At the time, the move felt like a family adventure to me, but it soon revealed its own set of challenges.
I am the third youngest of six children. My parents were married, loving, and nurturing, and my earliest memories are of a happy childhood in a caring home in Vietnam with my parents and four siblings.
In 1980, my family fled Vietnam, crossing the ocean to Thailand. From there, we gradually made our way to the United States. I was eight when my father eventually established himself in California with steady employment as a laborer. My father provided us with a safe home and ensured we had all the essentials.
At the time, the move felt like a family adventure to me, but it soon revealed its own set of challenges. Adjusting to a new country was difficult, especially due to language barriers and the social challenges I encountered on my first day at White Rock Elementary School. Lacking the social understanding and capability to process discrimination and prejudice from my peers made these early days difficult. However, despite these obstacles, I managed to progress academically, and my knowledge of the English language gradually improved throughout elementary, junior high, and high school
