Undergraduate / UC prompt#1; I loathed going to the doctors, fearing they would harm me [3]

Thanks for your comment. I have rewritten it different way. Please review let me know my spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Many people think that by living in another country, one would lose connections with their native culture. This is not true in case. I was raised in the United States; I have always stayed connected with my Indian culture as well as add parts of American culture into my life. With this combination came my aspiration of helping kids as well as increasing ways to help the people living in my community; the world has shaped me, my confidence, ambitions, and my outlook on life. My world, filled with energy, diverse peer interaction and diverse human relations, has helped me identify my dream of becoming a doctor.

My first interaction with the festival called Diwali was ten years ago, when my parents celebrated it in India. Diwali, where people from all age groups participate, also share and express love, joy and happiness. I learned how the 'diyas' (lamps) represent the end of the negative aromas through knowledge.

My Indian culture taught me how diyas (little clay pots) were lighted all around the neighborhood and how it was a festival where family will get together. As my family gathered together, I noticed one family did not have any divas lighted in their house. My American culture that taught me how to be generous and kind to those who do not have the same pleasures as I have, made me to take one of the diyas from the front and walk over to give the family. I gave it to the little kid watching other houses being decorated and all of a sudden his face glittered up with joy. This face showed me how Diwali was not just about getting rid of the negativities around us, but also spreading our love, joys, and happiness with others. It also showed me how children's smiles put a smile on my face. This enhanced my communication and collaboration skills. Conversing with these diverse personalities allowed me to explore the various qualities in others and absorb their positive qualities, while abandoning the negative ones.

Soon my trip was over and return to US, but I do not want to stop celebrating and helping others. I learned how even here in the USA, Diwali is celebrated in religious center, called a temple. Ever since the smile the kid gave to me, each year I go to the temple on Diwali to not only celebrate the festival but also distribute the diyas to each child I see there (usually around 10). Distributing the diyas also gave me the skill of communication as my bonds grew with my interactions. As it instilled within me the confidence and clarity to be self-driven and perform such humanitarian and selfless work. This also provided a platform for natural inclination toward great listener, communication, caring, give respect and strong relationship building, all these qualities are essential to become an ideal doctor.

These activities and experiences, collectively forming my world, have provoked my ambition to become a doctor. Certainly, this knowledge and skill will serve as a base from which I can fulfill my ambition and achieve my dream.