Ron's ESL Blogs

Face the Life with Smile

    When my family came to the United Stated as new immigrants, we faced many problems in the strange place. Renting and go to college has been become important things. So I have to go to work. Luckily, I found a job when the financial crisis occurred in the United Stated. I worked as a cashier at a supermarket. My originally opinion was became work-study students, and I was going to quit job if I had enough school fee. Busing work made me reduced to go to school times.  I gradually thought study was not important for me. New job also was very helpful for my pay and let my family life has improved. But this type of life had changed after one time talking with a old lady.That talking changed my life and gave me a  unforgettable experience .
Even if I was a temporary worker, but I usually work harder than other cashiers. I was grateful for this job that I always helped customers with carried groceries in my free time. During the Chinese New Year, Busy always become supermarket substitution. I saw a small lady when she turned. She was shopping many groceries at that time. I knew she wants my help. But there were many customers waiting for me. So she did not ask for any help. I felt so bad feeling because I haven’t helped. Then, I was happy when the manger loudly said:“ Xiao go to lunch.” I went to find old lady and push her shopping car went to parking lot. I prepared to leave when I put all groceries in her car. She grasps of my hand who gave me twenty dollars. She did not looks like a rich woman. This is reason why I did not accept her money. She said: “buying some stationery after the new semester. Young must go to college. You never gave up study when you worked. This kind of working can not  change your life. You had better spent more time for college. The old lady gave me many pieces of suggest.I perfunctorily promise to her. I guilty that I have been lost my goal. After long time ago, I still remember her repeat word:“Knowledge changes destiny.”  But her action and word is what I thought was impassion. I heard this theory for my parents more than once, but a strange lady made me feel more warmth in my heart.
I immediately quited  job who back to college. I did not saw her again. In my impression, she always keep smile. Her word likes a drop of sunshine lighted my way of future. I had completed confidence in her word. This kind of smile stands a person face to life for confidence and look forward to future. Sometimes we ran into trouble, the new immigration must have a large of stress in the life. I only insist on that using a smile to facing life we would win the future.

Father came back from the Heaven

I didn’t know whether you had suffered from almost losing your family before, but I did. I would never forget that night, it was dark, cold and long; it seemed that the sun would never come out again.

That year, I was 16 years old and studied in grade 11 in The Attached High School of GuangZhou University, Canton, China. I was a boarder at school because my home was far away from it. Usually, it took more than three hours to get to school. And as usual, I came back home once a week on Fridays.

It was summer, but that night was extremely cold. Around 9:30 pm, I came back home after taking a long bus, dragging my tired body and heavy school bag. As I expected, my mom worked late at night, sometimes even overnight, and she was responsible for checking the quality of clothes in a clothing factory. When I came back home, everything seemed the same as usual, dinner was prepared on the table and my one-year younger brother was playing computer game. When he noticed me, he said: “Sister, a policeman called just now, said that father got into an accident and now he is in hospital, but he rejects to see a doctor, and insists on going home.” “What? When did he call you? Have you told mom about it?” I was so worried and shocked. I knew it was going to be worse. I didn’t know why, I just knew and felt that. “It was two hours ago and I did not call mom yet.” He said quietly. I looked at him for a second, anger was full filled my eyes, but he did not look at me back. Might be he was so afraid to. I called mom, my uncle and aunt immediately, they rushed to the hospital. “Why don’t you call mom? Don’t you know it is urgent and you maybe lose your dad?” I tried to stop my anger. “I don’t know what to do?” He said. “What the hell are you thinking? Are you idiot? You are already 15 years old.” He kept silent. It was too hard for me to believe a 15-year old boy did not know to call his family for help when his dad was in an accident. I did not even know what to say. I called mom instantly to see what was going on. “Mom, what has happened to daddy? How’s going with daddy? ” “When your dad rode a motorcycle outside, a car suddenly came out, and he made a turn in order not to crash on the car. But he fell and sank into a coma after suffering a brain concussion.” When saying this, she tried to take a breath and still could not stop crying. I was listening, tears already wet my face, but I did not know how to comfort my mom. Then she spoke with difficulty, choking back more tears.  “But the driver did not stop to check and call an ambulance, just kept leaving. Luckily, someone found your dad and called. Now you dad seems fine and is examined by the doctor.” After hearing this, I took a deep breath. “I need to see your dad now, take care of your brother.” She said. “Hmmm, I will. Keep me updated, mom.” Then she hung up the phone.

The house was dark and silent, and we did not even speak a word. Every second seemed to be a torture.  I could only hear the sound of the clock “tita…tita…tita.” Half an hour later, a rushed phone call broke the silence. It was mom. She was crying and could not even speak a word. After a minute, she said “Your dad kept spitting out blood and it must be brain hemorrhage. Now we are going to send him to central hospital in downtown. I have to leave now.” Before she hung up the phone, she said “Daughter, don’t worry. You dad will be fine, take care of yourself and brother.” At that moment, I cried aloud. That night, I was so scared to close my eyes. I was so afraid that I would lose my dad when I reopened my eyes.

The next morning, mom called me and there was a tremble in her voice. “Daughter, I am so afraid and don’t know what to do. Doctor says your dad is so dangerous now, and he will not get over it if his brain keeps bleeding…. Doctor says he might be  need a surgery, but it depends on his situation.” Suddenly, my mind was empty. Also, I was so afraid to think “Am I going to lose my dad? No way….no way. I don’t believe that. It is not true.” I kept telling myself.

