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. (Approximately 250 words)
It has become a tradition that every weekend my family goes to visit my grandparents at their retirement home. My grandparents love the home, especially the common hall dinners, dancing classes, and multicultural activities. While the home provides my grandparents a community, it is also my community. From the weekends we visited the home, I have come to know more about my culture and others who live at the home.
At the retirement center, I have experienced the close-knit atmosphere of a community. After Saturday dinners, instead of retiring to their rooms, some of the senior citizens continue their cheerfulness over a game of mahjong. If the game needs more players, I willingly fill in, though competing against decades-long players is hard. Other times, as my grandma prepares for the community potlucks, I help her make her ultimate sweet rice dish. Hours of churning and roasting lead us to the final product – a decorated cake topped with colorful sweets and red bean paste. Characterized by an innate liveliness, my grandma loves to chat with others, but she only speaks Chinese. So, when I am at the retirement home, I am always translating, facilitating comments and questions between my grandma and others who speak English.
Being part of the community at the retirement home gave me the opportunity to see how people can form relationships in unexpected ways. People at the home have shown me the patience and dedication in embracing others, and most importantly how to enjoy life.