Page 20 - BB_Textbook

PROFILE
“Ngoc Mi” by Dang Anh Vi.
Just as the bell rang, Ngoc Mi entered our evening Korean language class and slumped into her seat. Looking exhausted, our teacher asked Mi about her health. Mi assured us that she just lacked sleep.
Mi is from Ca Mau Province. Being the youngest child in her family, she received lots of love from her parents, brother
and sister. She was raised in a good home with no worries. Like other teenagers, after a tense high school exit exam period, Mi went to Can Tho University to study Biology. She summarized life up to that point, “Doing well on exit exams was a great relief. Everyone had high expectations for me. I did not disappoint them.”
After completing her baccalaureate, Mi needed work. She returned to Ca Mau, hoping to live near home and expecting to find a job in biology. “But there was nothing suitable,” Mi explained. “Stress overwhelmed me.” My parents said, “Take any job. Don’t worry about money. We’ll care for you.”
Mi tried to convince herself to follow their advice. But she couldn’t. She pondered, “Why choose something that isn’t my passion?” She returned to Can Tho to find work and study further. Although Mi’s family was disappointed, they allowed her to make her own decision.
The evening that Mi arrived so tired at our Korean class was the half-way point of her probationary period at a new job. She had worked the last two weeks without a break. Each week, she was working two day-shifts, three night- shifts, and a grueling day-night shift.
Understandably, Mi was exhausted. Still she insists, “I can make it. My family encourages me to follow my dream. I’ll show them how much I value their belief in me.” She has earned her Master of Arts. And she enjoys a research job in biology related to food production and climate change. “My work matters to me and others. It’s hard to persevere. But I am determined. And only a little short on sleep.”
baccalaureate climate change exhausted expectation lacked overwhelmed passion persevere
VOCABULARY
pondered probationary period shift
slumped
suitable summarized
tense
20 CHAPTER 1 | IDENTITY
BENDING BAMBOO