We are born into a heritage of people but we are not bound to them. We are free to decide what we want and who we want to be. This is important because people who burden themselves with the past and carry on that burden to the present day; through guilt, responsibility for their people or spite for those they hate will never live a full, free and see the ideal life that was meant to be. Those who were born into a legacy where they are made to become a certain person do not need to submit to what their culture or family require of them. They should respect their family’s thoughts but if it forces them into a situation they do not agree with then it is time to move on and seek the life they wish to live even if it means to separate from those people entirely. A healthy life’s direction is dependent on who you are, who you want to be, what you know and where you want to go. These things do not completely make up a happy life but they are a basis for generally what you need to be happy. Identity is a struggle in this day in age where people makeup things based on what they see not by what is actually fact. Especially by media; The world of Media is now dominated by Hollywood action movies, fashion and pornography. Its a cluster mess where people’s interests lay in the material things and things that go boom and bang. Ethnicity has a stereotype that is hard to shed until you get to know the person.

As a Vietnamese Canadian iI didn’t have a problem growing up since i moved about a diverse variety of click groups; nerdy, smart, jock, artsy it didn’t matter to me, it was all based on your interests. it was really difficult for me to feel like i fit in some times though since i was so many things at once. Fun things to do in the city or groups seem to be for the click groups that have niche interests and you just had to be in one to do something. Which i totally understand but it’s hard for people to open up when judgement is on your abilities, ethnicity, stereotypes seem to be the first thing on your mind rather then hey “i have an interest in something, let’s play”. Which is where i see how it may be difficult for foreign students who don’t even speak the language to grow and be socially adapted here. Not that socially adapting is necessary, it just makes things more comfortable and fun. These kids that “have no life” seem to end up with good jobs and are successful rather then investing their time in looking good and involved in drugs, sex or alcohol. Which is great I suppose. I think it’s the path you take as a human that makes you who you are. You could be a shining star through high school get involved in everything; do all the bad and good, gain the experience. Get your scholarships, road scholarship, MVP whatever and still be great and that would put you at a level where you can gain leadership roles in the world of work. I just hope the world is more open and ready for intelligent humans this generation who think, feel and act with more maturity then what the world expects them to be.

I had a problem in school where i was expected to be smart because i was Asian and being so the idea got to my head and i never took anything seriously, never tried to do my homework, or ace my tests or all the things that would’ve pushed me towards a higher education earlier. I guess i’m a late bloomer in that i have only started to become who i am really late in the game (of life). I am very fortunate to get the credits and marks i needed to get into majority of the programs and safe as far as i know for success. Seeing that i was NOT the brightest in my classes, if i were i’ll never know now. The education system doesn’t determine who you are, it is what you do with your life that matters and what you do with it while you work. Don’t be a slave to the system but don’t be too shy to be a contributing part of it. There’s a certain balance you need to achieve in everything and this is one of them. Don’t be a slave to your legacy, you make your own destiny. Heritage is important because it’s your roots but you don’t have to carry their burdens as a people when you have so much to live for in today’s world.