My word count is 268, the rules say approximately 250. Do you think that's alright?
Please offer any constructive thoughts and also correct my grammar if you see any mistakes! Thanks!
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
I was lucky enough to have grown up with an eccentric cast of characters, especially in the face of difficult beginnings. When we moved to Maryland, the Pooks Hill Apartment Complex smelled like mildew, the bathroom ceilings were covered with yellow stains, and the hallways housed mysterious characters at night. My earliest recollection of that community began with the acquaintance of several Chinese families with kids my age. My mother held my hand and prodded me along, trying desperately to appease my 3-year old inhibitions, pointing at all my potential playmates while I clung anxiously to her dress.
It didn't take long to fit in. There was never much to do, so we entertained each other. We snuck out to play in the apartment courtyard near the highway. If we were feeling brave, we'd walk to the playground by ourselves, the big kids holding the hands of the little kids. We dug ant hills, ate picnic lunches, watched fireworks, and hiked mountains together. On holidays, the kids ran down the hallway chasing after the aromas of food our parents cooked up to entice us back home.
I met the most important people of my life there, and I became an important person to them. Those apartments were only the beginnings of our journeys, because one-by-one, we moved onto bigger adventures life had in store for us. But even without proximity, I understand the true meaning of "community." We are a family that loves each other, builds and topples one another, but will always be there through thick and thin; people that will always remain close to my heart.
Please offer any constructive thoughts and also correct my grammar if you see any mistakes! Thanks!
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
I was lucky enough to have grown up with an eccentric cast of characters, especially in the face of difficult beginnings. When we moved to Maryland, the Pooks Hill Apartment Complex smelled like mildew, the bathroom ceilings were covered with yellow stains, and the hallways housed mysterious characters at night. My earliest recollection of that community began with the acquaintance of several Chinese families with kids my age. My mother held my hand and prodded me along, trying desperately to appease my 3-year old inhibitions, pointing at all my potential playmates while I clung anxiously to her dress.
It didn't take long to fit in. There was never much to do, so we entertained each other. We snuck out to play in the apartment courtyard near the highway. If we were feeling brave, we'd walk to the playground by ourselves, the big kids holding the hands of the little kids. We dug ant hills, ate picnic lunches, watched fireworks, and hiked mountains together. On holidays, the kids ran down the hallway chasing after the aromas of food our parents cooked up to entice us back home.
I met the most important people of my life there, and I became an important person to them. Those apartments were only the beginnings of our journeys, because one-by-one, we moved onto bigger adventures life had in store for us. But even without proximity, I understand the true meaning of "community." We are a family that loves each other, builds and topples one another, but will always be there through thick and thin; people that will always remain close to my heart.
