Gratitude and Perseverance: My Journey to Graduation

 

Giving Thanks and Reflecting on the Journey

I thank God for giving me the grace to finish this part of the race. Graduating in 2020 was a moment of immense joy because I overcame numerous challenges to get there. Prayer, hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and passion made it possible. Despite being rejected admission to a different university, I didn’t give up and kept going.

No matter what you want to achieve in life, keep going. Giving up is not in the dictionary of winners. I firmly believe in becoming what seems impossible to become. It may take years, but if you really want it, you should go for it. It may not be easy, but trust me, in the end, it will be worth it.

Handling Disappointments and Envy

Remember, not everyone may want to see you win. Some people may become distant, feel that you are doing too much, or develop feelings of envy. The ones you were expecting to celebrate and support you may avoid you. That is part of life; not everyone is willing to climb to the top with you. And that’s OK. It’s not by force. Sometimes it’s good to say goodbye and let go of certain relationships. On the other hand, I did receive love and support from people I never expected! I will forever be grateful for that.

Moving to Udenhout: A New Chapter

Let’s go back to August 2018. I made a decision to move from Amsterdam to Udenhout, located northeast of Tilburg. It was about a 1-hour and 20-minute drive from Amsterdam. Udenhout is one of those villages where everyone knows one another. The majority of people living there were white. When I was living there, it was the first time I noticed that I was different due to my color. Walking on the street, people would stare at me. I even experienced someone honking the horn while driving past me, just to stare. That was so rude! To be honest, I felt like an alien. It was like they had never seen a black lady before, and mind you, it was 2018. If the people staring at least said hello, it would make things less awkward, but most didn’t.

Facing Loneliness and Racism

The first couple of months in Udenhout were the hardest. Even though I was very excited to study in Tilburg, I felt very lonely. And to be clear, I don’t want a pity party; I just want to share my reality and encourage someone with this. Coming from a house with at least four other people around daily to a place where I was alone daily was depressing. I never felt so lonely.

In 2019, I experienced racism for the first time. Two guys cycled past me yelling “banana, banana.” I was in shock and didn’t know how to respond, so I just continued cycling. It was the best choice; chasing them wouldn’t even make sense. I thought, how is it 2019 and people are still racist? This experience made me realize how open-minded and tolerant people are in Amsterdam. It made me appreciate the city even more. Sometimes it’s good to step back and see the bigger picture.

“This experience made me realize how open-minded and tolerant people are in Amsterdam.”

Moving to Udenhout was a big step, and I only realized this after moving. God will never leave nor forsake me; that is 100% true. However, I still caught myself feeling lonely because I was used to having people around me all the time as I just explained. I got used to this really fast and accepted that it would not be like this forever. Eventually, I even started to like being alone. In this season, God really taught me to fully depend on Him. I spent more time in His presence and came to know Him more. He never made me lack, and I always had enough food on my table, even though it was hard sometimes. There is nothing that God cannot do. He is the best Father, provider, and teacher ever! He made me go through this for a reason. Sometimes we are so busy with ourselves and so distracted that we forget to spend time with God. When you are separated, He easily catches your attention.

Gratitude for Support

I thank God for blessing me with amazing parents. They have been supportive throughout. Even when they did not hear from me for a while, they would always check if I was fine. My husband also helped a lot by being there and helping me move. He would drop me off weekly every time I came to Amsterdam. That man’s support was something else! It made me love him even more. And a few of my close friends visited me, and two of them even spent a weekend. That is something I will never ever forget! A special shout-out to all of you! I was really going through it, but you were there for me.

Conclusion: Push Through the Challenges

All this is to say; nothing worthy comes easy. You have to push through. That is what I’ve learned throughout these years. After all, diamonds are formed in heat and pressure. Every time I’m going through a tough situation, that’s God’s gentle reminder for me not to give up. How cliché this may sound; never give up on the process!