¶ … autobiographic summary. What value, philosophy and attributes describe you? What qualities define your character? Describe what significant events you believe influenced your character. Note any special activity or organization in which you have been involved. Consider what makes your desired profession relevant to you. What assets do you possess that will contribute to your success as a professional?
Change is something we can face with either trepidation or anticipation. I have always liked immersing myself in new experiences and situations. I come from a traditional Chinese culture that believes there are both Yin and Yang; that everything in life has an opposite and something to balance it. Unfortunately, it seamed I had a little too much "Yang" as my family had a number of problems that prevented me from enjoying a happy childhood. If I had believed in good karma, I would have concluded that growing up in Chinese-Vietnamese family in Hong Kong would eventually make me a stronger person and provide me with the desire and skills to help others.
My father was a very traditional Chinese man who believed raising children was definitely not a man's responsibility. He often came home drunk and had violent reactions when things were not as he desired. I quickly learned to be adept at assessing his mental state to avoid sparking his unstable...
In contrast to him, my mother was a very stable, career-minded Vietnamese woman who believed money brings power. She often said, "Only the best education, and the best planned extracurricular activities can lead to success in life." Everything needed to precisely match her ideal plan in order to please her. Consequently, I had little open communication with her. Yet, my childhood hardships trained me to be observant, patient and often prepared me to deal with extreme situations. My experiences have enabled to me empathize with people who have also faced situations of abuse or hardship that they have led to mental or physical injury.
At the age of 19, I started my undergraduate education at the University of Indianapolis. I was the only Cantonese speaking students there. Furthermore, the American style of teaching was so different from what I had previously been exposed to that I temporarily experienced culture shock. Even the most competitive students in Hong Kong typically engage in passive learning styles. Students rarely challenge their professors' views as this would cause them to lose face. Education in Hong Kong minimizes questions or classroom discussion and focuses primarily on memorizing vast amounts of information from text books. I had never been encouraged to participate in discussion groups because students in my culture…
