Red, yellow, and blue dishes. Not fancy glass ones, but the kind commonly-found in the toddler section of a toy store. Washing them in a moldy, discolored tub was a lady with a tired face and dark, sad eyes. A young girl sat beside her, motionless. Water, murky with soot, leaked between the high roofs of this cruel alley, and the woman hopelessly watched as it fell into her sorry tub and streamed out through the growing cracks in the bottom. The harsh concrete floor pooled the water away, and she shivered slightly, wrapping her frayed garments tightly against her to block the breeze. This first experience was a defining moment that has impacted my character and outlook on life.
I encountered this scene with my family when I was just eight years old. My father was a Captain in the United States Navy, stationed in Singapore at the time. We took a family vacation to Vietnam, simply to explore the country, but I gained much more from the trip. Seeing a picture of someone poor and starving in a magazine makes me cringe, but when I saw people in the same conditions within three feet, it affected me in a way that I will never forget.
This experience made me realize how blessed I am to live in a country that offers education. Not everyone’s situation is equal in America, but the opportunities to succeed are endless, which is a privilege. Seeing the conditions and lack of opportunity in Vietnam has led me to appreciate all that school brings. I value education and do not to take it for granted. Wasting as precious an opportunity as education is like stealing from someone else.
This image of Vietnam opened my eyes to the world early on, impacting my views and personal traits. While standing in that cold alley, I remember wanting to talk to the young girl, to befriend her. Not judge, not shun, not pity, but befriend her. That one little alley contributed to my ability to look past someone’s situation and treat them the same as any other person. It is one reason I’ve grown to be the person I am a today; a confident, caring, and independent individual. Allowing an eight year old to see something so drastically contrasting from what they’re used to sparked a flame of curiosity in me. After living as a minority for six years of my life, I’m motivated to see the world and to understand people from different cultures. These experiences helped me form a positive, open, and accepting mind-set. I know the impact of Vietnam furthered my development of attributes and values characteristic of a person ready to set out on their own.
My experience in Vietnam exposed me to an event that was difficult to comprehend at a young age, but has helped define who I am now. It was not easy to understand why some people had to face unyielding afflictions while others did not. The exposure to that woman and little girl gave me a more well-rounded perspective on life and on the world as I’ve matured. Watching them scrub fading plastic dishes in the putrid water of a decomposing tub taught me to appreciate the privileges and opportunities I have as well. The hardships of Vietnam make me thankful for every sports team I’ve been a part of, every Girl Scout project I’ve completed, and every educational experience I’ve had, ever-present in my mind as reminders to never take anything for granted.