Question: What are your top 3 possessions and why?
When I was thirteen years old, my parents decided to move back to our country of origin, the Philippines. It was here that I attended high school and got in touch with my heritage and culture. During these crucial formative years of my life, I lived in areas where the rich lived right alongside the poverty-stricken. Fortunately for me, I have always been provided for and I have never had to endure the struggles and pains of poverty. Throughout my experiences in the United States, where I was born and raised, and in the Philippines, I have come to realize that the three most important possessions that I have are my culture, my my education.
My culture is one that is an amalgamation of values, experiences and peoples. Having been born and raised in the United States and then thrust back into my roots in the Philippines, my culture is a mix of these two places and their peoples. I am proud of the culture that I have been brought up in. It is one that combines the traditional hospitality and respect of Filipinos with the contemporary ways of the American lifestyle. Having experienced these two extremely different environments has given me a wider perspective of life, living and people in general.
The second possession that I hold most dear to me is a military cap that my grandfather gave to me as a child. He often wore the cap while serving the Philippine Military Army before his retirement. Aside from the sentimental value of the cap (as my grandfather has recently passed), the military cap serves as a reminder of my family, my heritage and my culture. This possession is a reflection of the hardships that my family has undergone in order for me to be where I am now. The cap also serves as a symbol of the honor, loyalty and bravery it takes to serve your country. In effect, the cap reminds me of the dedication and passion that I should apply to all the aspirations I have in life.
Finally, the third most important possession that I own is my education. I am lucky enough to have attended some of the top schools in the areas wherein I lived. In the United States, I attended elementary school in Irvine, California and middle school in Arlington, Texas. In the Philippines, I attended one of the most reputable high schools in the country. I am proud of my educational attainments and, now, I am dedicated to continue to enrich my education at ________. This college offers the best curriculum, environment and faculty for me to make the most out of what I have and what I want to give back to society and those around me.