College Essay

Cathy Pham
Ryan Gallagher
English 12 C.P
20 October 2010

Cathy Pham

01/07/10

Period 1

My name is Cathy Pham and I was born in Biloxi, Mississippi. I moved to Malden, Massachusetts in 2005. I was afraid of change and was terrified about people bullying me about my Southern accent. I went to Linden Middle School which was very small. I was use to change because I moved around a lot while I was in Mississippi, and it was very difficult to make new friends and adjust to the new life style. But, Linden was very welcoming, warming, and very diverse.

In Biloxi, Mississippi there were many Americans and African American, no diversity whatsoever. They all had the same style, spoke the same, and  hung out within their own nationality. I didn’t fit in with either of these groups because I am Vietnamese. I tried to fit in with both and I wanted to just have a comfort zone. I showed them that I am very unique, smart, and really fun to hang out with. I would speak to both groups if they had family problem, friend drama, and boyfriends. I was the outcast but everyone loved me because I was considered the cool Asian girl that gets along with everyone. I really enjoyed it in the South but it wasn’t where I belong.

When I came to Malden, Massachusetts I thought WOW, it’s going to be awesome here. I just had the great vibe. I went to a very diverse school and the people there were very nice and their welcome to Massachusetts was very warm. It made me feel at home. I never experience it so I was very terrified to step out of my shell. I was like a little turtle staying in my shell to protect myself from any type of danger. But, I didn’t know what I was walking myself into because I met my best friend in Linden and I met a lot of fabulous teachers. It wasn’t any type of danger but a learning atmosphere. My Mother made a good decision to move to Massachusetts.

In Biloxi, Mississippi they had no such thing as MBTA, I had to walk or get a ride everywhere. It wasn’t convenient for me because I had a lot of activity to attend, and I felt like I was bothering my Mother about everything. The country was very isolated and we had huge land because it was so cheap. The only good thing about this was that the legal driving age was 16. Since everything was so separated, privacy wasn’t a problem. It was hard to meet your neighbor because we were so far away from one other.

In Boston, Massachusetts they have everything for the public. They have the public buses, at least 4 different subways and plenty of shopping center and eating area. For example, Chinatown, and Downtown and North end. It’s such a blessing to have historical sitting, like the holocaust walkway. I love seeing site because I cherish all the suffering these people had to go through. It’s is very hard to fight for your life. Boston has a lot to offer. I would just take the train to see these entire sites. The horrible fact is the legal driving age in Boston is 18 and we have to get our car insured before it is on the street. It cost a fortune owning a car to go to the places we desire.

These two States are very distanced, It’s like the North Pole and South Pole. I really love Malden because of the opportunity and the fabulous educational they provide. It is very competitive but worth it. The colleges are fantastic and expensive but that is why I will be applying to many scholarships. Malden really shaped me into a better person and a more outgoing, risk taking person. Malden provides the best education there is. I love Malden and it’s diversity.