You’ve probably heard about the Vietnam War that led to the victory of the communists and eventually led to the departure of millions of Vietnamese who dreamed a dream of freedom. And that leads to the story of my background. There was a South Vietnamese soldier during the war that fought hard for what he believed in even though he might have faced his own father on the battlefield. After the war, he lost everything he had, from the land straight down to the last penny, but he stood firmed on his feet and promised his family freedom.

I was born in Indonesia to the daughter of that South Vietnamese soldier. My mom boarded on a small boat, like many other boat people, with the hope to find a better future in another land. Unfortunately, she was rescued by the Indonesians and became a refugee. When I was three, my mother took my sister and me back to Vietnam to live with my grandparents who were kind enough to take us in. Life there in Vietnam was better than living in Indonesia and constantly fear for your safety; some if the Indonesians were brutal to the refugees and there were more starving days than not. I was fortunate enough not to remember any of these and my life in Vietnam was quite peaceful. Though, with the record of being an Anti-communist family, much of our privileges were taken away. My mom and her three siblings could not go on to college for having a traitor father. None of them could be what they wanted to be and never even have a chance to try. If I was still living in Vietnam, that would be the same fate for me. I wouldn’t even care to dream because I already see the future I would have. I thank the Heaven everyday for letting me come to the U.S at the age often and let me dare dream a future in my own heart.

I’m currently living in Santa Ana, California. Just like any other children my age, I go to school for an education; I’m a junior at Saddleback High School. I like going to school because I learn something new everyday. Beside school, I’m involved in many different extra curriculums and the one that makes me proud to be a part of is YMCA Youth in Government. It teaches me to be more confident in myself, to be proud of what I’m doing and to experience many interesting aspects of life. It also shows me how to be a leader of tomorrow and how to take my future into my own hands instead of waiting for it to happen. I’ve grown from the experiences I went through and continue growing with many more to come.

After high school, I’m hoping to go to UC Berkeley for a History and a Criminal Justice degree and then I’ll go from there. I would like to be involved in the law enforcement field and work for the government. I’m also considered being a lawyer, but I’m still in the process of finding out my real interest for it. I would like to see myself as an independent person with a future on top of the world. I want to make a name for myself and stand tall for the world to see me. I also want my family to be proud of me and some day, I would be in my grandpa’s arms and tell him that I did it. I did it for him and he no longer have to look down anymore, but instead he would look up and tell the world that his granddaughter fulfilled his promise and dream of freedom to be anything in this world.

Vy Truong