These personal statements will probably be the most difficult 2-3 pages I ever write in my life. It is so bizarre to think that so much of my 35-page thesis on topics that still baffle me to this day, was so organic and free-flowing. I guess it is much easier to analyze other people's work and not your own. While I was reading some tips on writing personal statements, I was surprised by one website saying that you had to get over your feelings of inadequacy before writing. Of course this makes perfect sense, but until that moment, I hadn't realized that I was battling that too.
I am beyond worried that I won't get accepted anywhere. I had to really take a look at my life and apply to schools that I could potentially afford. Money is crazy tight here, so as much as I'd like to jet off to Chicago or Seattle or another equally amazing program, I know I can't. But I am still excited about the programs I'm applying to now. And yes, I have come up with backup plans if I don't get into any programs, plans I think I could be happy with.
But it is still a heavily daunting task, just the entire situation. However, I have managed to write an outline for my personal statement, and of the potentially 7 I have to write, it looks like I can basically do 2 or 3 different ones, and then just have to edit and tailor them to the specific program.
Oh barnacles.
``And I was just distracted for over an hour by a phone call from a friend...meh. And then I may or may not have procrastinated even more by learning to do the "Wobble" line dance...Yes, I know. I am TOO good at procrastinating. Then I am TOO good at writing...about an hour and a half later and I have to cut out nearly a page. Oh well, at least it's (sorta) done!
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
I actually read this book in Spanish, for no other reason than that I was sitting in the Spanish fiction section of the library and decided to pick something up. I have heard about Allende for a long time, so I figured that'd be a good place to start. A bit of background on how the novel came about: Allende initially started writing a letter to her 100-yr-old grandfather, because she had received news that he was dying. That became the starting manuscript to The House of the Spirits (cute story, non?)
It was no surprise that this book amazingly well in Latin American countries- it has everything a proper telenovela should have: a grand family epic, murder, young love, death, illness, poverty, spirits, prostitutes, devil possession...Of course, the young protagonist Clara falls in love with and gets pregnant by someone who is not her husband, and there is much drama and tears and name-calling (and in a surprising twist, her daughter Blanca is "normal" and does not talk to spirits). The magical realism is a bit out there, but its the political undercurrent of this book that people up in arms. In a huge political upset, the Socialists take the election and restructuring begins. Soon after, the political right stages a coup and the Terror begins. The military takes over, rather than give power to the right as was expected, and almost EVERYONE dies. People are killed for standing their ground and not giving up information, others refuse to give up their land, and others still sacrifice themselves for their family. One of the most gruesome scenes is when Alba (Blanca's daughter) is kidnapped and raped almost to the brink of death. When you worry that Alba won't pull through, Clara's spirit (since she is in a quasi state of being alive and a spirit) comes to her and tells her to live by writing in her mind (These are my favorite pages of the whole book).
Everything ends as happy as they possibly could at that point, but amidst all of the clearly insane things that happen, you can relate to everyone. You can FEEL their emotions, go along for the ride with them, and feel the terror of political upheaval. As a description of Chile during Pinochet's regime, it seems sound. I like that I was able to feel immersed in the story, a story I know well, without having to agree with what it said. Because although I concede that Allende is a great story-teller, her and I will never see eye-to-eye on politics.
But would I censor her? Never. Everyone deserves the right to voice their opinions on matters, just like everyone deserves the right to disagree with someone's opinion. You have the power to take WHAT YOU WANT from books; no one has to blindly agree to it just because it is typed on a piece of paper.
Up tomorrow is The Handmaid's Tale
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