The best piece of advice I've ever been given was in
Serbian, and I'll translate it the best I can: “Keep your dignity and never
look back, 'cause, if you bite, than bite off[1]!”
This is something my grandfather told me a while ago. This sentence probably
makes no sense in English, so I'll try to explain it. The first part, keep your
dignity, means that nothing is worth my self confidence and self respect.
Whatever I do with my life, or in my life, shouldn't be against my beliefs,
ideals and possibilities. On the other hand, I should take every chance life and
nemesis gives me in order to reach my goals. The second part, “never look
back”, means that I should never reconsider my previous actions; I should take
them as they are; learn as much as I can from my experience and except all the
rewards and consequences.
This, rather short sentence follows every step I make.
Whatever kind of a choice I have to make in my life, this piece of advice makes
it simple and easy. All I have to do is to estimate which solution is the most
possible one, which is the best one, which is the one that will hurt no one and
that is usually the only choice I have. For example, when I was given the
opportunity to go abroad, I had to think about it. I knew it will hurt my
parents, but, on the other hand, it will make them proud. I was also worried about
myself, my friends and social life: it is not easy to leave home, family and
friends and live in strange country with strange people who have different
culture and different habits. I spent some time thinking about it and decided
to go for it, and, as my grandfather said, not to look back.
And I didn't. When I have a problem, I think to
myself: you are here and deal with it! I can't afford to wonder whether this
was the right choice or not.
The third part, “when you bite, bite off”, is the best
one. Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, do the best you can and be
proud of yourself, and never give up because you think something is beyond your
reach. And this is where I find strength when I'm exhausted, this is what
forces me to make one more step, to read one more page, to write one more
letter and make one more phone call. Because, I still didn't bite off!
Diversity can be understood in many different ways, but my first association is
the Book Fair in Belgrade. It takes place every October and it lasts for 7
days. I used to skip school in order to spend my time there, but when the
principle of my school caught me, he gave me a week off. Now, after so many
years, I understand him: in the age of internet, crime, drugs and alcohol, I
was a teenager in love with books, eager to meet people from all over the
world, writers, publishers, journalists... From that year on, I always had a
week off for the Book Fair.
I used to go to the Fair at 10 o'clock, as soon as the
gates open, and talk to people from dozen different countries. I remember tall,
thin Russian hostess, who gave me postcards with pictures of Moscow and Lenin,
short girls from Poland who always wore white dresses, group from Sweden, they were
all blond and always ready to talk to me and tell me stories about their
country and their way of life.
I guess that is when I decided to become citizen of
the world, to ignore borders and learn as much as I can about countries,
people, their habits and cultures. I still have this thirst for this kind of
knowledge, and I am proud to know a few things: one should never touch Malaysian's head, they
believe their soul is in their hair, never give a Japanese present wrapped up
in white paper, in their culture, white color symbolizes death.
What would I bring to the diversity in a college
community? I will bring my knowledge, share it with my colleagues, and absorb
as much as they are willing to share.
[1] My grandfather speaks irregular
Serbian, and I think this is the best possible way to translate his words.
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