When I came to the United States fifteen years ago, I knew very little English. In fact, the only complete sentence I could say was “my name is ….” Due to political reasons, I was forced to leave my country, Vietnam, before I completed junior high school. However, after enrolling in high school in America, I realized that it would take a miracle for me to earn a high school diploma. The difficulties were compounded by the fact that I didn't know the language and I had to assimilate a completely new culture in a fast pace. Because of the English handicap, math was the only thing that kept me in school, since it was taught in the universal language of numbers. Even though I struggled with word problems, I continued taking up to three math classes per semester to compensate for other classes. My first biology class was an unforgettabe experience; most of my biology reports were prepared partly in English and partly in my language. I waved my hands to make conversation with other students during laboratory hours.

After graduation from high school as an honor student, I went to college to fullfill my parents' wishes. The extra math I had taken in high school allowed me to skip three semeters of college-level calculus. However, language difficulties continued to exert greater pressure on me as I advanced toward a college degree.