JuliaWilliamson

Drama,BlueGroup
12/29/15
Well,IwasborninasmalltowninthestateofMinasGeraisinBrazil,itwasabusytown,
andum,butwemovedtoBeloHorizonte,thecapitalofthestate,whenIfouryearsold.

IhaveveryfondmemoriesofthosedaysIstillremember,withlotsoflove,thewaythat
wheneveritrained,whenIwasleavingschool,Icouldknowthatmygrandmotherwasthere
withanumbrellawaitingforme.Icouldneverforgetthat,Ifeltsuchawarmthwhenshedidthat.

ThismiddleschoolImtalkingabout,itwasanallgirlsschool,itpreparedthegirlstobe
elementaryschoolteachers.Ididntwanttodothat.Iwantedtopursueotherthings,likebeinga
medicaldoctor,soIdidntwanttobeanelementaryschoolteacher,soImovedtoanotherhigh
schoolthatpreparedmetotestintotheschoolofeconomics.

But,um,itwasasystemthatwasverytoughforthepoor,likeme,becauseyouhadto
passthatexam,orIwouldnthavestudied...theproblemwasthat,thecompetitionwasvery
tough,becausealotoftherichkidswantedtogotothatschool,too,kidswhowereusually
betterpreparedthanpoorkidslikeme.Soitwasahardtopass,butIpassedinfirstplace.

SoIwenttopubliclibraries,becausethereweretoomanypeopleinthehouse,you
know,aonebedroomapartmentwith,atthatpoint,ninepeople,onebedroom,hehhe...

Anyway,itwasthenthatIdecidedtotakethecontestforascholarshipatafoundation
thatspecializedineconomicsinRioallgraduatingeconomistsinBrazilcouldtakethetest.
Theyonlyhadfifteenvacancies,andIpassedinfourthplace.Ofthefifteen,theyhadeight
scholarshipstocometotheU.S.,andIgotoneofthem.

JuliaWilliamson
Drama,BlueGroup
12/29/15

AndthenIcame,withascholarship,andIwasoverwhelmedquiteabit,becausemy
englishwasntverygood...itwasveryhard,andittookmemanymorehoursofworkthanmy
classmates.Inthosedays,also,theydidntthinkwomenshouldbestudyingeconomicsata
graduatelevel,sothereweretheprejudicesthatmademylifeveryhardsometimes,letalone
theenglish.

Iwouldneverliketolivemylifeagain,togohavetogothroughthat...huhhuh...

Youknowwhat?Ineverdreamtverymuch.Itsbeenasif,um,mylifehasbeen
predetermined,youknow,Ididnthaveoptionsinmylife.Ihadtotakewhatappeared,thatI
coulddo.So,thatsthewayitwas.ButIdontregretwhatIhavedone,no,inthatsenseIam
happy,because,youknow,havingstudiedeconomics,andhavingcomehere,thatswhat
openedallmylifeaheadforme.IfIhadntcomehere,IwouldnothavehadthelifeIhave,no,
noway.That,thatsforsure,andasitis,youknowitturnedout,Iworkedfortheworldbank,
andallofthat,andItraveledthewholeworld,itshistory.