I’d  have to say the most influential person in my life is my grandfather. I’ve grown up living with him and  with that came all the knowledge he passed down to me.

Ambassador Ali Hashi, is what the Somali community around the world still know my grandfather as. It’s been 20 years since he retired and he still gives speeches at universities and Somali conferences that come to the Washington D.C Metropolitan area. In those speeches, he explains what he has done as an ambassador and the conflicts that affected Somalia.

I still find it fascinating to hear about all the amazing places my grandfather has lived in. Some of those countries include Italy, France, Russia, Kuwait, Senegal, and Ethiopia. As he traveled to these countries, he was able to bring my grandmother and many of my aunts and uncles with him. They all received most of their education from either Europe or the United States. Consequently, in addition to speaking Somali, they were able to learn the languages of the places in which they’ve lived. Many of them went on to get PhD’s, Medical  degrees, and master’s degrees in their respective fields. This all would not have been possible without the fundamental groundwork my grandfather laid down for them.

He made sure they each were given proper education and went on to receive higher education.

As one of his accomplishments, he tried not to only limit this opportunity to his children. He has set up scholarships through the countries he was serving as an ambassador for. The scholarships have assist Somali students living there who wanted to go to universities but did not have the means to do so. In the countries that he served as an ambassador, he was recognized as an outstanding diplomat whom took initiatives to better educational opportunities. He himself was fortunate to receive his  education and uses this as a drive for his scholarships.

His father was one of the most influential businessmen in Somalia during his time. My great grandfather made sure all of his sons and daughters were able to go to school. From a young age, my grandfather loved school and took a lot of time focusing on his studies. In between his time after high school and before college, he spent time being a teacher. The first time he traveled  to Italy was for a teacher training course that was offered to him. Later, for his collegiate education, he was accepted to go back to Rome and was one of the first Somali men to be awarded a Doctorate of Political Science from the University of Rome.

During my life, I’ve been able to witness some  amazing things. One of those includes the yearly meetings my grandfather would hold in our home; bringing together other retired Somali ambassadors that he calls his friends. They all come in our living room and look at  old pictures; reminiscing on how young they all use to be. In Somali culture, it is still common for there to be a separation between men and women so during these meetings, my grandmother and mother would stay in a separate room. As a curious child, I always found ways to try and be close to where the men all met so I could hear what they all argued about. At that time, it all seemed boring to me but now that I look back to those times, I see how great it was that these elderly men were speaking so feverishly on the current state of their homeland and what they would do differently if they were the ones who were leading it. Being around such important people at a young age made me feel extrem ely blessed to the exposure I had.

As a  child, I would go to work with my mother who worked in the United Nations. She used to tell all her colleagues that one day I would be the first female President of the United States of America. They were very fond of how determined I was. Although I was very young then, my  goals haven’t changed very much. Now as I am senior, I’m looking into where and what I want to study next fall at university. As I attend school, I’m anxious in studying International Relations, which will lead me to profession I have always wanted to do.

Once  I finish my college education I plan to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps and become an ambassador as well. I am thankful everyday for the family I come from and the people in my life that have had such a substantial impact on my future. Gaining my grandfather’s approval is one of the greatest things I strive for and I plan to one day see him smiling at my college graduation.