Prompt: Tell us something about yourself or your interests that we wouldn't learn by looking at the rest of your application materials.
I call my grandfather every Sunday night. It always starts off the same way: he thanks me for calling, and asks how my mother is doing. I tell him that everything is fine here and that we are waiting for him to visit the States. Every time, he replies, "God willing, I one day will."
I am amazed at his resilience, knowing what he has gone through, having lost his wife and his career as an engineer, and having been evicted from his home of 50 years for not being able to sustain the lifestyle he once could. I feel guilty for not inquiring about his health, but when I try to, he emphatically reminds me that I shouldn't worry about him.
Our conversations usually venture into a discussion of the trivial. We forget the troubles of our lives (in my case, not as serious) and enjoy each other's voice and virtual company. I laugh at his failed attempts at grasping English grammar rules, and he, at my hopeless attempts at speaking Harari. Our six decades and 7,000 miles of separation become negligible. We become the only two people in the world that exist, that is, until my father yells that a United States to Ethiopia call is $00.25/min. I always have to be the one to end the call prematurely, citing homework or the dishes as an excuse, but I leave with a sense of comfort, knowing that next Sunday my grandfather will be waiting at the phone again.
//END
I know it has a sort of abrupt ending. But, keep in mind that the essay allows a hard and fast 250 words MAX. Mine is exactly 250.
I call my grandfather every Sunday night. It always starts off the same way: he thanks me for calling, and asks how my mother is doing. I tell him that everything is fine here and that we are waiting for him to visit the States. Every time, he replies, "God willing, I one day will."
I am amazed at his resilience, knowing what he has gone through, having lost his wife and his career as an engineer, and having been evicted from his home of 50 years for not being able to sustain the lifestyle he once could. I feel guilty for not inquiring about his health, but when I try to, he emphatically reminds me that I shouldn't worry about him.
Our conversations usually venture into a discussion of the trivial. We forget the troubles of our lives (in my case, not as serious) and enjoy each other's voice and virtual company. I laugh at his failed attempts at grasping English grammar rules, and he, at my hopeless attempts at speaking Harari. Our six decades and 7,000 miles of separation become negligible. We become the only two people in the world that exist, that is, until my father yells that a United States to Ethiopia call is $00.25/min. I always have to be the one to end the call prematurely, citing homework or the dishes as an excuse, but I leave with a sense of comfort, knowing that next Sunday my grandfather will be waiting at the phone again.
//END
I know it has a sort of abrupt ending. But, keep in mind that the essay allows a hard and fast 250 words MAX. Mine is exactly 250.