Life’s Challenges September 3, 2014

PC TECH student Flavio writes about his “Half Marathon”:

I have always been a person for whom [engaging in] sports isn’t a strong point.  But two years ago, my doctor told me that I had high cholesterol.  He blamed my habits as the catalyst of my bad cholesterol.  So I had to change my habits to good ones.

He suggested that I eat healthier and have a more active lifestyle.  If I wanted to solve my problem, I had to be more active.

At that moment, I promised my best friend that I would be able to run to his home.  My home and his are separated by about 21 km.

At the beginning, this challenge seemed like a fantasy because I couldn’t run more than three kilometers.  Then I read some advice and I used my best “weapons”; two months after, I could run 16 km.  So I decided to try my challenge.

My first 15 km were fine, but the next seven were harder.  I did not have much strength and my body was at its limit.  Yet my mind began to tell my body, “Come on!  Let’s go!  You can!  Go ahead!”

In the end, I could [run to] my friend’s home.  This was the biggest challenge of my life!

A different kind of challenge is described by Anton:

When I was a child, I studied some years of English.  But at that time, I was not really interested in learning another language; it seemed too difficult to me.  I had always preferred to study other [subjects] like science, computers – or to [take part in] sports, especially swimming.

After some years, I understood why I must learn English.  The major reason is my career.  I study computer engineering, and I need to know English for that.  Last year I needed to take an exam to finish my career preparation the [following year].  Fortunately I passed!

[Since then] I have chosen to continue studying English because I want to improve.  I think that I still need more English.  For example, if I want to travel around the world, I need English.

Another reason that makes me interested in continuing study is the cinema.  I love the movies and I prefer to watch them in their original languages; that is always better.  However, it’s still difficult for me to understand all the dialogue.  I put on the English subtitles and that really helps me.

So I’ll continue studying English because I have enough reasons to improve every day.

           PC TECH: English Language School in New York City