Name: Keren Ramos Age: 18 years old Country: Guatemala ESSAY I've always thought that you can speak a thousand words and still not say anything if you don't mean what you say, so let me go ahead and tell you what I really mean. I've heard about how the essay is by far the most difficult part of the application for a scholarship, and I definitely agree. Because this is not an e-mail or a last-minute book report; it’s a ticket to a brighter future, if you do it right. I was born in Guatemala City, and unfortunately it's not the right place if you are trying to get into fashion or the arts. Guatemala doesn't have the right platform for these careers. That's why I'm looking for opportunities outside the country. And where could be better than Milan if you want to study Fashion Design, right? So I decided to make a portfolio, and basically you are holding in your hands the last five months of my life. I wanted to show you what I'm capable of. I wanted to show you that I have the potential. I wanted to show you that I'm what you're looking for. That's why it took so long for me to send it to you. I didn't want to send you just a simple sketch. And it took me a couple of months to earn the money so I you could purchase fabrics and pay for a professional photo shoot and makeup. Now let me tell you about my financial situation. My Dad is a musician, and as I told you before, our country does not provide the right platform for the arts. So I thought that it would be great if I could get a job and give a little help to my Dad. I work at a call center and it is very boring and stressful. Most of the calls that I receive are from angry people who didn't receive their order from a catalog, or when there's a hold on one of their Visa cards. Even if my Dad is not able to provide me with the education I would like to have because of his job, I think he's lucky, since he's doing what he loves the most. Not everyone gets to do that in life. The point is, my family can't afford college for me right now. I'm saving for college and making overtime, but I know it's not enough to pay for it. Maybe mine is just one more of the essays that you have to read today, just as a single mother without gas and a hold on her card could be just another call for me. And that's why I think that I might be one of the greatest investments that you may ever make. I know you might think that investment is not the right word. But I know how good it feels when you're able to help someone who can't get what they want or need own their own, trust me on that.
The best days at the call center are when a grandmother calls in, not having received the color of blanket that she ordered, and you can send her a postage-paid label so she can return the item without paying shipping, even when the old lady did ask for blue. Or when a lady calls in saying she has cancer and she hasn't been able to make the payments on time, so as an exception you remove the late fees. The words "Thank you very much!" that you receive are priceless. Those "Thank yous" that I've received are the best returns on my time investment I've made so far. I can guarantee you that I'm going to say thank you. Cross my heart! Thanks to God and my family, so far in my life I've accomplished the little things that I have desired. Studying Fashion Design in a university that can open the world's doors for me is my biggest dream. I want to show people who told me, "You're not going to be successful if you choose that profession; do you have any idea of how expensive studying outside Guatemala is? You should study something that pays you money‌" that they were wrong, that anything is possible in this life, that you can make your dreams come true, and that all you need is a little help. This is what I was born for; Fashion Design is the profession that I have to follow. Making it big on the runway is my destiny. Of course this won't mean anything if I don't give back, if I don't dress the ones who are cold outside. I want to dress the young and the old, the girl and the boy, the rich and the poor, the sad and the happy, but mostly the needy. I mean, we are all the same, and we are just looking for opportunities, right?
Please, give me mine.