Self-Acceptance Leads to Cultural Exploration

Beatrice Simu has learned to embrace what makes her unique.  

Beatrice Simu once thought that her peers would think differently about her if she changed herself to fit in. So she downplayed her Romanian heritage by asking her mother to pack sandwiches and chicken nuggets for lunch, instead of her favorite Romanian foods. She chose to only speak English and never let on that she knew another language.  

“I believed that if people around me knew my background, they would treat me differently. Yet, no matter how hard I tried to fit in, I was still viewed as different,” she wrote in her college application essay.  

The Northern High School senior doesn’t hide that part of herself anymore. Simu, who plans to study Business Administration and Political Science, with a minor in Spanish, is proudly Romanian and eager to learn about more cultures.  

Her family’s summertime visits to Romania and a study abroad experience in Spain were pivotal to her transformation.  

Simu’s shift in perspective is summarized at the close of her college essay: “From a child who feared her differences to actively seeking out new cultures, my journey has been defined by turning my external limitations into a personal drive to learn, grow and embrace what makes me unique.”  

 

A Fierce Determination 

Simu’s family immigrated to the U.S. when she was six months old for better socioeconomic and educational opportunities. They first lived in Michigan, but Simu’s mother found the cold weather there unbearable. So they moved to North Carolina for its milder climate, settling in rural Davidson County. When Simu first started school, she was self-conscious about being Romanian because there wasn’t much diversity among students there. Her first language was Romanian, but she learned English as a second language quickly. Because of the initial language barrier and her family’s status as immigrants, Simu was initially placed in lower level classes to improve her English. She knew, however, that she could excel academically.      

“This feeling of being ‘less than’ fueled a fierce determination in me,” she wrote. “I was motivated to try twice as hard to prove that my background was an asset, not a hindrance.”  

Her hard work paid off as she advanced academically and began to earn accolades. The summer prior to her freshman year in high school, she took an advanced math course. It wasn’t easy, she says, but she studied eight hours a day, poring over lessons and tackling problems. She sacrificed having fun with her family that summer, but she entered high school having learned two valuable lessons in her short life: 

“Never let anyone determine your potential and never let differences become embarrassments, as that may just be the thing that makes your unique.” 

Cultural Explorations 

Simu and her family returned to Romania the summer before she started middle school. Since then, they’ve spent every other summer with family there. She loves the idyllic Romanian farm life. Her grandparents have chickens, an herb and vegetable garden and fruit trees. She loves her aunt’s homemade raspberry ice cream. They purchase fresh bread from a local bakery and can explore the entire village on foot. It isn’t necessary to drive anywhere, she says. Food tastes better and the air smells cleaner. Her family just enjoys spending time together.  

“The shift from Romanian culture being the minority in my day-to-day life to being the dominant culture in my day-to-day life for the span of summer was something I was not prepared for and one of the major factors that caused a change in my perspective when viewing my identity and heritage,” she says. “After returning from Romania and starting middle school, I started being more open about my culture and eager to share it with others.” 

She started befriending other students whose families were from Greece, Brazil and China. She loved to learn about their cultures too.  

Simu was accepted into the shift_ed SEO Scholars N.C., program in her freshman year at Northern Guilford. It provides free support for students from ninth grade through college graduation. It was most helpful when applying to college, she says. She took Spanish because it was recommended to competitive college applicants, and fell in love with it. Although she only had to take two levels, she decided to continue studying the language. 

“My journey felt unfinished,” she says. “I had found a passion, not just a class.” 

She learned about the vibrant culture in Spanish 3 and decided to apply for an immersion program in a Spanish-speaking country. Simu’s month in Alicante, Spain was life-changing. 

“Hearing Spanish floating out of cafes and the smell of pastries drifting with the breeze, I felt a part of me change,” she says. “Using Spanish to talk to locals about directions, my host family about their day and new friends about the city while exploring Alicante became my new norm. Spanish had become more than just a subject; it was a passion, a part of who I grew into.” 

One tradition that she especially liked was how families observed “sobremesa,” a practice of remaining around the kitchen table after dinner to talk, play card games or watch TV together. Her family does that in Romania she says. After dinner, her family snacks on sunflower seeds while talking and reminiscing.  

Simu now wants to continue her Spanish studies in college, hoping to delve further into grammar and cultural traditions. While she’d like to return to Spain for another immersion experience, she’s also open to new opportunities. 

“I want to branch out and see what other cultures I could explore,” she says.  

Identity and Growth 

Simu has perfected the art of tackling things that she’s not naturally good at and finding success. She just dives in, devotes the time and finds her own success. Like the summer she devoted herself to advanced math before the start of high school.  

She did that with tennis too. She joined the tennis team in her sophomore year without having played at all.  

“My first year I really struggled with hitting the ball at all. But as the season went on, I grew a lot and then each season that passed, I got better and better.” 

With effort, she improved and was able to win a match by the end of her junior year.  

“I pushed myself and I’m glad I did. I feel like I grew into someone who can take challenges even if they are intimidating, like moving to Spain and navigating a whole new country by myself.”  

Simu’s counselor and tennis coach, Kristin Guthrie Stuart, describes her as consistently approachable and teachable.  

“I will remember how she always shows up to everything with such positive energy, whether it was a tennis match, practice, a scholarship recommendation request, a question about her college application or request to start a club. Always positive and hopeful, regardless of the situation,” she says.  

This positivity leads back to self-acceptance. It was easier for her to step outside her comfort zone once she was secure in her identity. Simu’s best memories are those tied to her roots. She thinks about warm sunny afternoons, the smell of freshly cooked Sarmale—slow-cooked Romanian cabbage rolls—wafting through the kitchen window and the sound of laughter and Romanian chatter.   

“My rich background and culture has been a founding part of my identity,” she says.  

 

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