Spender Levi

My most memorable childhood experiences are traveling on cruise ships with my parents. Every summer from 2005-2009, my parents and I took a two-week cruise around various parts of the world, including Northern Europe, Alaska, the Mediterranean Sea and the Baltics. I loved experiencing these parts of the world with my parents. We tried new foods, saw amazing historical sites, experienced different cultures and met like-minded & adventurous families. It was breathtaking to sail on the open sea and to be able to see so many countries in short time periods. My parents and I took many photographs together on these vacations and are so thankful we were able to travel like this. My favorite excursions were in Copenhagen, Denmark and Normandy, France.

I identify closely with my father. He and I are similar in that we are sentimental, have a tremendous work ethic, have a deep sense of adventure and love new experiences. We both abide by the motto “Work Hard Play Hard” and he has taught me some of the most important lessons in life. His 20+ years of service in the United States Air Force inspired me to pursue membership as a volunteer firefighter in my community. We communicate consistently, and we frequently spend time together in the form of cycling, cooking and performing home improvement projects. One thing I find amazing about him is that he often says so much using so few words. As long as I live, I will consider him my mentor and one of my best friends.

I admire honesty, because of how it requires courage to express, and, in my experience, honesty almost always leads to some form of improvement, whether it be relationship-improvement, self-improvement, etc. I admire commitment, because of how it requires strength and resilience to stick with something or someone through the good times and bad. Commitment requires endurance and acceptance, and in my experience, it has fostered my best relationships. I admire creativity, because of how it requires a high level of intelligence and diversity of perspective. Creative expression has almost always helped me view a situation differently and has fostered some of my best ideas. Creativity has helped me cope with my struggles in life and helps me appreciate my freedom to creatively express myself.

When I was a university student, I spent my Summer breaks working as a food preparer and server for a catering company. One day, when I was working a shift for a wedding at a local farm, I was setting up seating tables and decorations in the barn where the main ceremony and post-ceremony took place. Some of the guests had arrived early and were giving me strange looks. After I greeted them and asked why they were strangely looking at me, they responded by asking me why the groom of the wedding was setting up tables and decorations and stating that a food service uniform is not proper wedding attire. One of the guests went as far as to say that I should be taking my wedding seriously. My boss, who overheard this, and I were quick to tell them that I was not the wedding groom and that I am only a waitstaff member. The guests, after realizing their mistake, apologized and explained that the groom and I look exactly alike. One of them even stated that I could pass as the groom’s doppelganger. Once I was able to see the groom, I fully understood the guests’ perspective.

I would travel to the country of Bhutan. In addition to being carbon negative, Bhutan ranks high in Gross National Happiness with very little political corruption. As I understand, the country has a beautiful nature scene and has some of the world's most famous historical structures. The country also boasts a strong social welfare system by providing its citizens with access to free healthcare and free education. I think that travelling to Bhutan would be very enlightening in that I would be able to experience a country that is truly peaceful and connected with nature.

I would like my children to have my Calvin and Hobbes comic book collection, my greeting card collection, and my puzzle collection. These three things are very near and dear to me, and they represent how I spent my time in childhood. They kept me busy, provided me with a laugh or two and helped me cope during difficult times. I have very distinct memories of working quickly to complete my homework so that I could go to my room and read my Calvin and Hobbes books or check the mail for a new card addressed to me. My puzzle collection helped challenge me as a child, and puzzles are a source of bonding between my mother and I. Each of these represents a meaningful part of my childhood that I would like my children to have.