A testimonial by Vy Tran:

A transition from Vietnam to the U.S. is an example of me crossing boundaries. At the age of 18 I didn’t know much about what’s going on in the world. Since I came here, it helped me to open my eyes widely to see everything in every aspect, and has taught me how to be the person that I’ve been looking to be: Nothing rather than being myself and trying to be better everyday. I might not be a special person in the world, but at least I can make the world a better place to live in. Through creating my Vocation Portfolio, I was able to reflect on what I have learned and what else I want to improve on and learn more about.

I recalled that there were some situations that required me to be understanding and thoughtful to others, but it’s really hard sometimes. I always want to see the positive energy in others, so I usually see myself as a tree standing there and watching everything move. Or sometimes I am able to put myself in another position to figure out a different feeling that I couldn’t do as myself.

I used my Vocation Portfolio to share and discuss past or current work experience and how it is relevant to what I’ve learned from school. I included both papers that I had written for classes and articles that spoke to my exploration of my vocation. Looking at all my mistakes I have made in life, I feel like they have strengthened, shaped my knowledge, and developed my experience. All our beliefs on forgiveness are strongly true as a human being, regardless of religion. Every action causes a reaction, every act has a consequence. Everything we do or say does affect those around us such as our jobs, our communities, our families, our friends, etc. The thing is we must know the roots of our mistakes to seek forgiveness from ourselves, and that might be different for each of us because the ability to realize/understand the mistakes is also different for each person. We cannot control the actions of others who choose to do evil rather than good, but we can have an effect on our small world such as our families, friends, and communities. I’ve always wanted the best for others in order to have more bright pieces for this life.