Prompt 1
The place I grew up in, Viet Nam is a lot different than where I live now. My parents didn't have a lot of opportunities to reach their goals, so they moved to America, hoping I would be able to fulfill all of my dreams with nothing to hold me back. Because I immigrated to another country, my experiences are very different. Those experiences have helped me through life by pushing me to do the best I can and never give up.
The minute my parents stepped foot in America, they have not stopped working. They had to quickly make money so that I could go to school without worries. My parents had to face many difficult paths to succeed but they never gave up. Their success has shown me that hard work and dedication does help not only because they are well off but because they have taught me to follow in their footsteps. I have learned to work at my goals one-hundred percent and never give up because if I do, I might end up regretting it. I aspire to become a great and hard worker like my parents when I am older.
School was very difficult for me in the beginning. I had to learn English to be able to understand my teacher's lessons and to be able to communicate with other people. Since I spoke no English at all, it was very hard to make friends. I was intimidated by the different surroundings and faces I was not used to. Kids at school would not make an attempt either because I was just different from everyone else. I had no one else to turn to and this made me very independent. I had to figure everything else out by myself and if I failed, I would have to keep going. There was no one around that I could ask for advice or help and if I needed to get something done, I knew I had to do it all myself. I grew very determined to work hard towards my goals. Even now I try not to rely on others because I know if I have the right mind set, I will be able to reach my goal. It does not matter how difficult the obstacle is, I would need to do it all by myself, just like how it was when I first moved here.
Sometimes, small things can have a very large impact on life. I have been babysitting my two little brothers ever since they were born. They have and always will be a part of my life and I want to make sure they make all the right decisions for their future. I always tell them how important it is to never give up and always work hard because it will pay off. Even though I tell them all of this, it is a lot better if I prove it to them. I will continue to work hard and make sure that they understand what I mean when I tell them their hard work will help them in the future.
A lot of factors can contribute to shaping my aspirations and dreams but I think the main thing is being diligent and determined. It was not until recently that I realized how much moving to a differently country has affected my dreams and aspirations. I am very grateful I had this experience to guide me through the journey and lead me to where I am today.
Prompt 2
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" That has been a question my teachers or any other adults have always asked me since I was little. My minds have always changed a lot, but I knew I have always wanted to do something that would help people. It was not until my recent volunteer experience that I was sure about what I wanted to do in the future.
The medical field was something that has always fascinated me. I have been changing my mind about my career from a pediatrician, to surgeon and even psychologist. I was never worried about always changing it like that because I used to think that as long as my job was medically related, I would be happy with my decision. Over the summer, I started volunteering at the hospital. They assigned me to assist the nurses in the Maternity Ward every Friday. The nurses explained to me how to so certain tasks and I have learned a lot from them. Now I want to, more than anything, to become a nurse. It is a career choice I know I would love to stick to in the future and I am growing more passionate about it every day.
This volunteer experience has many positive effects on me. Once I realized that becoming a nurse is something I would love to do, I started working harder towards my new goal. I have never been so confident in what I wanted to do with my future and I know if I stay diligent, I can accomplish my dream. Volunteering has also let me help out my community and I enjoy doing it very much. Giving up my time as much as I can to is something I really love to do and I know I will continue it in the future.
I love being able to help out my community like this. If someone were to ask me now what I wanted to do with my life, I would confidently and proudly say I wasn't to become a nurse. It is a career path I would not choose over anything else.
