Here at Wimbledon School of English, we invite our students to submit blog posts. It can be anything from an essay to a review or tips of what to do in London. It's a great way to practise your writing skills and our Study Centre Manager will always be happy to check your work. 

This week, we're sharing a blog by our student Paola. Originally from Mexico but living in France, Paola is here to improve her English so she can do a Masters Degree at a British University. 

Green is the New Black

By Paola Escamilla Greenham

Surprising experiences can come about anytime. In this particular case, attending a musical makes me think about something I want to share with you today.

First of all, you must know that I’m totally addicted to musicals. I don’t only care about the story or the actors, but also the quality of the scene, the costumes, the set and the makeup are things that I admire while attending a show.

After listening to some friends’ recommendations, I decided to go to Wicked the Musical. As I went last minute, I only read the synopsis a few minutes before the show started. At that time, I found out that this musical is related to the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but written by another author, around ninety years later.

Just a few minutes after the show started, I discovered that the main actress was green. Her name is Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. She has green skin like Shrek; you must remember him, as the main character of at least two films and now a musical. There is also Fiona, the princess who married Shrek and who chooses to get green skin.

Surprisingly, the color of their skin is not the only characteristic they have in common; neither of them fits in according to social conventions. Instead, they spent their life fighting against them, as they are “green”.

During the show, I understood that “being green” is not easy and not everybody can do it.

Let’s take the example of Glinda the Good again fromthe Wonderful Wizard of Oz. She is the opposite of Elphaba, Glinda wants everybody to love her. For this reason, she will always act according to social protocol. For her, it’s essential to be part of the group. However, Fiona decided to become green, as she prefers to live according to her own beliefs.

At this point, you should have an idea of what “being green” means. For me, it’s a way of life. A “green person” is someone who has decided to live according to their own beliefs, no matter whether society rejects them or not. But be careful, “being green” doesn’t mean that you will act against the law. You will need to work hard in order to live your own life in your way. You must be prepared to fight every battle. Your mission will be, for example, to fight against social injustices just as Elphaba did. You must choose between social comfort and peace in your heart.

After watching Wicked, I decided that I want to “become green”. Or more exactly, I understood that I have been green for a long time without realizing it. At least, I now comprehend why sometimes life seems complicated for me in comparison to others. I’m trying to live a life that suits me and that makes me proud. I want to create my own company in order to be able to offer jobs to others. I want to offer good service to the customers in a country where the client is not the king. I still have a lot of battles to fight but in the meantime, let me ask you, "what color is your skin?"

Pictured: Paola at the Colour me Rad 5K http://www.colormerad.co.uk/