My Family Culture

 Prompt: 

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.

Item 1: My cell phone for picture memorability. I would want to take my phone because that's where I have many photos presented of friends, family members, pets, destinations I have traveled to, and special life events. My phone will help me hold memories of the events and people who were in my life and helped me grow, learn, and explore the world around me.

Item 2: Diamond earrings my parents gave to me for my high school graduation. These diamond earrings I carry with me wherever I travel or move to. I take them to remind me of the accomplishments I have made and how far I have grown. This was a huge gift from my parents because it is my first piece of diamond jewelry I have received from them. It shows their joy and pride of me completing my grade schooling. High School was one of the most challenging times of my life and there were times when I thought I wouldn't make it through. But my friends and family kept pushing me forward and were there for support in times when I felt as if there was no end to this period of my life. My diamond earrings give me hope and prosperity for the future. They are the shining reminder sparkling on my ear telling me  "I got this" which is what my dad would say to me during test days or sports events such as Crew relays.

Item 3: Monkey Stuffed animal. This past December I was struck by a SEPTA bus and had to receive surgery by placing a metal rod in my left femur bone. I am so lucky that the only major injury I had was a broken femur. However, it has been very hard keeping my head up and continuing forward with day-to-day tasks. I have been out of work since the day of the injury and miss my students like crazy. My best friend from high school gave me a stuffed animal monkey and some plants which on the flower pot read "hang in there". I adore stuffed animals and can't travel without one. This one, in particular, is now very special and dear to me and I even sleep with it every night. I hold it so dear to my heart and in my arms, because it reminds me of all the love and support I have from my friends, students, family, and co-workers. During my time on recovery leave, I have received many gifts and letters from students, co-workers, and friends and this stuffed animal will remind me of all the love and support I have.

My family consists of my parents, my grandma, my friends, students, and coworkers. Growing up an only child and far away from my extended family, I learned to make my own family with the people around me particularly the friends I made in high school. I know that these friends are lifelong friends and I can turn to them for anything and they count on me to be there for support and encouragement as well. Out of these three items, the one that would hurt me the most if I had to lose it or discard it would be my phone because of all the photos and videos I have downloaded on it. Sometimes a picture truly is worth a thousand words. One photo can trigger my thoughts to so many memories, emotions, and thoughts that are incaptured in that photo.