Personal Narrative: Kirijmoj

Kirijmoj

Christmas. Snow falling, drinking hot chocolate by the fire place, spending time with family,

smelling the lovely scent of pine trees, driving around neighborhoods to see the sparkling

Christmas lights, picking out your own beautiful tall Christmas tree. This is my favorite time of

the year…but Christmas in the Marshall Islands is nothing like this. Kirijmoj. Waves crashing

on the fine white sand, sipping a tall glass of ice water underneath the shade of a palm tree,

smelling the salty ocean breeze, biking around the island to see the decorations, delivering trees

to community members’ houses. This is what my Christmas (Kirijmoj) looks like on a tiny three

mile long island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Christmas time is the

Next year I went back and I saw the same little boy. This time he brought a ball, the

one I gave him, and was able to throw and catch almost perfectly. I was proud I gave him

something worth keeping. I was proud I gave him something that made him smile day after day.

I was proud of being a part of something bigger than myself. I made a difference.

This taught me how one individual can in fact make a difference. This inspires me to keep

giving. This motivates me to make the world a better place. This experience makes me the

caring, compassionate, helpful person I am today. I am the student representative on the quality

of life committee so I can have a say in how to better the lives of the community. I am Vice

President of the senior class because I want everyone’s opinions to be heard and acknowledged. I

am Treasurer of the National Honor Society because I want to organize a service project and buy

supplies for schools on the neighboring islands of Ebeye and Gugegue. I am treasurer of

Keystone because I want to give back to my amazing community. I am a lifeguard because I

want to ensure the safety of others. I want to make a difference in the world. I want to learn.