Nima Alian

Mrs. Thomas
UWRIT 1101-103
22nd September 2014
This was a rather difficult yet fascinating piece to write. I enjoyed watching my personal
experiences flow onto this paper and tie together. I spent a lot of time editing and changed
many components around several times. It was hard for me to create with a successful
conclusion. Overall I believe that my paper is strong and I feel confident about the progress
that I have made. I hope that you enjoy reading my piece as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Inspiration at Its Best
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the
more places youll go- Dr. Seuss. Whenever I think of my childhood the first memory that pops
out is Dr. Seuss. My parents made sure that all of my desires came true, whether that was going
to Disneyworld or buying the newest Mega Man game. My parents always encouraged me to
read, read and read some more. Sunday mornings consisted of going to the library and getting a
book to read and then being put to sleep by a heartwarming story. Once I got to the library, I
would run to the colorful childrens section and read a Dr. Seuss book. The book could be Green
Eggs and Ham, Oh the Places You Could Go or The Cat in the Hat. Dr. Seusss silly and creative
writing style always impacted my character. I vividly remember learning to read as a child.
Reading the exact word aloud- Tha green haat. My finger would follow each word on the page
like an arching shadow. Learning to read always fascinated me; it was like unraveling the secret
codes that revealed the purpose of life.
Growing up in my family was very different than the normal American lifestyle. I was
raised by Persian immigrants and I was the first person in my entire family to be born and raised
in the United States. Although tough at times, the Persian lifestyle was very pleasant. Saturday

nights were filled with aunts and uncles (family friends) that would share old Iranian stories
and tales over hot chai. Stories could be about the mythical creatures that lurked in ancient Iran
or humorous stories about the village folks. Each unique story impacted my personal writing
style. Unlike other Americans I was raised through the use of Farsi as opposed to English. This
was an advantage that I quickly realized. Being bilingual opened my horizons for writing in
unimaginable ways. Many thoughts and feelings can be expressed through Farsi and not English,
and vice versa. Farsi provided abstract thinking. My knowledge of Farsi sparked my interest in
Persian poetry such as the famous works of Hafez and Saadi. Each delightful phrase offered me
wisdom, joy and knowledge that have influenced my writing and character. I wish I could show
you when you are lonely in the darkness, the astonishing light of your own being- Hafez.
While being raised Persian Style was great, there was extraordinary pressure. Persians
value education very heavily. My parents always encouraged me to read and study frequently.
Their child would absolutely not be ridiculed by the Persian community. There is a large Persian
community based in charlotte that I grew up around. The phrases doctor, teacher, lawyer or
engineer were basically sung to me daily. Each B or C on a test would create disturbances in
the house. I eventually made it through high school and into college which satisfied my parents.
Their relentless speeches were annoying at times yet very inspiring. My understanding of the
importance of knowledge stemmed from them. Every piece of writing I create has their
determination written all over it.
Picture it- 2005, the bell for the end of recess has rung and a bunch of children rush into
school excited for writing class. I went to an elementary school in Charlotte, North Carolina,
which exposed me to wonderful teachers. When I got into fourth grade I was placed into the
honors writing class which significantly boosted my confidence. I can clearly remember my

teacher, Ms. Lange who was a very young and cheerful teacher. She always told me that my
writing incorporated great vocabulary and even hung some of my essays on the wall. One time
she even said that she told all her friends how great my writing was. She obviously didnt
actually tell her friends about my writing yet the act of kindness would make any child happy
and excited to write. She inspired me to enjoy writing and to understand the importance of
reading and writing. Her character not only impacted my writing but my own character. I learned
to compliment others on their strengths as opposed to their flaws. Inspiration drives the creation
of passion and success.
For as long as I remember I had passion for two disciplines- geography/ international
studies and medicine. One day I was strolling through Barnes and Noble and spotted the bright
yellow cover of National Geographic. I decided to buy the book. forever changing my life. As
I unveiled the book and started to read I gained a strange interest for geography. I bought almost
every edition of the National Geographic from then on and spent my free time learning about
countries and cultures. Each city and capital marveled me. I heard myself repeat each capital in
order. Paris. Berlin. Rome. Beijing. New Delhi. Reading the National Geographic enlightened
me with new and exciting knowledge that I use frequently in writing. Almost every piece that I
write has a cultural connection. My passion for geography opened doors to new possibilities and
added depth to my writing style.
Medicine always made me feel secure and curious at the same time. Dad-what do you
want to be for Halloween this year? Me- a doctor of course. My family had a bad history of
many diseases and I always wanted to help out. I always imagined myself wearing a long lab
coat and measuring heart rate. My interests in medicine lead me to read articles about new
diseases and scientific articles. Topics would range from new surgical procedures to the recent

Ebola outbreak. My knowledge of medicine expanded my ability to write. The complexity of

different diseases and procedures taught me to become very detail oriented. Every detail matters.
The use of specific details translated into my writing. Reading scientific articles improved my
ability to write lab reports, which has been very helpful in Chemistry this year. My two strong
passions eventually morphed into my personality and made it very difficult for me to decide
upon a particular major. I finally decided to combine my passions and pursue a career in global
health.
One of my favorite books of all time is The Kite Runner which I read for the first time in
the tenth grade. The Kite Runner is about a young boy Amir, who is a wealthy boy living in
Afghanistan, who is also best friends with the servants son. They are best friends until Amir
doesnt stand up for Hassan (the servants son) and stop being friends. Amir later goes to
Afghanistan when he is an adult and saves Hassans child from the Taliban for self-redemption.
Khaled Hosseini displays a very personal and intricate writing style to convey his purpose. He
demonstrates his personal experiences in Afghanistan through gut-wrenching imagery. Hosseini
exposes the true conflicts and devastation evident in both Afghanistan and the Middle East. What
intrigues me about Khaled Hosseini is that he not only portrays the situation through his eyes but
also through the eyes of others. The Kite Runner connected to me because of my Persian descent.
Ive made personal trips to the Middle East and saw many heartbreaking events such as extreme
poverty. Many of the conflicts of the Middle East are extremely difficult to write about, yet
Hosseini clearly illustrates them by tying in his personal experience. Hosseini also uses his
unique writing to portray a variety of principals such as self-guilt, forgiveness, friendship and
true love in one book. The Kite Runner taught me to write with a personal viewpoint yet also to

incorporate the view point of others. Understanding the world in a way that others do enables a
writer to express validity and diverse ideas.
Throughout my life I have experienced a variety of factors that influence the way that I
write today. Starting from the early stages of childhood when I began to read up to the most
recent novels that I have read. My parents played a vital role in the development of my literary
skills. One of the strongest agents of learning how to write well is the exposure to determined
teachers. My fourth grade teacher inspired me to become the writer that I am today through her
dedication and cherished personality. As I walk through each stage of life I experience both
discouragement and inspiration, yet it is the inspiration that molds me into the writer that I
constantly become. Inspiration is the driving force that makes all and each writer unique and
successful.