College essay - personal experience - suggestions to improve

I, a 7 year old Indian American had just arrived in my hometown, full of hope and excitement. I had left my perfect life in America because my parents wanted me to grow up with my family and understand our culture. Being a naturally inquisitive kid, I loved the idea. But as soon as I set foot in the country of my birth, I felt pangs of regret. It was unbearably hot and humid. People around me talked loudly and pushed me around without saying 'excuse me'! This was far from the happy vision I had of India. The castles I had built in the air were destroyed to bits.
The first few weeks of school worsened my fears. I couldn't understand the native language and my classmates couldn't understand my accented English.I sat at the back of the class everyday, too shy to make friends but desperately wanting to. I felt misunderstood. I felt like I didn't belong.
One day, as I sat with my lunch, a few boys approached and asked me to smile. I did. They said I smiled wrong and began to laugh for no conceivable reason. At that moment, determined to show them I wasn't the kind of girl to be taken for granted, I forgot my inhibitions, bared my teeth, flared my nostrils and gave my widest smile ever. They stopped, shocked, but the very next minute we broke into peals of laughter. That was the beginning of a new journey. On the way, I learned that only change is permanent, that as long as I believed in myself I could face anything, and that a smile is all it takes to make a friend.
I had changed three schools in India and at each, I learned something new about myself. I finished 6 grades of music from the Trinity College,London, won medals representing my district and state in table tennis and athletics,was voted vice captain of my school and elected the sports secretary two years later. I am 17 years old now and I know that I never could have had such an enriching experience had I stayed in America. My respect for my country and love for my parents has multiplied over the years. I finally feel like I belong.