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Born in Taipei, Taiwan
I was born in Taiwan in 1980. The eldest child of two, I have a brother who is three years younger than me. -
Moved to Argentina
The first event that impacted my life was when I was 4, and our family moved to Argentina. It was really tough growing up having to learn a new language and adjust to a different culture. Aside from that, we moved around a lot during my elementary school years because of my parent's work, so making friends was always hard. It was challenging to fit in due to the constant change around me, but I believe that it is also why I became the outgoing and sociable person that I am today. -
Early Childhood in Argentina
Language acquisition during my early childhood years was a breeze, so it was definitely something that went well and that I benefited from later on in my life. After a few years, we were more settled and I was able to make friends within the small community of Taiwanese locals. This affected me on the micro level by developing my language skills and increasing social skills. At this stage of autonomy vs doubt, I enjoyed being a kid. This is a picture of my birthday party when I was 7. -
Moved to the US
The next major life event that impacted me was when our family decided to immigrate to the US when I was 10. I had to learn English, but this time was easier as I've learned some basics in Argentina already, so I was able to pick up the language faster than other kids in my ESL class. I quickly made friends due to my sociable and outgoing nature and became very active at school by participating in clubs and team sports. Growing up in Argentina helped me adjust to my new life in the US. -
Middle Childhood in the US
I believe that living in Southern California also exposed me to diverse cultures, peoples, and languages. At the stage of industry vs inferiority, I grew up with a multicultural and multiracial perspective. I did, however, still fall victim to racism and discrimination, which affected me at the micro level on how I view people and society. Things that went well was discovering my athleticism and love for basketball. It always made me happy. -
Coming Out to My Parents
The next big event in my life was when I came out to my parents. It took me 30 years to finally come to terms with my own sexuality. Growing up in a conservative Asian home, it was never easy for me to tell my parents. My parents were very involved at church, and I always knew what their views were on homosexuality. It was the biggest challenge in my life at the time, choosing to live my life honestly or choosing to live a life others wanted me to live. -
Young Adulthood
Coming out to my parents allowed me to just be me. It affected me at the micro level as it took a heavy load off of my shoulders. I was blessed with loving parents that embraced and accepted me as who I was. During this time, I also had to make many life-changing decisions, such as establishing my financial independence and becoming a more responsible and mature adult. I was truly happy during this intimacy vs isolation stage and had a positive outlook on life. -
Mission Trip to Uganda
Two years ago, I had the opportunity to go on a volunteer medical mission to Uganda with members from my church. It was an eye-opening experience for me that impacted me on many different levels. I was able to see and experience first hand the degree of poverty and dangerous conditions many Ugandans live life every day. Living in developed countries all my life, it was unfathomable for me that such living conditions existed, and that the struggle to survive was real every single day. -
Finding My Calling
After coming back from Uganda, I struggled to settle back into my daily life knowing how life was for others somewhere else. It was then that I decided to pursue social work in hopes to make a difference in people's lives. I felt a deep calling to help the poor and needy, especially the children. I began to look at social work programs, knowing that it would be a challenge to work full time and juggle school as well. Finally at the age of 38, I'm pursuing my dream of becoming a social worker!
