Embracing a New Country | Ieva Jakaityte | TEDxYouth@StChristophersRd

[Music]

[Music] thank you nice introduction so yes I’m

thank you nice introduction so yes I’m

thank you nice introduction so yes I’m going to tell you today about a best

going to tell you today about a best

going to tell you today about a best kind of loser in our librarians chapel

kind of loser in our librarians chapel

kind of loser in our librarians chapel talk we heard about a little girl

talk we heard about a little girl

talk we heard about a little girl growing up in a strict Christian school

growing up in a strict Christian school

growing up in a strict Christian school bravely leaving for college far away and

bravely leaving for college far away and

bravely leaving for college far away and blasting her comfort bubble and I could

blasting her comfort bubble and I could

blasting her comfort bubble and I could truly relate to that

truly relate to that

truly relate to that almost seven months ago I was living in

almost seven months ago I was living in

almost seven months ago I was living in a warm egg farm and familiar where I

a warm egg farm and familiar where I

a warm egg farm and familiar where I knew all the rules of life had my family

knew all the rules of life had my family

knew all the rules of life had my family and friends in reach

and friends in reach

and friends in reach and where it all seemed easy and

and where it all seemed easy and

and where it all seemed easy and self-explanatory my little egg was taken

self-explanatory my little egg was taken

self-explanatory my little egg was taken from me on August 16th 2016 I began my

from me on August 16th 2016 I began my

from me on August 16th 2016 I began my yard with a cyst I chose this to go

yard with a cyst I chose this to go

yard with a cyst I chose this to go abroad and participate in exchange

abroad and participate in exchange

abroad and participate in exchange program not truly understanding what it

program not truly understanding what it

program not truly understanding what it means to live abroad or be new to a new

means to live abroad or be new to a new

means to live abroad or be new to a new school or not see your parents for 10

school or not see your parents for 10

school or not see your parents for 10 months

months

months Oh movies and books came alive the first

Oh movies and books came alive the first

Oh movies and books came alive the first week by just walking in the neighborhood

