My personal essay
In my life, I have had a lot of experience in charity work. I have been to Nairobi, Kenya two times in my life and there is nothing like helping others and getting to see what “reality” is outside of my hometown bubble. In Africa, there are parts that are rich and parts that are very poor. . The septic is all around your feet in the valleys and crevices of the roads. There is trash everywhere and the stench is unbearable. Despite the poverty that these children live in, the smiles on their faces is impeccible. They were never discouraged to make the day they had the best. They greeted you like you were a local, unlike the civilians in Europe or other foreign countrys. These kids were so joyful and kind no matter what the circumstances.
As I was walking through the villages and slums, I noticed a toy that this child was playing with. It was unique and creative. He had got an empty water bottle and glued 4 bottle caps to the sides of the container, and made a car with the little he had. This caught my attention the most because growing up, I always wanted the newest and latest version of every toy that I owned. It showed me that happiness does not come from the materialistic values in this world. Happiness comes from the love of your family and friends. Privileged children in the U.S are always wanted acceptance by what car they have, their shoes, their looks, etc. Here, these kids were accepted because of their hearts and their moral values.
In my life today, I am always trying my best to be the kindest I can possibly be to kids that seem as if they did not feel accepted by the standard stereotypical teenager. If there is someone sitting alone at lunch, I invite them to sit with me. teenage society these days is very judgmental. So many kids try to commit suicide every year because of this matter. In school, we get lectured about bullies and how many people actually experience this. Bullying is not only what you see in the halls, it is behind millions of phone and computer screens. This form of bullying has been put into action everyday, especially in 2020. I hope that one day I can see those kids one more time and their beautiful smiles. Try to always be the nicest and best person you can be.
