Solitaire Deane
“I don’t consider myself an ordinary woman, so I am not surprised in myself for having an extraordinary dream.”
She is from Trinidad and Tobago and is saving up to undergo rigorous training to become a Commercial Pilot.
Her desire to improve the basic foundation that she has in Spanish is based on being able to be more versatile within her field as well as her fascination with the Spanish cultural influence within her own culture.
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Solitaire’s full scholarship application essay
Languages have always been a passion of mine and Spanish in particular has always interested me. Spanish is becoming much more of a necessity in today’s society as over 400 million people worldwide speak Spanish. I am currently saving for my pilot license tuition and I believe that this program will benefit me with a valuable skill for the career path that I am pursuing, as well as my overall academic goals as it is inevitable to run into more than one situation that will require me to know at least basic Spanish. Communication is one of the most important skills that a successful pilot can possess, and I want to enhance my skills to communicate with not only Spanish-speaking employees, but also the passengers. It is also becoming a mandatory requirement for most job applications as companies are realising the importance of good Customer Service and Communication skills for long-term success in the global world.
My country Trinidad and Tobago, has a lot of history with Spain as Christopher Columbus rediscovered it in 1498. Owing to his discovery, today the Spanish culture has a lot of influence in my country such as the food, place names, religion, ethnicity and our music. Especially around this approaching time of year (Christmas) where Parang music can be heard and pastelle orders are being placed which will be served on that day. We even dance the Castillian Waltz and Mayplole, all of which has come from our Spanish Heritage. The word parang is neither Spanish nor English, it actually comes from the word parranda, meaning ‘out parting’. In fact, the word parrandero which we use to describe the parang revellers is a real Spanish word which means ‘party lover.’ Spanish people, who were one of the original inhabitants of my country, left a lot more than all of these things. They also left us a beautiful culture with many parts of it being Hispanic, and I wish to add to it by visiting Spain to expand and improve on what was taught to me. Also, I do not think it is possible to become fluent in a foreign language without continuous practice, and what better practice is there than to live among the people of a Spanish country. Studying in Spain will give me the chance to develop fluency as I will be learning in a native environment. Although I have some experience with the Spanish language, I believe that studying in Spain will deepen my understanding, of not only the language, but also the people, their ideas and their culture.
I was exposed to both French and Spanish in High School and fell in love with Spanish so I decided to study it for the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exam. I acquired a grade 2 and also recently (September 2013) completed an eight week refresher course at the basic level. I am an ambitious twenty-four year old woman who knows what I want and go after it. I also love to travel and serve people which is why I chose the desired career path. Overall, it will enrich my experience whether for work or for travelling. Becoming a Commercial pilot is a very challenging and demanding career especially for a woman in the airline industry which is all the more reason why I need to bring more to the table. I am high-spirited and full of energy. I don’t consider myself to be an ordinary woman so I am not surprised in myself for having an extraordinary dream. I am humbly asking for your support in helping me to achieve my dream. I do not come from a wealthy family and this is my only hope for funding. I believe that on completing this program, I will not only be an asset to my country, but also the world as I will be meeting people from all walks of life in my field. Please help me to make my dream come true. The qualities are already inside of me, all I need now is some guidance and professional training. As they say, the sky is the limit and I know that with God all things are possible.
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