Personal Narrative: My Homework Assignments

In fourth grade, I was given a homework assignment of the worst nature my nine-year-old brain could envision: an essay. My entire class erupted with sighs and groans as my teacher explained the assignment: interview someone you know and write a biography. I was stumped; I didn't think anyone in my family was interesting. I didn’t have an uncle that was a firefighter or cousin that was an astronaut. I had absolutely no idea who to write about. At dinner that night, my parents suggested I interview my grandfather. With no alternatives in mind, I unenthusiastically accepted their suggestion. The following Friday night, my parents drove me to my grandparents’ house with a pencil and a notebook, and I sat down with my grandfather as he told me the story of how he came to America. He was born in Shiraz, Iran, in 1929 and moved to Israel at the age of
While the assignment seemed like the biggest catastrophe of my fourth grade career at the time, I would not trade the hours spent listening to my grandfather’s stories for anything in the world. Those few hours alone taught me more about hard work and determination than any class at school ever could. I try every day to remind myself of the sacrifices he made for me to be here and have the opportunity to get an education and pursue my passions. As the time to apply for university approaches rapidly, I feel an increasing pressure to choose my life path. I have an endless amount of options: I can pursue my love of photography, explore my fascination with psychology, or realize my desire to start my own business. My grandfather did not have this luxury, and as his granddaughter, I believe it is my duty to take advantage of the freedom I am so lucky to have by getting the best education available to me. After learning about my grandfather’s struggles, I feel motivated to work harder and prove that his sacrifices were worth