Tell us about the neighborhood that you grew up in and how it helped shape you into the kind of person you are today. (Yale and the University of Chicago

-         The plane landed after over 3 hours of sitting and sleeping. I was carried out of the plane and remembered the hot air on my face. It was my first in the place. The land was flat, buildings were high, and the roads were varnished. There were huge swarms of cars moving back and forth. It was my first time even seeing so many cars. Bhutan never had that many cars, hell we don’t even have proper roads. I remember we had stayed in an apartment. As we had settled down, I had been sent to an international school in Bangkok. I had learned the language, made new friends, even friendly with the locals.

-         My apartment had a swimming pool a few floors down from mine. I always swam right after school for at least 30 minutes. Then I would lie down and soak into the Jacuzzi. I would then go play games with my neighbors in their apartment. From time to time, there would be foreigners staying in our apartment for the vacations, and I would just walk up to some of the kids and play with them. Those were the days when you weren’t scared, shy or disturbed of anything. The kid would reply with a yes and then we head out and play in the swimming pool, sometimes head out to the mall, which surprisingly had a huge water park on top of it. After a few weeks they would leave so that they could continue with their vacation. I couldn’t play much with the neighbors as they had to leave for boarding school.

-         The only friends that stayed with me the whole four years in Thailand were the receptionist, chefs/ cooks, waiters etc. I did have school friends, but they lived all far away. The workers of the hotel were my only friend. I would play on their reception computers and speak to them. They would give me free food and sometimes even a trip to McDonalds. I still don’t think my parents knew about these trips.

-         Soon, like a flash, the years went by and I had to leave. I said goodbye to all my friends in school and in my apartment. I still miss the place and to this day I wonder. I wonder whether if they were still there, or whether I’d see any of them again.

-         This wasn’t my only neighborhood I had grown up in. I had lived in many places, houses, apartments, and hotels etc that were as equal to the apartment I had lived in. Most of them I couldn’t remember because I was too young. That’s why I chose Thailand. It was the time when I was old enough to remember. Some of my youngest memories were from this place.

-         Today. I am kind to all my friends whether I like them or not as the receptionist was that way to me. I was taught not to show off, by the chef, as it might just annoy the others. I was taught to be strong and never take crap from others by my Mom. I learned how to make new friends and experienced friends with different religion and race. Today I am what I am because of them.