Givology - give to learn, learn to give

I was born on the 7th of April 1999, and from the day of my birth I grew up in my hometown. When I was four, five years old I was just like any other innocent and mischievous child who only knew how to play and nothing of the toil of my parents just that they left early, and came home late.

At six years old I entered preschool and embarked upon my student career. I went from barely knowing what "d - o - e" meant to encountering the pure joy that came from learning new things; I went from that innocent and mischievous child to one who could be considerate and understanding. And so I learned a lot. I learned the art of forgiveness, I learned how to be strong, I learned how to quietly care for others...

In primary school, with my friends and classmates, I liked to forage for mushrooms, to chop wood, and to play hide and seek. I also liked fishing with my dad and my mom, and often I helped them with chores at home. Every morning, after I'd gotten out of bed and eaten breakfast, I started upon the three kilometer road to school. Because the road was long, I liked to memorise book passages while walking, and always felt like reading made the road shorter, let me get to school faster. If it was summer, the dew on the road would soak through my shoes, and so I would have to bring an extra pair to school. And when it was winter, my small hands would inevitably be frozen patchy: red in some places, purple in others, and painful.

Im primary school, the teacher would often have us do farm work. Like going up into the mountains to collect firewood, like looking for animal droppings in the mountains. The school had its own piece of farmland, and in order to make sure we ate fresh, healthy vegetables, every day the teacher would let us help plant them in the field, water them, etc. This way we got not only fresh vegetables but also exercise. Similarly, I helped my parents with farm work at home: when it was walnut picking season, as a family we would wake up at five in the morning for weeks on end to collect walnuts, and afterwards we would rest from nine to ten at night. It was hard work, but it was good work.

I believe that in the future I will continue to improve and grow, to fight and work for my goals! I want to let my mother and father live better lives, let my own hometown be a better one, let all the people who have believed in and encouraged me to be satisfied with me, and to nod their heads in approval!