Rocio / El Salvador 
What is a hardship that you've dealt with in the past?
Hello, my name is Rocio, and I am from El Salvador. My question is, what is a hardship that you've dealt with in the past?
I feel like my most memorable hardship for me or the most game changing one for me was when I got my first job out of high school. I was 18 and I had applied for this interpretation job. And since I already knew how to speak English, I thought that it was going to be really easy, but later on I discovered that it was going to be a medical interpretation job, and I got really, really scared, really intimidated by my coworkers and by the responsibilities that I was going to have. It was really scary at the beginning and the way that I dealt with it was really by studying really hard and putting myself into a mindset of failing. I feel like once I got myself into a mindset that, yeah, "I'm going to fail, but I'm going to learn" sort of way of thinking. I feel like that made me thrive even more in the job. And at the end of the day, I was able to master the interpretation skills. I mean, I loved the job. I ended up being promoted actually. And looking back at it, I really appreciate that experience for me because it really allowed me to grow as a person and I feel really proud about it.
But what about you? Do you have any hardship that you've dealt with that now looking back at it is, like, pretty amazing for you?
How to Practice Vocabulary
- Review the vocabulary.
- Complete the blanks below with correct words.
- Check your answers. Correct any wrong answers!
hardship
Meaning: A difficult or painful experience in life.
Examples:
- Getting her first job was a big hardship.
- He learned a lot from that hardship.
dealt with
Meaning: Managed or handled a problem or situation.
Examples:
- She dealt with many challenges at work.
- He dealt with his fear by practicing.
interpretation
Meaning: Translating spoken language from one language to another.
Examples:
- She worked in medical interpretation.
- Interpretation requires strong language skills.
intimidated
Meaning: Feeling scared or nervous because something seems difficult.
Examples:
- She felt intimidated by the new job.
- He was intimidated by his coworkers.
into a mindset
Meaning: A way of thinking or attitude.
Examples:
- She put herself into a learning mindset.
- Getting into the right mindset helps a lot.
thrive
Meaning: To grow, improve, or do very well.
Examples:
- She began to thrive at her job.
- Some people thrive under pressure.
at the end of the day
Meaning: In the end; when everything is considered.
Examples:
- At the end of the day, she succeeded.
- At the end of the day, effort matters.
ended up
Meaning: Reached a final result, often unexpected.
Examples:
- She ended up getting promoted.
- They ended up loving the job.
looking back at it
Meaning: Thinking about something that happened in the past.
Examples:
- Looking back at it, she learned a lot.
- Looking back at it now, it was worth it.
Vocabulary Quiz
mindset • thrive • ended
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