When I first came to Singapore, there was a massive language barrier, even though I studied English for years in South Korea. It felt like those years went down the drain. I couldn’t understand lessons, nor join in conversations. Once a boy stole a ball I brought to school, and I couldn’t even stand up for myself. Grades were terrible too. It was devastating for my self-esteem, and I considered going back to Korea.
Yet I am thankful my Mum never once stressed me. She was so assuring and told me to persevere. So I carried on, studied hard, watched lots of English shows (Sherlock is my fav!), believing one day I’ll be able to write and speak fluently. I really wanted to prove myself, because I was never an outstanding student in Korea. After some years, I’m still here in Singapore and smiling too, so I guess I did ok eventually 😄
I think resilience means hanging on when you really really feel like giving up. It's in that mental stretch that we grow the most 🙆