sense. As a result, I want to be completely happy with all of God's blessings and to enjoy every second of my life as much as I can. Furthermore, I just don't want to be completely happy by my own, I want to share that happiness with other people and maybe help them achieve this important goal.
Helpful, because as a famous proverb says “Be more, to serve better”. That's who I want to be, to be more in order to serve all those around me who may need my help, because I think that is one of the main goals in life. I truly believe that everything you learn or get in life doesn't have any sense if you don't share it with others. Just as I have learned to love and to give myself to others without expecting something material in exchange, yet receiving feelings of gratefulness, love and teachings from them.
All this are the main characteristics of the woman I want to become one day, however, I definitely want to be me. To always be true to myself and never change my personality because of one bump in the road or other any other cause. I want to achieve all my goals with my special superpower, and that is the most important thing. More than a specific kind of woman, when time passes, I want to be my own kind of woman and always make myself proud. Thus, I want to fulfil all that I said before, nevertheless in my own way.