| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | At the age of fourteen, I was spending time at my friend's house. He was fond of airsoft guns. An altercation of words between him and my other friend ensued, and it evolved into an airsoft gun war within the house since we were unsupervised. The airsoft gun war ended with me being shot directly in the eye and causing severe eye damage. I was blind for several days in my right eye and spent every day for several weeks going to the eye doctor. Fortunately, I made a full recovery, but I still remember those days and weeks of blindness till this day. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | I closely identify with my father. Our physical similarities, hobbies, and other idiosyncrasies I've picked up from him throughout my lifetime have led to many comments from friends, neighbors, relatives, and strangers about how similar we are. My father has helped tremendously to shape me into the moral, upstanding, and emotionally resilient man that I am today. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I admire integrity, emotional resiliency, and perseverance. When a person can pursue the truth through adversity it is noble. Respect is earned from individuals who exhibit the aforementioned traits and when I respect someone, it becomes easy to admire them as well. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | During a Boy Scout camping trip, our troop built a wooden raft for a race. As one of the rowers, I embarked with a friend. When we reached the middle of the lake our lashings gave way, causing our raft to fall apart. The broken pieces became hazards for other boats, breaking them too. The race turned into a swimming competition, with each scout grabbing a piece of their boat and trying to swim it back to shore first. It was difficult to swim with all of us laughing about how bad we were at building rafts while seeing all of our other troop members screaming at us on the shore to keep swimming faster. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | If time and money were no obstacle, I would purchase a sailboat and try to sail with my friends or like-minded individuals who want to see the world. Navigating the Greek islands, I would explore their beauty and immerse myself in the local culture. Afterwards, I would set sail for Southeast Asia, to see Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Traveling by sailboat would provide a unique and memorable experience. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | Whenever the time comes for me to have children, my mind drifts to the qualities I would love to pass on to them. One of the most important traits would be kindness, teaching them the significance of empathy, compassion, and treating others with genuine kindness. Resilience is also something I'd want to instill in them, so they can bounce back from challenges and view failure as an opportunity for growth. Integrity would be another core value, emphasizing honesty, ethics, and always doing what's right even when faced with tough choices. Lastly, I'd hope to foster their curiosity, helping them develop a thirst for knowledge, a love for learning, and an open-mindedness that embraces new experiences. Ultimately, my goal would be to raise children who possess both strength of character and an eagerness to make a positive impact in the world. |