week by just walking in the neighborhood

week by just walking in the neighborhood little things like people smiling

little things like people smiling

little things like people smiling groceries baggers Mustang cars driving

groceries baggers Mustang cars driving

groceries baggers Mustang cars driving around on certain accent of my host dad

around on certain accent of my host dad

around on certain accent of my host dad or water glasses the size of my water

or water glasses the size of my water

or water glasses the size of my water bottle made it all seem completely

bottle made it all seem completely

bottle made it all seem completely different insane and instantly American

different insane and instantly American

different insane and instantly American good example of that is New York how I

good example of that is New York how I

good example of that is New York how I can still remember the smell of the

can still remember the smell of the

can still remember the smell of the streets and the motion in the air by

streets and the motion in the air by

streets and the motion in the air by just looking at the pictures I call that

just looking at the pictures I call that

just looking at the pictures I call that American Ora for the for the past seven

American Ora for the for the past seven

American Ora for the for the past seven months I’ve been taking part in

months I’ve been taking part in

months I’ve been taking part in activities I have never done before

activities I have never done before

activities I have never done before cross-country swimming learning in

cross-country swimming learning in

cross-country swimming learning in American school communicating with

American school communicating with

American school communicating with American girls that can be a sign

American girls that can be a sign

American girls that can be a sign sometimes living in a new family and

sometimes living in a new family and

sometimes living in a new family and America I admit it I was a loser in a

America I admit it I was a loser in a

America I admit it I was a loser in a way that it all seemed so uncomfortable

way that it all seemed so uncomfortable

way that it all seemed so uncomfortable at first last swimming slow and

at first last swimming slow and

at first last swimming slow and communication lacking knowledge of about

communication lacking knowledge of about

communication lacking knowledge of about the local politics school subjects or

the local politics school subjects or

the local politics school subjects or American family life

American family life

American family life I realize it now that that was the best

I realize it now that that was the best

I realize it now that that was the best thing I could be the best thing anyone

thing I could be the best thing anyone

thing I could be the best thing anyone can be I loved it and I still love it I

can be I loved it and I still love it I

can be I loved it and I still love it I could improve my personal record and

could improve my personal record and

could improve my personal record and running by five minutes by almost 10

running by five minutes by almost 10

running by five minutes by almost 10 seconds in swimming learn year-long math

seconds in swimming learn year-long math

seconds in swimming learn year-long math course in two weeks

course in two weeks

course in two weeks and those little victories little

and those little victories little

and those little victories little improvements gave me so much energy to

improvements gave me so much energy to

improvements gave me so much energy to do even more to try them harder so I

do even more to try them harder so I

do even more to try them harder so I agreed to do some crazy things like

agreed to do some crazy things like

agreed to do some crazy things like debate about American politics with

debate about American politics with

debate about American politics with American fears in front of the upper

American fears in front of the upper

American fears in front of the upper school um shadow an emergency center

school um shadow an emergency center

school um shadow an emergency center doctor who worked with NASA before or do

doctor who worked with NASA before or do

doctor who worked with NASA before or do something like this I just started

something like this I just started

something like this I just started myself have we done that before then why

myself have we done that before then why

myself have we done that before then why not write Joe Gould a person I know from

not write Joe Gould a person I know from

not write Joe Gould a person I know from my exchange program once told me that

my exchange program once told me that

my exchange program once told me that cross-country is more about racing

cross-country is more about racing

cross-country is more about racing yourself rather than the person next to

yourself rather than the person next to

yourself rather than the person next to you the same could not be more true for

you the same could not be more true for

you the same could not be more true for cross-country but I found myself using

cross-country but I found myself using

cross-country but I found myself using it not only in my running training it

it not only in my running training it

it not only in my running training it helped me to work hard even being the

helped me to work hard even being the

helped me to work hard even being the last in something work hard for the

last in something work hard for the

last in something work hard for the experience and personal improvement not

experience and personal improvement not

experience and personal improvement not for the score it was all worth it the

for the score it was all worth it the

for the score it was all worth it the hard work paid off not only in the score

hard work paid off not only in the score

hard work paid off not only in the score improvements eventually but also in the

improvements eventually but also in the

improvements eventually but also in the way I felt doing it in the new things

way I felt doing it in the new things

way I felt doing it in the new things understood about limitless aspects of

understood about limitless aspects of

understood about limitless aspects of human body and mind and the new people I

human body and mind and the new people I

human body and mind and the new people I met all because of one decision to leave

met all because of one decision to leave

met all because of one decision to leave my little leg I’ve taken first steps of

my little leg I’ve taken first steps of

my little leg I’ve taken first steps of adventure and I want to keep on walking

adventure and I want to keep on walking

adventure and I want to keep on walking I understand now that have so many new

I understand now that have so many new

I understand now that have so many new places to discover in this world and in

places to discover in this world and in

places to discover in this world and in my mind so many new activities to try

my mind so many new activities to try

my mind so many new activities to try and so many things to say yes to all in

and so many things to say yes to all in

and so many things to say yes to all in all cracking this egg and becoming this

all cracking this egg and becoming this

all cracking this egg and becoming this best kind of loser was one of the

best kind of loser was one of the

best kind of loser was one of the greatest decisions I could make at the

greatest decisions I could make at the

greatest decisions I could make at the time not completely understanding what I

time not completely understanding what I

time not completely understanding what I was getting into they say the world

was getting into they say the world

was getting into they say the world world is your playground well I say the

world is your playground well I say the

world is your playground well I say the world is more of a canvas full of empty

world is more of a canvas full of empty

world is more of a canvas full of empty space to fill with your experiences I

space to fill with your experiences I

space to fill with your experiences I want to thank assist

want to thank assist

want to thank assist I want to thank st. Catharines and

I want to thank st. Catharines and

I want to thank st. Catharines and mostly my host family for that big

mostly my host family for that big

mostly my host family for that big burning Sun bye

burning Sun bye

burning Sun bye corner of my galoshes sky thank you

corner of my galoshes sky thank you

corner of my galoshes sky thank you [Applause]