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Everyone
has a dream. For some it’s wealth or materials
possessions, and for others it might be fame. The
commonality that draws all these dreams together, is the
journey that has to be taken in order to reach the target.
It is no doubt that this trek will be a rocky and harsh one,
but in the end those who are determined and compassionate
about their dream will always succeed in what they’ve set
out to complete. I myself have a dream. Let me tell you
about my vision of hope and self-discovery…
March 15, 1992. As I recall, my first thoughts when first
setting foot on this
strange,
foreign land people called Australia, were of little
concern as to what the country had to offer and its
uniqueness. Rather, I was more drawn in by its modernistic
construction and the unfamiliar inhabitants whom I was due
to form companionship with. As I grew older and wiser
nonetheless, my eyes began to open up to a whole new world
of opportunities and diversity in every aspect possible. I
was finally learning what it meant to me, to be an
Australian citizen.
Having spent only a little fraction of my childhood years in
my home country of Vietnam, the concept of migrating to
Australia did not hit me as been an emotionally challenging
event. The memories I have of my early experiences are
scarce, but looking back, I realise just how special it was
to be able to have come over here and lead the life I am
currently living without having to strive through poverty,
discrimination or experience the deprivation of being a
female in society. This change, was what commenced the
sight of new hope and independence for my family.
Sine I had no
previous knowledge of the English language, the task of
communicating amongst peers came as struggle for me. I
remember the long hours I spent reading and trying to grasp
every word the book contained. It wasn’t long though, that I
was able to master the basic rules of literature and
speech. By the time I’d reached third grade I was able to
sustain an entire conversation. Although I wasn’t the
brightest student, to me, what I had achieved drove me to
excel in my studies and allowed me to foresee the future as
something wonderful waiting to burst into reality.
Alongside the
good memories, there are always those that you could
without. For me, most of my negative reflections occurred in
the early stages of primary. It is painful, even now to
speak about the past. I remember once wanting to cry as I
sat hurt and alone at the back of the classroom after a
painful session of being teased and bullied because of who
I was. I can clearly recall the words that were thrown at
me, each hitting my heart just as painfully as the other –
“Chinky eyes. Go back to where you came from”. It was a
horrible recollection, yet when looking back, I realise
that those torments, though haunting, helped me to become
strong and assertive against those who are ignorant enough
to judge a person by their root or anything that resembles
who they are. Of course not everyone I met was like the
above description, and soon I had developed relationships
between my friend, teachers and neighbors.
The end of
primary school
was a period of mixed emotions. It brought me a sense of
optimism, yet through all the excitement of entering the
next level in life, I was faced with the dread of leaving
the people I had grown to adore and searched for confidence
in behind.
High school
wasn’t as I had expected. The workload was of a higher
frequency and standard, and to add to that I was
experiencing what they called the stage of “Adolescence”.
Problems started to arise with friends and I began to see
my usual effort towards study was hitting rock bottom. All
these obstacles were blinding me from seeing my true self
and the goals I had set from the day I arrived in
Australia. I began to resort to alternative and foolish
methods of distraction from the real world, and soon found
myself lost in my own selfish contents. It
wasn't
until with the help of my sister that I was lifted from
this burden destroying my one chance at a good life and
directed on a path of self-discovery. During this time I
unearthed the desires and exemplary intentions hidden
beneath the mess I had made of my life. Once again there was
another change of course in my life.
It is the year
2001, and I’ve just turned 14. My life is going at a
steadier pace now and the lessons of life have taught me
well. I am currently involved in many extra-curriculum
activities such as soccer, Tai-Kwon-Do and debating, and I
know the list will continue as the years do. As I reflect on
the previous episodes, there are certain yearnings that
emerge. One of them, and most importantly, is the message,
that it’s never too late to make a somebody of yourself,
which I reach out to those troubled teenagers who’ve
endured the same crisis as I did. Then there is my craving
for a better existence. One where I needn’t have to fall
into the same situations as before. To accomplish this, I
know I will have to make sacrifices, but when your dream is
to become a good person who withstands a decent living
through assisting those you love, the dream has already
commenced. The first step is to know, and I know my dream.
A dream though simple, I am proud to hold. |
