Dear Teacher!

I’m Thi, I’m 45 years old. I have been raised and grown in Vietnam. I have resided in Sacramento since 2021. 

In  this letter, I will explain why I am taking this class and you will learn about me and my culture.  

I value language and communication, which plays an essential role to understand and connect people closely. However, as an immigrant , who speaks English as a second language , it can be challenging to express myself and communicate effectively in a country where English is not my native language. But after 4 years,  I keep striving to practice English. It helps me be more confident in communicating and improving in daily conversation with other people. 

Growing up in Vietnam, where English was taught at school from 6th grade to 12th grade, and almost the time, we spent most of our time focusing on Grammar only. Thus , this made me always shy, nervous and not comfortable when speaking or communicating in English. But after spending 4 years living in the US, where English is the first language, it helped me improve in expanded new vocabularies and improved my ability to speak and understand English better than in Vietnam.

1/ Post-Reading Reflection About Managing Stress

Questions to Answer in-sentence Form:

1. Before you read about How to Manage Stress, what did you already know about this topic?

2. What were the three vocabulary words you wrote down as you read that you did not understand? Please share with us the definition of the 3 vocabulary words you did not understand by looking them up in a dictionary and write the definition for your classmates to see and learn. 

3. What do you do when you feel stressed? How do you manage stress? 

4. Which managing stress tips will you try from the reading that you have not tried yet? 

1. Before you read about How to Manage Stress, what did you already know about this topic?

• Before reading this topic, I knew that everyone experiences stress. For me, stress comes from many aspect of life including phisycal and emotional such as challenging in new envirmonment, layoff, break up in relationship, or enduring sickness.

2. What were the three vocabulary words you wrote down as you read that you did not understand? Please share with us the definition of the 3 vocabulary words you did not understand by looking them up in a dictionary and write the definition for your classmates to see and learn. 

• Threshold: doorstep, doorway, entrance; brink,verge, beginning. the point or level at which a physiological

• Links to an external site.

•  or psychological

• Links to an external site.

•  effect begins to be produced.

• bipolar depression: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

• susceptible

as in vulnerable

being in a situation where one is likely to meet with harm

3. What do you do when you feel stressed? How do you manage stress? 

• When I feel stressed, I usually meditate, walk in the park, or listen to inspired postcast but I found the best way for me exercising mindfullness mediataion is the best way to manage my stress level.  Mindfulness is being present and focus on what is happening without judgement. Mindfulness mediating everyday makes me feel calm, peace in mind and reduce my anxiety. The other ways also helps me reduce stress is light physical activities such as walking, dancing, and hiking. In addtional, keeping a healthy lifestyle and eating habit  without drug, alcohol also are one of the most part of manage stress level effectively.

4. Which managing stress tips will you try from the reading that you have not tried yet? 

• I think I will try to join a dancing class, it’s not only help me reducing the stress but also make more friends as i dont have much friend in US.  

2/ 1st Draft at least intro, two paragraphs Writing Response for Mental Health Reading

Writing Prompt Instructions:

1. You will write an introduction that summarizes the reading and write a thesis statement that guides your reader to what you will discuss about what you learned about mental health and stress. Your introduction paragraph must introduce: the reading title, author, and publication date. It must also summarize the purpose of your writing so that your reader has a road map for the paragraphs that will follow.

2. Then, in 3 body paragraphs must have a clear topic sentence, recalling important facts you learned from the reading like how stress affects the body, when we are most likely to experience stress, and finally discuss how we can manage stress in our lives. Please be sure to also discuss how you, personally, deal with stress in your life, too. Frame each body paragraph around  3 vocabulary words from the reading, and you must effectively use transition words to connect your sentences from one sentence to the next.

3. You must also have at least one direct quote from the reading and one paraphrased idea from the reading to show you can reference readings using MLA format

After reading The National Alliance on Mental Illness by Mary Smith, I have learned how stress affects the body and mind. Additionally, the reading explains how to manage stress effectively.

Firstly, I would like to share some common symptoms that the author highlights in the reading when people experience stress. For example, headaches, trouble sleeping, and feeling overwhelmed (Smith, 2). Moreover, Mary Smith mentions that “while in bipolar disorder, it can trigger episodes of both mania and depression “ (Smith, 2). According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, bipolar disorder is “any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania.”

Secondly, the author also indicates that there are many ways to reduce stress in the reading, such as exercising daily, eating well, talking to someone, and accepting your needs. However, I believe that exercising daily is the best choice for me to reduce stress.

3/ Final Draft: Writing About Mental Health

Writing About How to Manage Stress

After reading The National Alliance on Mental Illness by Mary Smith (2020), I have learned how stress affects both the body and mind, as well as strategies for managing it effectively.

According to the author highlights several common symptoms of stress, including headaches, trouble sleeping, and feeling overwhelmed (Smith, 2). Mary Smith mentions that “in bipolar disorder, stress can trigger episodes of both mania and depression” (Smith, 2). As the Merriam-Webster Dictionary explains bipolar disorder is “any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania.”

For example, I personally endured depression in 2020 when I first came to the U.S. at 40 years old to start over. The challenges of adjusting to a new life made me feel both stressed and depressed. I do believe we all have days like that—when even the smallest noise feels overwhelming. During that time, I shut myself off from others, no taking, no sharing,  because everything felt too much to handle. Another key point,  Mary Smith also pointed out  “Everyone has his own threshold. Certain things that may upset you out might not even make one of your friends raise an eyebrow” After several months of isolation and avoidance, in and out of the hospital regularly, it became clear that I was struggling with depression.

