My Grandmother, My Inspiration

My grandmother at my 16th birthday

My grandmother is someone who I aspire to be like.  She is an incredible, and her life story amazes me.  My grandmother was born in Dar es Salam, Tanzania, and was one of  8 brothers and sisters.  Like many Indian families, she had an arranged marriage with my grandfather, but their love grew, and they had 3 children.  In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, my grandfather was constantly trying to make “ends meat”, he had an electrical store, and he would sell peanuts on the streets.  Till this day, my grandmother is very conscious about her money, and is constantly looking for bargains and sales.  My grandfather moved around to many places including Karachi, Pakistan, and eventually went to London, England, to give my father and his brother and sister a good education.  My dad eventually went to Duquesne University where he excelled and got accepted into Ohio State Dental School. 

My grandmother is unlike other members of the Indian community, who are typically stay at home wives.  She is very active, and at age 69 is facing her fear of water by taking water aerobic classes at the local community center.  One day, she hopes to learn to swim.  She passed the United States citizen test, which is quite difficult for a nonnative English speaker, and the material on the test was equivalent to what we are learning in AP U.S. History.  Also, she learned how to drive at age 61, and after failing the permit test many times, she finally received her license.  She has now been driving for 9 years, and to this day has not got in a car accident.  Driving has been the best thing she has done for herself, and after my father gave her a BMW, she stays active by driving herself to her doctors appt, swimming lessons, and to Bed Bath & Beyond, her favorite store.  Her perseverance, and her willingness to thrive, and succeed, amazes me.  She is my inspiration.