Tuesday, May 24, 2005

The turning points

My life could be completely different if two things have not happened to me.

First of all, I was very intelligent, but very naughty and not an ambitious child. I learned to read almost by myself when I was five, asking the adults about the letters. And when I went to school I had no difficulties in studying anything and all the teachers loved me, but I did not care about the marks and I never tried to be excellent.

But when I became 14 years old, because of English language, I had to move to another class. There I sat with one girl, who was extremely ambitious. She studied hard in order to achieve maximum points. She used to ask teachers to examine her again. She argued with them about the marks she was not happy with. I did not like her behaviour at all and I didn't bother if I had less points in some subjects. Until one day, she annoyed me by starting to compare her results with mine. I remained quiet, but inside I was very irritated. I decided to show her who was best. I knew that I possessed abilities and very easily, almost without efforts, I had excellent marks for the next two terms.

This was my first the turning point in my life. Because this year was very important and the certificate would determine in which high school you might be accepted in.

So having excellent marks, I found myself in the best high school, in the best class. I was astonished. I was frightened, because I said to myself that in the local secondary school, it was very easy but among these students, perfect in every way, boys and girls, I might fail. I decided I could not allow this to happen. I was alert to not making mistakes. I started taking care for every single step, so the result was that I became one of the best! I couldn't believe it! And still I did it without a lot of effort. My classmates knew it and they liked me because I used to share my knowledge, and help them and I always had time for jokes and a laugh. I finished this school with the maximum points, and I had no choice -- I had to continue climbing. I applied to study medicine.

This decision I made because I hated the Communist régime in my country. I kept in secret, but I thought that this was the only way to escape and be free of these stupid people. As a doctor, I thought I could cross the borders and I could help anybody -- even our enemy. My dream destination was Africa. . . .

So I consider myself as a happy person since I found a way for my dreams to become true, being a doctor. But here is the second turning point in my life.

It was September, 1990 when I received a telephone call from one of my girlfriends from this high school. She had become a teacher. When she phoned me and asked if I was still interested in working in Africa, and what about Libya? Of course I was. And she gave the information about the interview which I attended the next week. The strange thing is that she knew about this from one of her colleagues -- a teacher and musician who was working at that time in Benghazi . She called her husband and by the way, she said that her manager was going for medical staples in Sofia. I was approved, and after one year I was working in a nice hospital near Benghazi -- my town of beauty...

I had 9 happy years there, and I will love Libya forever. It was my way to freedom and this philosophy is the highest point of the spirit. So I will never forget those two girls who helped me by chance to achieve my dreams!

Sue Dyakova
FCE preparation

No comments: