Finding myself

Ngoc Trang Mai

ESL Integrated 100

Professor Michal Eskayo

October 29, 2018

Essay 2: Cause and Effect Writing

Finding myself 

Everyone has their unique upbringing story that influences their personality and their mindset. I am a child of a sturdy, wise and caring family. In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed and the country gained independence.

 That event inspired Vietnam to conquer the custody and to gain their freedom. At that time, Russia was an ideal destination for Vietnamese who had big dreams with little money. My family immigrated to Russia during the 1990s when Russia and Vietnam maintained a healthy relationship. My parents and my aunt worked in the local Russian market. After the market collapsed, my family decided to go back to Vietnam and to start their career. My mother jumped into real estate business while my father went back to his military unit. He devoted himself to national affairs and had become a prominent soldier in his unit and city in general. My aunt became an accountant and had been an influential person for my beliefs. Even though I did not require anything, I was surrounded by the best quality of physical and emotional objects. However, I lacked confidence, sympathy and my own vision. My parents' path inspired me to chase my champagne and caviar dream. That lead to three effects on my life which are assisting me to expose myself to various cultures, take the best advantage of both cultures and boost my family in achieving a wealthier lifestyle.

The first effect of being exposed to other cultures since I was a child has led me to be curious about the world. Therefore, the freedom and generosity of European and Vietnamese seeped into me. During my childhood, I was the witness of every milestone of my family and that brought me full of exciting perspectives in my life. When I was three, my parents were very busy, so they sent me to a Russian nanny. 

However, because she used to drink a lot, I was neglected, so my parents brought me back and asked my grandmother to come from Vietnam and take care of household chores. Then I was sent to an elderly Vietnamese couple. It was a remarkable memory for me and my cousin that we were cared for like their daughters and taught primary-school-knowledge before returning to Vietnam. I believe that when you are in your thirties, forties and older, it does not matter if you used to be an excellent student, it is more integral to learn how to behave as a kind person. All the things I encountered in early age have allowed me to open my eyes with the kindness in every corner of this world.

The second effect of living in both countries is that I can compare and attain the best value of both cultures. At home, my parents kept talking in Russian, and even today, they have friends from Russia who mingle with them. Thus, I updated partially the information happening in the other land. In my house, my parents brought the souvenirs, gifts, and whiskey from Russia and taught me to define each origin of those products. Although that was a joyfulness of mature people, it helped me raise the quality of life. However, I know that is not my life and I should branch out and compete with myself, with peers and others in the new world instead of being surrounded by majestic physical things. In addition, living in Vietnam, I was taught to appreciate the traditions, the strength of community and respect experienced people. I will never forget some lessons that I was taught. For example, living a life like writing a book, I should make friends who write and read my chapters because life is long and unpredictable. In addition, I should treat my study as my job and no matter what my jobs are, I should work with my ethic and enthusiasm. Those lives in Russia and Vietnam helped me to open my eyes to other opportunities. If I did not have that time in Russia, I would not have decided to leave my hometown and study in another part of the planet because I might not feel curious about other cultures.

Finally, because my parents worked hard in Russia, my family had a wealthy lifestyle. When my family's income improved, I left the old school, familiar friends, and approached the new fabulous academic environment. Compared with my previous life, this new life had more challenging goals and asked me to compete with outstanding students. 

They were intelligent and dedicated. The evidence is many classmates from my high school have studied abroad in America, Canada, England, Germany, Japan, and Australia. Other students went to prestigeful colleges in my hometown. Ultimately, when there was an opportunity, I took that chance and came to the US to pursue my dream hoping to explore more about myself. I was taught that people have infinite abilities and that we need knowledge, suitable methods and bravery to lighten them up.

In conclusion, my family has been the pathfinder, shining the way for me and opening the door to selective opportunities. However, because the shadow of my family is strong, I often question myself, my beliefs and what my life would be like without them. Besides, my liability was denying my identity as a Vietnamese woman because I used to be impressed by Russian culture. I wished and looked for many ways to become similar to Russians. Fortunately, since I have studied abroad, I have learned the uniqueness of my roots when I encountered other cultures. By accepting who I am, I know my life is starting colorfully, and all I need is to take one step out of my zone. There will be plenty of unpredictable opportunities.