Topic: Sometimes we surprise ourselves with what we are able to do.

Describe a time you accomplished you didnt think you could do. People are full of potential that can achieve great accomplishments. Those who cant achieve greatness are only because they dont know what they re capable of yet or because they dont believe in themselves to reach success. By seeing the following examples can help people to realize how big the possibilities of fulfilling their dreams are. Erin Gruwell, a young teacher who saves her students from falling deeper and being invaded by violence. Chen Shu-Chu, q vegetable vendor who generously donates to help those in need. Taiwanese donates to help Japan to rebuild their home after the catastrophe the 311 earthquake. People tend to underestimate themselves and believe they cant achieve greatness. Not knowing what they re capable of, people stop working hard and start to find the easiest way to live their life instead. What people arent aware of is that as long as we keep putting effort into making the dreams come true, then the taste of success will be just around the corner. Though it s harder to do than it seems, people only need to take one step at a time and keep working toward fulfilling their goals, theres no need to rush for it only slows down or even destroys the hard work people make. By looking some examples can help people to have more faith in themselves, convincing that their potentials are unlimited and the great influences they may affect others. I admire Erin Gruwell ever since I saw the movie Freedom Writers. The movie is adapted from a true story so it makes me feel more touched to learn how much a person is willing to do for the people she isnt even related to. Gruwell is a 23-year-old white female who is assigned to Wilson High School in Long Beach where the students are consisted of blacks, whites, Latinos and Asians, and most of them are involved with gangs. It surely is a big bomb for Gruwells first day of work. She is shocked to see students dividing into groups by their skin color the moment they step into the classroom. The racial problem is intense. The students dont welcome Gruwell for thinking she doesnt belong here. The students skip classes and fights all the time. What s worse, the neighborhoods they live in expose them in guns, drugs and gangs, so in order to protect themselves, they are taught to be hostile since theyre kids. Though the students keep shutting her outside, she manages to get inside of their hearts to know them better. Her first step is to take the whole class to see the movie Schindler s List. The kids are shut silent throughout the movie for being shocked to see how the Nazis tortured the Jews. She arranges a meeting for the students to talk with the victims who survives from the torture of Nazis to make them understand the value of life. She also asks them to read The Diary of Anne

Frank and makes them start to keep diaries. By writing the diaries, the students express their anger and hatred, and it gradually make them realize their lives arent full of violence and darkness; instead, there is still hope waiting ahead. Gruwell doesnt know she will entirely change the students future when she steps into Wilson High. All she can think of is to help those kids who are abandoned by the society. At the end, she wins the students hearts by spending a lot of time and patience on them. The students start to face their lives, and are willing to change themselves. Having the perseverance like Gruwell does can help people to reach their goals. Chen Shu-Chu, a vegetable vendor in Taitung Central Market but also a philanthropist who generously donates to help children and orphans. Growing up in an poor family, she took the burden of supporting a family of eight. She had learned the importance of money after her mother s death when she was young for not having enough money to pay for the operation fee. She started to sell vegetables to raise the family and help her biggest brother to graduate from the university. She once let hatred beat her down for seeing the society s injustice after losing her second and third younger brothers for they cant afford to send them to the hospital. She put her full attention on work and remained single. Though she already bought a house, she could afford spending one hundred dollars a day. She became a Buddhist and a vegetarian. Shes not wealthy but she is willing or more than happy to donate the money she has worked very hard to earn to those who are in need. So far, she has donated almost ten million dollars. She was selected as one of the Time 100 for year 2012in the Heroes category. She is also one of the 48 heroes of Philanthropy by Forbes Asia. She now has a goal to save another ten million dollars to build a foundation to help poor people to advance their living quality. As far as Im concerned, the donation of Chens is much greater than the donation of the rich people. Although what I think is not fair to the rich people for they dont have the obligation to donate, it s still easier for them to help others because they can afford it. But seeing Chen living a poor life but still is determined to give away all the money she earns is shocking. How come shes willing to sacrifice the pleasure she can have if she keeps the money all to herself. In 2011, Japan faced the terrible disaster, the 311 earthquake. The earthquake took away many lives and destroyed their hometown. While the Japanese were in desperate to seek help, Taiwanese people knew the pain to lose everything in one night due to the 911 earthquake so we reached out our hands to help them. It turned out that such a small island like Taiwan could be the country that donated the biggest amount of money in the world. One day when I was meeting my friend in Ximenting, I saw a man standing across the MRT entrance and in front of him were a

bunch of pictures. He was a Japanese, and he drew all the pictures by himself to show gratefulness to Taiwan. Everyone who walked by all stopped, being amazed by his act, and so was I. I never knew how big the favor we had done to Japan, but it seemed like we really did help them to rebuild their hometown. Both Gruwell and Chen have no idea how they affect other s peoples lives. They stick to doing the things they like, such as helping the students and the poor. And for the Taiwanese people, they do what they think are supposed to do. They don t expect to get anything for return, and all they can think of is to follow their hearts to do the right things. Though the patience and effort they put in are tiring, the happiness they gain from helping others and the smiles on their faces are priceless.