LUCKY, GRATEFUL, & THANKFUL
[This was originally posted on my Instagram account on February 24, 2017]
Today I went to get my nails done at LV Nails (which I highly recommend) and had such an eye opening experience. One of the first things that was said to me was, "Are you Vietnamese?" To which I replied, "No, I'm Chinese." After that, I had a conversation with the man who was doing my nails. After asking me when I came to America, he told me, "You're very lucky." After telling him that I had college auditions and planned to major in lighting design, he said, "You know what Asians do? I'll tell you because you're Asian. They are doctors, engineers. But here, you can be anything." Before I left, the man who did my nails and the woman at the counter wished me luck for my audition this Sunday.
This moment was incredibly eye opening. Here I am getting my nails done, privileged to have been raised in a loving family with the opportunities that some may not have had, talking to this man who was doing his job, a job that many people mock or under appreciate, who is so grateful to be in our country. Getting paid very little, he still comes to his job thankful and works very hard.
Politics aside, I am incredibly grateful to be in America. Yes America has its flaws, but compared to other countries, we have so much freedom and opportunities that others cannot offer. I think about who I may be and what I may be doing if I hadn't been adopted and can honestly say that my circumstances would not be even close to what I have today. I would not have the ability to be anything I wanted to be, or have the opportunities that I have because I am a woman. I took today as one of the most humbling, eye-opening experiences that I've had in a very long time. It's important to put yourself in perspective with the world and others.
