I am Thai, but inside I am also Chinese Essay Example

that quality education could lead to a prosperous life.

My seniors shied away from attending school as they possessed ample funds from the enterprise, hence only my mother and two younger sisters pursued an education. During my mother's youth, my grandfather departed from us, leaving his noodle enterprise in charge of others who lacked the requisite management skills which led to its downfall. This consequentially led to devastating poverty. Nevertheless, my mother maintained her steadfast hard work to ensure her own and her sister's education till their graduation. Ultimately, their hard work paid off when they secured profitable employment that allowed them to support the entirety of the family.

I now understand the emphasis my mother placed on education. I was brought up submerged in two cultures - Thai and Chinese, a fact that as a child, I was oblivious to. Every year, I partake in two New Year celebrations. The first is the Thai New Year which falls on April 13th, also referred to as "Songkran's day". On this occasion, Buddhists attend temple ceremonies where they sprinkle water on a Buddha statue for blessings of good luck. They then carry this ritual home and show respect by sprinkling water on an elder's hand. The second festivity is the Chinese New Year taking place in February with its precise date fluctuating according to the Chinese calendar.

Every business shuts down for a few days, this also includes my father's establishment. House-cleaning is not permissible. Hence, we held the belief that if we labored on New Year's day, it would mean toiling hard throughout the year. Other popular festivities such as the lion dance, firecrackers and acrobatics add to

the excitement. The most eagerly awaited part of Chinese New Year for me is when elders bestow generous cash gifts on the younger generation. In addition, in our family, one must adhere to both Thai and Chinese customs when getting married, making the process twice as challenging.

Comprehending my lineage has motivated me to undertake the study of Chinese language and culture in the near future. Memories from my youth include instances when my mother would engage in Chinese dialogue with my grandmother, aunts, and uncles. Their conversations were always enigmatic to me. They frequently switched to Chinese while in public whenever they desired their discussions to be confidential. Starting at 8 years old, as I commenced learning English, my mother adamantly encouraged me to simultaneously learn Chinese. However, given my Thai heritage, I didn't believe that learning Chinese would influence my life significantly and thus did not take her advice seriously.

My perspective has evolved after hearing about my grandparents' journey from her. If my grandparents hadn't fled from China, I might be living in China or elsewhere at present instead of enjoying my present life. I recognize how lucky I am. I plan to visit China in the future in order to reconnect with my ancestral roots and the place my grandparents hailed from. If fortune favors me, perhaps I might even encounter some of our kin there. I am eager to learn more about their cultural heritage so that I may pass on these stories of our lineage to my own children and grandchildren. I am certain that they will take immense pride in their great grandparents, just as I have.