Essay On Overcoming Adversity

As the captain of the Varsity soccer team, I feel proud of my accomplishments. I’m looking forward to graduation and attending a college that has a strong soccer program. I believe that my success is due to my personal culture that has influenced by my ability to be mentally and physically strong and have high self esteem. Overcoming adversity, being poor, living in the U.S., having abilities, being 18, and being an African man have contributed to my personal culture.
Overcoming adversity helped make mentally tough. Being born in Africa, my grandmother and I went through tough times together and we had no food or money to survive with. We had to save everything we could to buy what we needed to stay alive. Also, we made sure to use all the food we had wisely and keep what we could for the next day in case we didn’t have more. I learned how to tough it out.
I am expected to go out there and get a job and provide for the family when in need. I grew up in Africa without a dad, and I didn’t really experience the role of being a man; however, I know for a fact that being an African man, your family expects you to make more babies, work harder than anybody else and also be the one to lead the family on the path we're taking together.
Furthermore, as an African man, I’m expected to marry a woman and have children. Those who identify as LGBTQ are not accepted in Africa especially in the western part because they are considered a disappointment to the community. Also, they are not accepted in the community. Being a Christian, I don’t hate those who identify as LGBTQ, but if I associate with them, I will be shunned by other Africans.
All of these aspects of my personal culture have contributed to my mental and physical toughness. I believe that knowing who I am and knowing where I come from impacts my lifestyle and my choices. It is the reason for my success now and in the