Translation of optional in Spanish

I have been living in Holland for the last 14 years and I know the mentality very well. Holland is a small country, everybody knows everybody, so if we want to succeed, we must seize the opportunity.
It certainly is one of the reasons that a student from abroad is not as good in English as people who were born in America. This is an obstacle for all students and a challenge for the educational system.
My problem never was the writing part, but I did not have the courage to speak. When I did not get further, I had to use my hands and feet to communicate, which always seems a little stupid.