Arriving in America as a Chinese immigrant, I was immediately exposed to drastic social and cultural changes that came along with it. It was rather challenging and overwhelming. My family and I felt completely lost during this transition, especially given our limited understanding of English. Even now, I still vividly remember my anxiousness and apprehensiveness in entering first grade without any basic knowledge of English. My father, who has always been my pillar, recognized my struggles and simply suggested that I ‘pretend they are singing’ in a foreign language. Despite this comment’s oddity and most likely a lighthearted remark– I took it to heart. I realized its meaning: he wanted to reassure me that I would do just fine and for me to embrace the uncertainty. His words shifted my attitude, enabling me to enjoy the process, and gradually overcoming the language barrier through trial and error. When the next year came around, I adapted to my environment and mastered basic communication skills with my peers; it gave me a tremendous sense of pride and joy.

This cultural experience made me realize the inherent discomfort that comes along with a new environment and language challenges. My experiences taught me the significance of confidence and seeking guidance rather than agonizing over the language barrier. Over the years, I devoted myself to engaging with my community. Since entering high school, I have volunteered on weekends, tutoring young Chinese immigrants and supporting them in mastering English. As a fellow Chinese immigrant, I could relate deeply to their struggles: my upbringing gave me an unwavering desire to be an older sister to these young children, someone they can lean on during these difficult transitional periods of their lives. I am elated that over time, my students have steadily improved their English and found comfort in their new surroundings.

 

While I continue my volunteering efforts this summer– I will also be interning through APEX for Youth’s Summer Career Exploration Program. I was selected as one of the finalists and will begin a paid summer internship at Reading Partners, a national nonprofit organization focused on providing students with reading support. This internship will allow me to provide funds for my household and strengthen my advocacy for offering education to underserved communities.

 

Working with children allowed me to give back to others and my community, aligning directly with my interest in healthcare and the medical field. To pursue this interest, last summer, I interned at NYU Langone Older Adult Center at my local Sunset Park community. It was an eye-opening experience. Through our interactions, I started to understand the vulnerability of the senior population, along with the difficulties and importance of patient care. My supervisor highlighted the issues of seniors being frequently alone, and absence of former program attendees. Her concerns struck a chord with me– despite my lack of exposure to the elderly before this experience– I knew full well the loneliness and solitude that they felt. The majority of my childhood my parents were out of state– perpetually working –trying to make ends meet, while I was under my aunt’s care. I fully understand the heartwarming feeling of having a shoulder to lean on– even if it was only for a moment. I deeply wanted to do something for these elders. Even though it was a small act of kindness, I believe that there was a need to implement a system, like a hotline, reaching out to these folks, asking them about their day, and sending love their way. I sought opinions from my fellow interns and with their agreement, I proposed this idea to my supervisor. With the idea approved, as a team, we worked to contact different seniors each day to ask about their well-being while engaging in long conversations. I was thrilled that as a team we effectively utilized our bilingual skills, to communicate with different seniors. This experience made me recognize my passion for patient care and working in the medical field. This upcoming summer, I will be volunteering my time at Maimonides Medical Center working in patient care, continuing to use my bilingual skills and my dedication to aiding others.

In the future, I am determined to continue this line of work. I intend to leverage my bilingual skills and experiences to empower my community while pursuing a career in the medical field, such as becoming a healthcare professional– to give back to my community.