Leila Ramirez '21 Recruiting Profile

There I was every single morning awakened by the smell of my grandpa's specialty, café con Leche. As soon as my eyes opened, a kiss on the forehead from my grandmother awaited me. These moments were priceless. There was no better way to wake up.  I wouldn’t change it for anything! That was my wish to wake up every day to that smell and kiss but life doesn’t always go as planned. One morning everything changed, I was not awakened by the smell of café con Leche but by the inconsonant unpleasant sound of an alarm. There was no kiss awaiting me but the flavor of an unseasoned breakfast. I was no longer in La Isla del Encanto!!  I was in the state of oranges, swamps, and gators, if you haven’t guessed by now yes, Florida. This is where the biggest challenge I had to face in life all started.

I admit learning a new language, adapting to new customs, adjusting to totally different lifestyles, and struggling to fit in is not easy.  Nevertheless, these were not my biggest struggles. The fact that I had left my family and childhood behind. Abuelita always took care of me. I remembered before going to sleep we would lay down in bed and she would tell so many stories of unsound minds. Then there is Mi Abuelito who never forgot to pander me. Every day we would go to La Finca while he worked and sweat would drip down his golden tanned skin. I would run around as this was my enchanted forest next to my castle. They are like a flower that is born but does not age because the sun provides new energy as he blossoms once again. I wanted to be their sun and give them a little of my youth so they can always stay with me. I wanted to hold on to this flower and never let go. But as I said, life never goes as planned and this flower I had to let go I could not give them of my youth anymore so they would grow old.

My family was my foundation well my grandparents were always there. They were there for my first word, first walk, the first day of school, and the first game. Every imaginable first, they were there. The faces that I could look at and know that everything would be alright. But now that they could not be with me anymore I started to lean on what was constant during this challenge which was my faith and volleyball. This was my refuge and stable rock, in these places I found a family that would now always be with me in my new first. New faces that I could look at and know that it gets better. 

Yeah, it was not easy, but these challenges have helped me become the person I am today. These struggles have taught me that just because something is hard you shouldn’t quit. I learn the importance and value of a hug, and the words  I love you but overall I learned the value of family. Even though I do not wake up with the smell of café con Leche anymore does not mean I’m forgetting my culture and family. This has shown me that I’m not Puerto Rican because I live in  La Isla del Encanto I am Puertorriqueña because it runs in my blood. My blood where la Sangre taína runs by, where my black curly crown of hair comes from and where the melody of my tongue plays loudly. It has shown me that family is not defined by blood but by the people around you that remind you to do better, to be better. But after all, something that I’m sure of is that I don’t know where I would be today without my family, and for that, I thank them all.