My Dad was born in Vientiane, Laos. He was raised in a small village in Laos. He did not attend school, he did not have electricity, and the whole world to him was his village.

At night, my Dad would hear bombs drop around him. This was just a part of life. It was normal to him.

When my Dad was a child, he escaped Laos with my grandpa, a war veteran, in hopes to find a better life. They left my grandma and my Dad’s 7 siblings who would later join them on their journey.

When they left their village they were leaving everything they knew. They then escaped to Thailand. After a bit they arrived in a refugee camp in the Phillapenes.

They had limited food and water. They slept in bungalows. My Grandma would even give up her food so her kids could have more to eat.

I cannot simply describe the difficult circumstances my Dad grew up with. It has made me realize how privileged I am to even wake up in my own bed and go down to my kitchen to get whatever food I want.

As a kid, my Dad dreamed of a life in a placed called America. They had heard about it being a place of opportunity, a place where they would be safe and secure. I cannot express how much of a dream life in America sounds to others who have not been given such an opportunity to live here.

Him and the other children would play this game where they could see who could hit the rock in a hole the fastest. They would pretend whoever won got to go to America. To them, that was the greatest prize anyone could win.

When he was 10 his family learned they were able to come to America, they were ecstatic. Although at the same time, leaving home and everything you know, is extremely difficult. But, my grandparents wanted to give my Dad and his siblings the most opportunity in life. They wanted them to be able to be safe and to thrive to the best of their abilities.

When my Dad arrived in the San Francisco area, it was a whole new world. My Dad’s family lived with my Great Uncle. One of the stories I remember most is when my Dad’s brother asked his Uncle, where the nearest river was for water, and my Grandpa turned on the sink. He could not fathom the simple concept of turning on a sink.

My Dad and his family were incredibly grateful to be in a safe place whether that meant they shared a mat on the floor as a bed or not.

My Dad did not go to school until he arrived in America, he was 10 years old. He did not speak the language and he had no school experience. He eventually learned English over time and even ended up going to college at Long Beach State in California.

He always tells me how grateful he is for all his teachers who helped him succeed. If there were not people willing to help him along the way, he would not be where he is. If it were not for the kindness of strangers my Dad would still be in Laos and I would simply not exist.

The open arms of the American people helped my Dad be successful. He is now an accountant and works for the IRS. Just because my Dad is as successful as any kid who was born privileged, does not mean his path was the same.

He had to learn a whole new language, catch up to kids who had been going to school for years, assimilate into American culture, do everything on his own, and truly adjust to a new home. None of this was easy.

Although I cannot fully describe and explain my Dad’s whole story and difficult journey to get where he is, I can tell you this. Because I was raised by him, a refugee, my perspective on life is that you have to work hard for everything, you are not simply just worthy of something because you have been privileged to have it.

I have also learned the importance of empathy and acceptance. My parents have always taught me to truly be open minded to anything and anyone, to embrace differences. They have taught me to love everyone no matter the difference in religion, or wealth, or race, or really any circumstance.

I have always been motivated by my Dad’s story to work hard in school and to involve myself in activities that incorporate different cultures. Because of him, I have been an officer in clubs like Model UN and Spanish Club, and have achieved good enough grades to be in National Honors Society and Business Honors Society.

One of the most difficult things is seeing how people can turn their head to difference when it is truly something that can bring people together. It hurts my heart to see what is happening in America right now, because it is not the America that helped my family become who we are. I think I am so passionate about this subject because it is something that so directly affected my life.

I want my peers to know that not every person is so privileged like we are. We cannot even fathom what some kids around the world are going through. So when you feel upset about going to school or feel like not working hard, just know you are living someone else’s dream.