December 2022 Student Spotlight: Anh Hoang
Anh Hoang is from Vietnam. She has been in the United States for five years. In this narrative essay, Anh writes about the best gift she ever received. It is because of this gift that Anh was able to complete her first year at Monroe Community College. Anh is now in MCC’s Business Administration program.
First Year Gift
In a person's life, as they grow up through many birthdays, they receive many gifts in their life. There are people who appreciate it, and people who do not. In fact, the gifts I had received were not too memorable until my first year of college when I got that special gift. It was not fancy, but rather simple. I learned that not all gifts are physical or visible. It took me 18 years to realize it. It was my first time at Monroe Community College (MCC). I can’t say that it was all good memories, but personally, I greatly cherish that gift.
June 26th, 2021, Arcadia high school finally rang its bell to welcome summer break. Everyone burst out of their classrooms like ants leaving their nest. The hall was crowded, people were giggling. They were so excited for the summer break. I walked out of my classroom with a mixed feeling of joy and fear since that was my very last day of high school. Just like every student, I was also extremely excited about summer break, but thinking about college made me feel anxious.
Even though that I had studied at a high school in America, still I did not feel confident with my English. Also, I could not decide which college I should go to. My mom, who always has grand expectations, pressured me to go to a university with a higher or better education and not a college. At that time, I felt like a fish on a cutting board. Thanks to my aunt, my mom agreed for me to go to MCC to improve my English, yet things still did not go easy for me at all. Since I study better as an in-person student, being able to go to class is especially important. However, I did not have a car nor a job at that time, so being able to afford a trip to school every day was impossible.
Although I still had choices, they were not great. My uncle, who was my first aunt's husband, offered to drive me to school every day, but I would have to wake up exceedingly early in the morning. The other choice would be to take the bus, which also would be early in the morning, and I had to walk extremely far to the bus stop. At that time, it was like falling into my deepest nightmare, but that is also when I receive that best gift.
College was starting soon, yet I had not figured out how to get a ride to school. In that moment, my high school friend who also went to MCC texted me. We talked for a while; I told her about my current struggle and how it made me feel anxious every day. She stayed quiet for a while and then said “Oh, don’t worry, my mom will drive you.”
It was like thunder in my ear. I was so happy to the point that I could not stop thanking her. She gave her phone to her mom, and she told me to just give my class schedule to her.
Later, my first day of class finally came. I woke up extra early in the morning to get ready and wait for my friend's mom to show up. I was sitting outside of my aunt house on the porch, looking at every single car that drove by. My heart was beating faster every second since I had never met my friend’s mom before. Lost in my thoughts for a while, I saw a gray car pull up. I ran to the car door to say hi to my friend, and then shyly said hi to her mom. Her mom turned back and gave me a big smile and said hi back.
She drove me to school and even drove me back home. When I offered to help with her gas, she refused. Sometimes I asked her why she would be nice to me, an absolute stranger. Her answer was always, “Oh, I used to be your age once,” or “Well I understand your guys' situation as a college student without your parents.”
I was in disbelief because of her answer. In my 18 years of living, I had not met a single person who would go that far to help someone. Some people even wanted something out of the person they helped, despite being in the family like an aunt or uncle. However, I do not blame them; they also have a life to take care of.
In that moment, I simply felt confused, but my friend came as a break in my thoughts saying, “And helping people out is like our family tradition. It is in our blood.” She laughed.
My friend’s mom helped me the whole semester. Sometimes she even bought me some food along the way. In that first semester, things were not always great for me, but thanks to her, it was not too bad.
In the end, until this day, nothing is more precious for me than that moment, that semester when I was in my worst nightmare, and she helped. Life has given me the best gift I have ever received. I learned that life would not be bad forever and some friends that you make could be your savior someday. Learning to cherish the people that surround you instead of things you do not have is so important.
ESOL Voices a collection of stories written by ESOL students at Monroe Community College. This publication highlights our MCC students who come from all over the world. Look for new stories in the Tribune. We hope you enjoy our students’ stories as much as we do.
Katie Leite & Pamela Fornieri, ESOL Program, December 2022