As an immigrant who has been living in America for three years, being free means having the choice to pursue opportunities that, due to a lack of resources, are unavailable or simply do not exist in our home countries. When I first arrived in the United States, I was amazed by the variety of programs offered in high school. However, I could not speak English, which made adapting to my unfamiliar environment difficult. Consequently, I decided to join a sports team to meet more people and to have the opportunity to practice my English.
I had wanted to play sports my entire life, but in my home country there is a severe scarcity of athletic programs, especially for women. Once here, I started with volleyball. I will not lie, it was difficult, as I was the only Latina on the team who did not speak English, and I was terrified. But over time, I got to know my teammates, and they turned out to be wonderful. They always tried to understand and help me. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but I eventually realized that volleyball was not really my thing, so I decided to take a break, though I knew it would not be for exceedingly long.
The following semester, I joined the softball team. My first season was challenging, but I enjoyed it. It was something new, and I absolutely loved the experience of playing and being part of a team. I eagerly awaited the next season. I spent the entire summer practicing softball and my English so that I could better understand my teammates and coaches.
My junior year season was the best of all. I learned so much, and most importantly I was incredibly happy. I had the freedom to live out all these experiences and opportunities, and I knew I would never have those opportunities back in my home country.
Furthermore, the life lessons we learned as a team are things I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Softball had started out as just a hobby, but it quickly evolved into a sport that I genuinely loved. Playing softball brought out my athletic side, and being on the team helped me immensely in adapting to life in the United States.
It revealed a side of myself I never knew existed, helping me discover who I am and feel a greater sense of freedom. I finished high school in the best way possible, and I am certain that if I hadn’t been involved in softball, my outcome would not have been the same.This sport gave me the drive to want to be better, to want to learn English, to become stronger and, above all, through this sport, I gained a sense of freedom that I had never experienced before.
