Thankful for my father

In the past few years, I've come to realize how grateful I am for the close relationship I have with my father. Growing up, my sister was always more rebellious and fought with him a lot. It wasn't until after she graduated from college that she was able to have a better relationship with him, but I feel like all my life, I've had the privilege of being super close to him.

I've always been able to talk to him about anything. From politics, religion, history, and even drama going in my life, I've always felt like he's been nothing but understanding. He's allowed me to say things freely, and never lectured me for my mistakes. Rather, he's provided his insight and reflected on his own life experiences in order to guide me to make the right choices. He's strict, but understanding. One thing I've always appreciated is that he doesn't shove his beliefs down my throat. He's extremely opinionated and has strong views on a lot of things, but never have I ever felt compelled to emulate him. Dad has always given me the freedom to think for myself and speak for myself. He's given my brother and I equal opportunities despite coming from a culture where boys are favored over girls.

I believe part of the reason why we have such a great relationship is because for a brief period of time, my dad was the only one raising me. My mother was working in a different state at the time, and my dad raised my brother and I. He fed us, bathed us, took us to school, and drove us around to all of our extracurricular activities. He even learned how to brush my hair and braid it. My father did all this while never missing a day of work. It was through this time period where I felt my relationship with him solidified. I saw how hard he worked and how much he sacrificed in order to take care of us. 

 My dad is one of the strongest people I know. His love and dedication for his family and friends is incredible. I remember when my sister was going to school in St. Louis. She was in the middle of a falling out with my dad and was struggling. But my dad heard from her friends that she was working late at night.  So after his work was finished in Champaign, he made pork buns and created a little care package for her. Then he drove all the way to St. Louis to drop it off to her in the middle of the night. Then he immediately drove back to take my brother and I to school. It's that kind of love which makes me feel like I'm invincible, even when I'm in the darkest stages of my life. My dad has allowed me to learn so much about the world and myself, and without him, I would not be where I am today.

Antartica

If I could travel anywhere in the world, I'd like to visit Antartica. 

With the rising temperatures, scientists predict that in 30 years, many of the world's ice caps will be gone and contribute to a majority of the rising sea levels. Before that happens, I'd like to visit the continent which contributes to 90% of the world's ice. It's a place unlike anywhere else in the world. With an average temperature of -67 degrees fahrenheit, and a wildlife which has fascinated researchers for many years, I'd be interested in exploring the place. 

Many people envision Antartica as nothing but a plain of ice, and while that is partially true, Antartica also has incredible mountain ranges. The Gamburtsev Mountains stretch over 750 miles and are approximately 9,000 ft in height. In addition, there are lakes such as Lake Vostok, which is buried under 2 miles of frozen water. In these extreme temperatures, biologists can study extremophiles, (microorganisms which can survive under extreme conditions), and examine their properties. There is an abundant amount of research which could be done on Antartica, and being a part of a research expedition would be incredible. 

Lastly, Antartica is home to many animals which I found love. From penguins to seals to whales, I think seeing these creatures in their natural habitat would be exciting. While I've seen these animals in zoos, I think there's something special to witnessing animals exhibit their natural behaviors in their original habitats. I'd love to observe their behaviors and take photos of them! 

My sister recently received an offer to go on an expedition to Antartica. It will be her second time going there, and she absolutely loves it. In fact, she recently resigned from her corporate job to go on this adventure. My sister's love for the continent is so obvious, and her passion for the research that could be done there is infectious. My dream would be to go there with her!