This is the text of the winning essay written by Chantel Barnshaw and submitted to the English Speaking Union on 'What My Country Means to Me'. The essay will be entered in the worldwide ESU essay competition.

Freedom. I wake up every morning knowing that I can walk out of my door with a tee shirt and shorts, and no fear of what the day will hold for me.

I know that I am able to voice my opinion, wear what I want, and have the friends whom I choose, without having to be told this by Bermuda's government. Women all around the world live in fear, are told who they are to marry and where they are allowed to go. Unfortunately, however beautiful their country may seem, their country means restraint.

My country means island beauty. Surrounded by clear blue water, pink sandy beaches, elegant churches and sixty-two thousand people with smiling faces, not a day goes by where this is not appreciated. Tourists come in by the thousands every summer, just to experience the beauty and magnificence of Bermuda, which I am privileged to encounter every morning when I wake up.

I can't help but miss my country when I travel on vacation during times such as summer vacation. It's hard to get used to swimming in grey water, breathing in polluted air and having to fight with crowds just to pick up a carton of milk, when I'm not used to any of it. Although sometimes I do feel as though Bermuda is isolated from the rest of the world, and the summers are almost unbearable, I can only pity the people who have to live everyday seeing only snow, hail and rain.

If there was one place I would choose to live and start a family, it would be Bermuda by far. Mothers and fathers don't have to worry about the safety of their children in school, catching the bus, or walking through town. Why? Because Bermuda is somewhere where our citizens almost feel like a family, where everybody knows everybody and people care for one another, even if you have only just met them.

A month ago a young boy experienced a brain aneurism; this was a wake-up call for Bermuda. Many Bermudians had never met this young boy. He died, and this tragic experience brought us all together again, just as we were falling apart.

People gave endless support to the family, proving that Bermuda is small, but all one family living and sharing one island. Each person may see Bermuda from a different perspective, however at the end of the day, it comes down to what our country has given to us, and what we have given back to our country.

When I imagine Bermuda, I don't think of our problem with violence, or drug issues. Why? Because the kind nature, generosity and natural beauty of our island overshadows all of these troubles.

What does my country mean to me? Freedom. I wake up every morning knowing that I can walk out of my door with a tee shirt and shorts, and no fear of what the day will hold for me.

CHANTEL BARNSHAW

Warwick