That week went through like a year in my life, I wanted to see my father, but my mom told me “You need to stay at school and study. Your dad does not want you to leave behind, and this semester is so important for you to prepare for the entrance examination of university.

That week, I was at school, but my heart was following him.

A few days later, my mom called me excitedly, “Daughter, tell you a good news. Your dad woke up this morning and more amazingly, he has already stopped bleeding.” I slapped myself a little bit. Then I believed that it was true, everything was going to be fine. “Mother, it is so awesome. Thank God!”

I rushed to see my dad on Friday, dad seemed much better now. When he saw me, he told me a little secret, “Daughter, I was in the heaven already, but I heard your voice there. I kept looking for your voice, and I saw you were waiting outside for me. When I touched you, then I woke up.” I cried aloud, “I love you, dad!”

My Worst Childhood Experience

Have you ever been abused by your parents? Many people would say yes. At least that’s how I grew up when I was still in Vietnam. My father wasn’t around often and my mother would sometimes hit me with a stick if I stay out too late, or go straight to a gaming center when I get home from school. My family situation wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t that bad. Because I had friends that I can hang out with, and forget all about the things that I have to go through. So, even though I was abused by my mother and my father isn’t around very often, there are enjoyable moments as well.

First of all, child abuse in the United States is prohibited. And even if it is prohibited, there are parents who will still abuse their children. As for parents from other countries like Vietnam and China, they view child abuse as a form of disciplinary. However, in an 8-year-old child’s eyes, it was a form of physical abuse, abandonment, and being neglected. Parents who abuse their children either physically or verbally will leave then physical and mental scars. There are times when I think that I have gynophobia was because of my mother’s constant abuse. If hitting me with a stick and chasing me around with it wasn’t enough, at one time, she threw a chair at me. Though lucky for me, I hid under the table on one side when my mother threw the chair at me from the other end. That was the last time that I remember being hit and yells at by my mother. Either it was the fear that my mother instilled in me or it was the passing of time, but it made me forget what happened afterward.

Even with all that has happened, I was still able to enjoy life. I was able to hang out with my friends and laugh with them. Being around my friends has made me forget all the abuse that I took from my mother. I had been beaten until we migrated to the United States. When we moved to the U.S., my mother stopped hitting me, though she still yells at me sometimes. Even if we moved to another country, the wounds that she had inflicted on me will never fade. However, I can still start a new life. And that was exactly what I did when I came to the U.S. I studied and did my homework, which I didn’t care for much when I was in Vietnam. Gradually, the memories of my mother beating me faded away and became a blurry dream that I’ve been having for a long time, like I was asleep for a few years.

In conclusion, even though I was abused by my mother, if there is a chance for me to start over, then I would take that chance and anew. Even if the memories of the past still haunt me, I would still embrace the future and take one step at a time. Because if one does not do anything about one’s life and will not fight against hardship, then one is not really living.

- Thai Tran

When I was a child, I always thought if I could have a sister or a brother who would play with me or just stay with me, even if a dog. In china, the government won’t allow a couple to give birth to a second kid. My parents were very busy. In my memory, everyday I stayed at home to face TV, sense of loneliness pervaded every corner.

Now I am in the USA, I don’ have any friends or any family members here. Only my shadow that stay with me every day. One day, I went to supermarket to buy some groceries. I found an old lady talking to her dog, no matter what she would buy, she would ask her dog. She found my confused face, and said:’’ He is my son. I need to ask him what we should buy. You know family, right?” I nodded. Suddenly, one thing came to my mind, maybe I needed a dog. He could be my family, my friend. I was so excited that I could have this idea. The next day, I went to a pet shop to pick up my friend. To my surprise, “my friend” was too expensive to me, I was so sad. Just now, a couple asked me:” Our maltese have three babies who want to find a new home, do you want to be one of their mum?”” I do.” I answered without thought.

This was my first time to have a puppy, I didn’t know anything. The couple taught me first of all, I needed to give him a name. My favorite cartoon was winnie bear, so I named him—Winnie. He was a white dog. He got innocent eyes. I had to say, he was really cute. I liked him since I first saw him. But at night, I couldn’t sleep well because Winnie was crying and crying. I had to cuddle with him. But he was so small, I really afraid I would press him when I slept. I couldn’t sleep well every night. The couple told me that he couldn’t go outside before six months, so Winnie was pee and poo-poo at home. I was really tired about clearing up all his staff. I often thought the old lady’s word about her dog, a dog really could be a friend or a family member? In my eyes, Winnie only could do four things, eats, drinks, poo-poo and sleeps. He got into the trashcan and slippers. Everything was in mess. Although Winnie was a trouble maker, I still more and more liked him. Because of him, I could have things to do; because of him, I could be angry and happy. No matter how late I came home, Winnie was always excited to welcome me. No matter where I was, I knew someone was waiting for me at home. At that time, I knew the meaning of what the old lady said.

Now Winnie is 7 months old. He still likes to bites slippers and gets trashcan. But I am already got used to everything. He can accompany me to write homework, he can protect me if some stranger is close to me. I can tell him my secret and don’t worry about someone else would know. Sometimes, I would bring Winnie to supermarket, I want to ask him what should buy or not. So far, I never feel lonely.