Perseverance

From the Caribbean to Suburban Ohio
By Paolamantina Grullón ’10

Paolamantina Grullón ’10

I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic—an island located east of Haiti between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea—with the help of my grandmother. After my father died of cancer when I was just 5 years old and my mother was unable to care for me and my seven siblings, my grandmother took on the role of mother and father. Most importantly, she taught me that everything you want to accomplish in life is possible with perseverance and hard work.

I took her advice and began the challenge of making true the dreams I had hidden inside of me since middle school. I wanted to study medicine, and I knew that the opportunities in America were far greater than in the Dominican Republic, especially for women. However, nearing my high school graduation, my biggest problem was that I did not speak or write English.

With the help of my sister and the money from my father’s inheritance, I started searching for schools in America where I could study English for a year before entering college. I was accepted into a post-graduate program at Canterbury School, a boarding school in New Milford, Connecticut. I decided to invest all of my time and energy into learning the language, with the hope of being accepted into an American college or university to realize my dream of studying medicine.

I resisted enrolling in Canterbury’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program because I knew it was not going to be challenging enough—I needed to push myself harder. Although it wasn’t easy to do, I took regular English classes with the other students at the school. By the third month of translating every single word in my notes from English to Spanish and back to English on a daily basis, I became more and more comfortable speaking, listening and understanding the language.

When it came time to look for a college, I spent hours analyzing brochures from schools all over the country. I knew the odds were against me because of my background and financial limitations, but I didn’t let that stop me from searching. Even if I ended up going back home after all, I was determined to at least try to follow my dream.

After applying to 15 small, liberal arts colleges, I decided that Ohio Wesleyan University was the place for me. Because the school boasts fewer than 2,000 students, I knew I would not be just a number for them. While some students seek a larger university in an urban hub, I was attracted to the suburban location and felt right at home. The university’s students come from 44 states and 45 countries, so I knew wouldn’t be alone in the diversity factor.

Now in my second year at Ohio Wesleyan, it is almost impossible to believe how much I have grown. Leaving home has expanded my education both academically and culturally and, if given the chance to do it over again, I would choose the same route.