Self-Intro Essay

I am passionately inspired by this quote: “Life is a battle and your greatest enemy is yourself.” At the age of a teenager, when other Vietnamse teenagers’ primary activities were going to school and hanging out, I already worked hard like an adult to experience life. Unlike most of them, I wanted to get out of my house and reach out to new worlds. When I was eighteen, I decided to leave my parents’ house and went to France with the hope of a brighter life. Immersion into the French culture became my dream when I listened to the music my grandmother recorded on her cassettes as a child. My parents were not thrilled of this idea because providing for and keeping children under lock and key protection is a Vietnamese tradition. Therefore, my parents were afraid that I could not handle all of these obstacles alone and tried to convince me to stay. Despite my parents’ disagreement, I took the initiative and set out with only one thousand dollars in my wallet and a soul cherished ambition. Nothing could change my mind because my independent spirit was so strong that it relieved all of my anxiety.
The move was a big challenge for me since it was the first time I had traveled far from my home and I was alone in a foreign country where my knowledge was through pictures and movies. One month after my first step on the land of France, I obtained my first job in a Chinese restaurant. I had to work for a living in an expensive city like Paris and for French language course fees. I worked at the restaurant for two years. My first hard earned money was precious, but earnings came with unfair treatment and exploitation. I was also faced with difficult work relationships. However, in any hardship, I always kept my parents words in mind: “Always be patient,” and my patience bore fruits. My relationship with other Chinese employees got better and the restaurant’s owners promoted me to Manager. My hard-working attitude and patience helped me win the reliance of the owners and