Crucial Elements of an Odyssey - Essay Example

I witnessed how hard my friend had to try to reach a level that privileged students like me could achieve hands down. However, he always kept a smiling face and even those who forced themselves to dislike him were aware that he was determined to give his best in everything he did. His difficulties with the new language had been a constant cause of worry for him. He sought help from everyone around him, and we were the ones who could help him overcome his shortcomings better than anyone else. It was always a pleasure to watch his eyes glow in self-satisfaction when he learned the new words and usages one by one.

But we knew for sure that the reason why he could achieve so much in so less time was clearly his determination to stay afloat, amidst all the seemingly unfavorable life situations. When he started to get better marks and began to reach a level where he could compete with us, many of us were secretly envious of his systematic way of achieving things in life. We also felt guilty about the way we're wasting most of our time. It was indeed a pleasure to watch his journey to success. He also had to overcome the differences that were projected, between the natives and the immigrants.

He had to try hard in order to convince around him that he could be an integral part of the new culture where he found himself. Any sort of cultural clash had to be avoided, and I observed how well he managed these situations. He was never the first to offend anybody, and when confronted by someone who wanted to harm him in any way, he kept his cool. He was good at giving others the opportunity to cool down. He gave smiles in return for anger and hatred. And in cases where his opponents were simply insensitive to logic, he tried to remain calm in cases of verbal abuse, and defensive to the sensible limits in cases of physical abuse where possible.

He scored very good marks for all his subjects, and many of his peers and teachers began to change their ways in order to accommodate him. Though his appearances were obviously unique in the school, everyone started to regard him without any discrimination. He earned his place in the new culture, and this was a clear instance of self-discovery in the case of him and his friends. The life story of my friend unfurled slowly in front of like an inspiring movie that focuses on the biographical details of a famous personality.

I always compare his life to a well-made movie that details the defining moments in the life of a well-balanced, intelligent person who can in many ways achieve greatness in life.