If there is one characteristic about Doc from the Wine to Water novel that appeals to me, it is his sensitivity to human needs. The fact that Doc became a humanitarian out of his own inspiration allows me to see what a truly compassionate human being he is. I recognize the will to help others in myself as well as in the author of the novel. Of course, his work led him all the way to Darfur and his mission was to provide clean water for those who needed it most, but to an extent, I have also always felt the urge to help others. Coming from a Hispanic family and being able to go back to my parents’ country of origin has allowed me to view poverty in its most raw form. Growing up, I have always been aware that I am “lucky” and “blessed” as my parents say, to live in the United States and that I have never had to suffer through starvation or dehydration as many have. Since I had the opportunity of visiting my family in the Dominican Republic from a very early age, I was also able to create consciousness of the real problems faced by my fellow Dominicans. My mom had always taught me that donating was a great way to help others. And I could always recall my dad telling me stories about how if a beggar came to my grandmother’s door asking for clothes she would always give up the best she had because not only did she feel sympathy for these poor souls, she also felt that they needed to be respected. I agree with my grandmother because when one donates something it should be of high quality, something that one would wear without a problem, not the most broken and useless item of clothing one can find. My roots in charitable actions came from the compassion that was demonstrated amongst my own family. I had great examples of how one could help others and ever since I was a child, I had always felt that it was my duty, as someone who was fortunate enough to have everything she needed, to help those who did not. Besides donating clothing, shoes and toys every now and then to orphanages and poor churches in the Dominican Republic, my first true charitable “project” was one which my mother and I thought up because one of my very poor friends in Dominican Republic needed surgery to treat her scoliosis. I must have been around the age of twelve or thirteen and I managed to write letters pleading people to help my good friend because her family could not afford to pay her hospital bills. This was important to me because not only was she my close friend, but also I knew that if I was not able to achieve my goal, I would have let someone in need down. My mother and I were able to raise enough money through family and friends to help her out and I still keep in contact with her till this day. There is not one day that goes by where she doesn’t express her gratitude. Since then, I have collaborated with my father’s friends who own corporations in the Dominican Republic to help fund supplies for local schools and orphanages. I was also very involved in helping collect canned items and clothing for those who were at need when the devastating earthquakes hit Haiti. Furthermore, as my high school “community service project” I dedicated five months of daily work in an aftercare program at a local school in Doral. There is where I truly learned that I wanted to pursue psychology as my major. My community service consisted of helping a girl named Amanda, who was in charge of a class of about eighteen kindergarteners, take care of and help the kids. Being able to see how they form opinions and their thought process was something extraordinary for me because I believe that children are the most genuine humans. Doing my community service hours I learned that whatever it was that I wanted to do with my life, it belonged to that of helping others, empowering others and teaching others. I think that being able to give back is not only an important skill to have in your community but also in your college because I plan to learn but someday I also plan to teach what I know. As of now, I am not 100% certain of what my exact career will be, but through my good intentions of helping others and spending time with my hilarious kindergarteners, I learned that the most satisfying, fulfilling and complete feeling is that of being able to give back.