Please read and give any feedback - good or bad. All criticism is welcome but please be constructive and tell me why you think that way. Thanks!
One thing to bear in mind whilst reading - do you think I transition between my travel experiences and the home stay well?
What aspirations, experiences, or relationships have motivated you to pursue the study of architecture?
The 360 degree panorama I took in of Melbourne's Federation Square was the single most defining moment of my recently developed architectural craze. The unusual geometry of the sandstone and metal structure was captivating. From afar, Federation Square stuck out like a thorn amongst Victorian-style buildings in Downtown Melbourne. I pondered how rewarding it must be to have your own structure recognized as a tourist destination with people coming from afar just to snap a picture of it.
Eighteen months later, in Dubai, the same feeling resonated inside of me. People wonder why Dubai has become the world's most recent architecture spotlight, but once you are physically there you wonder no more. You have to see the incomplete Burj Dubai already towering over its neighbors in order to genuinely grasp how tall it will be once completed. Then you have to ride an abra (a traditional wooden boat) along Dubai Creek, admire the buildings lining the water and visit the door step of the famous 'sailboat' that is the Burj Al Arab Hotel. Lastly you take a look around you and see construction sites everywhere you turn. It is only then that you will come to believe that this is just the beginning of Dubai's reign as the world's architecture capital. My extensive travel experiences left me with an intense desire to be a part of something great; I wanted to be able to show all my family and friends with pride what I had accomplished.
But everything changed after spending a week with a local family in Malaysian Borneo. Myself and a small group of friends participated in a home stay program as part of a school trip. We were from the big bustling city of Hong Kong; wherever we travelled we stayed in hotels and resorts so the prospect of living in a complete stranger's house filled us with both excitement and anxiety. Thankfully, our host family was very friendly and welcoming. Throughout the week they treated us like their own family - they woke us up in the morning and told us to sleep at night so we wouldn't be tired the next day. I was in great admiration of their hospitality simply because their house was no mansion yet they still happily volunteered to accommodate five teenage city girls they did not know.
As the week progressed, I became increasingly aware of this family's poor living conditions compared to ours back in Hong Kong as well as the sacrifices they have made in order to continually accommodate strangers like us. Things like hot water to shower with and a four burner stove to cook on are staples in the city, but in Malaysia they are a luxury. No matter the season or time of day, this family took cold showers. Every single day of the year, the mother cooked dinner for four people on a single stove because the second one was broken and they couldn't find a repairman nearby. Each time our host family has guests, they give up three of their four rooms to accommodate them and all four members of their family must squeeze into their tiny master bedroom which was the size of my own bedroom. And at the end of it all, when their guests leave, they receive nothing in return besides a meager financial compensation from the organization in charge of the program.
This experience in Malaysian Borneo completely reversed my opinions of architecture as I realized that there is much more to architecture than what meets the eye. It's not all about the pride and fame of designing an innovative structure because after all, not every architect becomes rich and famous like Frank Gehry or I.M. Pei. Surely there is pride in constructing the world's next tallest building, but there is also pride in helping those whom you know deserve and need your help. Families like my host family deserve to be rewarded with more than just a wad of cash. Welcoming strangers into their home has been like a hobby for them yet they are contemplating quitting the program simply because their house isn't big enough for it. If only someone could rebuild a larger house with several guest rooms, a proper kitchen and hot water, this family could continue inspiring the lives of others with their generosity. And that is exactly what I have the ambition to achieve one day, as a token of my appreciation for their inspiration and continual selflessness. The world is a very big place but contributions to society don't have to be on a global scale but if I could just help out this one family, at least I've secured myself a pretty good stepping stone.
I just make suggestions when I think I have good ideas... I don't see many errors, though!
The 360 degree panorama I took in of Melbourne's Federation Square was the defining moment of my recently-developed craze for the art of architecture. The unusual geometry of the sandstone and metal structure at Federation Square was captivating. From afar, this edifice stuck out like a thorn amongst Victorian-style buildings in Downtown Melbourne. I pondered how rewarding it must be to have your own structure recognized as a tourist destination with people coming from afar just to snap a picture of it.
But Everything changed after spending a week with a local family in Malaysian Borneo.
The world is a very big place, but contributions to society don't have to be on a global scale; if I could just help out this one family, at least I would secure myself a pretty good stepping stone.
