-
My Adoption
I was born in Yekaterinburg, Russia. I was adopted by a married couple from New York in the summer of 2000. My background and my story help me recognize my own individuality apart from others. It gives me confidence to be my own person. This specific event in my life is so meaningful to me because it reminds me of how precious my life is. I'm lucky to have had a biological mom who cared enough about me to give me a new chance at life.
[Link text]https://youtu.be/yIxm-t5PX3g -
Stood Up to a Five Year Old Bully
When I was in day-care, this kid would try to beat me up every day, and I thought I was going to die. So one day, when he was chasing after me, I suddenly got the courage to stop running. I faced him and socked him in the nose. I saw the blood running down his lip, so I turned away and ran as fast as I could toward the outdoor play area. Once I got outside, I jumped the five foot fence and ran to a tree where I hid until my mom came to pick me up. That day, I found out I could throw punches. -
My Sister's Adoption
When I was 5 years old, my parents decided to adopt another child from Russia. We flew to Moscow, Russia to adopt my (non blood-related) younger sister. For years after her adoption, I never learned to accept the changes that she brought to my life. From the beginning, she would always try to copy everything I did, which I hated. But, with time, she eventually grew on me. She makes my life even more interesting than it already is. -
Moving Up and Moving Out
When I was 10 years old, my parents decided it was time to move into a new house. For some reason, I thought (still do) moving into new homes was the most exciting thing in the world. Even more so when I found out our moving process and house renovations would be filmed for a TLC television show... That's definitely something I'll never forget. I also love having totally different stories and experiences to talk about with other people. This is definitely one of them. -
New Bat
A few years ago, I bought a $300 softball bat. You're really supposed to practice with it for a good week or so, but I decided it was a good idea to bring it to a tournament game that same night. I was extremely confident I would fail, horribly. During warm ups, all I was doing was stressing over how many times I would strike out. Instead, I hit a triple and two home-runs, bringing in 3 RBI's. So, that was one experience that has taught me to have a little more faith in myself, which isn't easy. -
First Boyfriend
My first relationship was with someone who lived in another country. I was 14 when I met him, and we dated for about three years. The break-up struck me pretty hard, but I know I'm much stronger and more wise than I was before I met him. I never really got jealous of those who got to see their boy/girlfriends every day, either. I've learned if the outcome is worth the wait, waiting (sometimes 3 to 4 months at a time) isn't such a horrible thing. -
Falling off a Horse
Last year, I was cantering on my horse and he saw a garter snake on the other side of the ring. Before I knew it, I was on the ground. I opened my eyes to see myself directly under the horse's front hooves which were about to slam down onto my chest. My first reaction was to hurl my body out of the way, so I did. I probably could have died. I don't think I've ever came that close to death before, so I'm glad I saved my own life that day. -
Senior Driver's License
Two days after my seventeenth birthday, I found out I was finally able to get my senior license. So that day, after school, my friend and I drove to DMV to pick it up. Throughout that entire car ride home, I couldn't stop smiling. And for me, that's very rare. So, for me to feel that enthusiastic about something meant a lot considering that was the first time in a long while that I had felt pure happiness. It's just something that I had been waiting for what felt like a lifetime. -
First Rave
Earlier in the year, my friends and I went to a Steve Aoki concert. I was really excited for it, but I was not mentally prepared for the large about of people that would be there. I had about half an inch of personal space for the duration of the concert. At one point, I was in the pit and everyone was painfully leaning in all directions until people were falling to the ground. It was a lot of fun, but I think that was when I realized what my limits where when it came to my "claustrophobia". -
First (Real) Job
My first job is my current one at Dunkin Donuts. On my second day, I was so close to not even going in because I was on the verge of tears because of how stressful it was. I thought it was the worst thing in the world, having to walk back into that place. After a good ten minutes of me whining to my parents before work about how I couldn't do it, my dad eventually got me to shut up and get in the car. So, after that shift, I felt a lot better and I convinced myself I'd be fine. And I was.