As a result, I realized that persistent stress could negatively impact my both mental and physical health as Smith stated  “when stress is frequent and intense, it can strain your body and make it impossible to function” (Smith, 2). I told myself,  “Either you run the day or the day runs you .” (Jim Rohn) In the area of life, sometimes we feel like we ‘ve hit rock bottom, laid off, or broken up and endure sickness, however it’s the keypoint to  figure out strategies to cope with that thing.. 

In fact, I have tried many methods mentioned in the reading such as : daily exercise, accepting my need, eating well, and talking to my friends.  However, I found that meditation and prayer were effective ways to reduce my depression. After just a couple months I started feeling better. 

In conclusion, I believe that everyone experiences stress, but If we can identify its causes and find the best strategy to cope with it, we can manage it effectively. 

In order to maintain my mental health, my calm, my peace, I still keep meditating at least 30 minutes everyday. As can be seen, everyone has their own way of dealing with stress, and finding what works best for each individual is the key. 

1/ Triangle Fire Post-Reading Discussion

Instructions:

• Skim the reading again to find three causes that lead to this devastating event.  Describe in your own words what were the three causes that lead to the Triangle Fire. 

• The working conditions after the fire improved thanks to new laws. What were the requirements according to the new laws? Write the answers in your own words.

• Can you think of poor conditions at a job? Do you know of employees that are treated badly? Describe how employees might be treated poorly and the poor conditions of some workplaces.

1. Three causes led to the Triange Fire : 

According to the reading, one of the main causes of the Triangle Fire was careless throwing of matches or cigarettes, which burned scraps of fabric. However, the more serious issue was the lack of safety compliance. The factory was a tens building, but fire department ladders could only reach the seventh floor. Additionally, the doors and exits were locked during working hours to prevent workers from taking breaks. Moreover, the elevators were not maintained properly, moved too slowly, contributing to the tragic loss of life.

2.The working conditions after the fire improved thanks to new laws. What were the requirements according to the new laws?
The working conditions after the fire enforced the new law to reduce the working hours and provide the better place for eating and restroom facilities for workers. According to the new laws, safety compliance required to set up automatic sprinkler, and installed the alarm system, factory doors and exits must be unclock and swing outward.

 
3. Can you think of poor conditions at a job? Do you know of employees that are treated badly? Describe how employees might be treated poorly and the poor conditions of some workplaces.

I had more than 16 years in textile field in Vietnam. I worked in a procument department office in apparel factory. I had many experience to see many cases of workers in poor condition work place. The lunch of the workers were bad, sometimes the workers were poisoned because of dirty foods. Even, if they went to restroom more than 1 times, they were warned by the securities. 

2/ Triangle Fire Draft Summary, Analysis, Synthesis Response 1

1. Summarize the three causes that lead to the devastating fire. Describe in your own words what were the three causes that lead to the Triangle Fire. 

• According to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, three causes led to the fire were: First, the fire started quickly by someone who throw a lit cigarette or match to burn the scraps of fabric. Second, the doors and exits were locked during working hours to prevent workers from taking breaks, traping them inside the factory. Lastly, the lack of  safety equipment, short ladder, poorly maintained elavators prevented workers to escape outside. Three causes were a consequences of losing 146 deaths of workers

2.  Cite and integrate a quote that that illustrates how progressive laws improved the working conditions for people after the fire. Analyze the quote with a rationale (explain what you mean). 

• “The Laws were designed to correct every deficiency revealed in the Lower East Side fire: for example, it required automatic sprinklers in high rise building. Fire drills became mandatory in large shops. Factory doors had to be unlocked and had to swing outward”  this quote showed that the workplace safety improved to avoid similar tragedies in the future.

 3. Synthesize and discuss how you will apply what you learned from the text to your own life or how might we apply what we learned from the text to the real world.

• The tragedy Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire showed us how importance of workplace safety and workers' rights are crucial nowsaday. This means, I always remind me to notice the workplace safety, and keep eyes on the emegency door when I go to work. On the other hand, we should contribute  by raising our voices to support laws that protect workers, ensuring that everyone has the right to a safe workplace.

3/Final Draft: Triangle Fire Writing Response

 Mike Kubic’s The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire describes three causes of the devastating fires and its impact on the new progressive laws. In this essay, I will discuss the lesson that I learned from the article and how I apply it to my real life.

According to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, three causes led to the horrific fire were: First, the fire started quickly by someone who throw a lit cigarette or match to burn the scraps of fabric. Second, the doors and exits were locked during working hours to prevent workers from taking breaks, trapping them inside the factory. Lastly, the lack of safety fire equipment, short ladder, poorly maintained elevators, and no axe, these things prevented workers from escaping outside. As a result, These three causes were the consequences of losing 146 deaths of workers. 

In order to avoid this tragedy happening again in the future “The Laws were designed to correct every deficiency revealed in the Lower East Side fire: for example, it required automatic sprinklers in high rise buildings. Fire drills became mandatory in large shops. Factory doors had to be unlocked and had to swing outward” (Kubic p#7) After all, the workplace conditions, and the fire systems in the buildings were improved to avoid similar tragedies in the future.

In conclusion, The tragedy Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire reminds us how important workplace safety and workers' rights are crucial nowadays. This means, I always keep my eyes on  my workplace safety, such as the emergency door and the nearest  exit location . On the other hand, we should contribute by raising our voices to support laws that protect workers, ensuring that everyone has the right to a safe workplace. 

Immigrating to the United States was a life-changing decision that opened new doors for me, yet it also came with its own set of challenges. My journey has been shaped by my past in Vietnam, my aspirations for a better future, and the many obstacles I have encountered along the way. Although the path has not always been easy, every challenge has brought valuable lessons, making my journey one of growth and resilience.

Why I Came to America

Growing up in Vietnam, I experienced firsthand the struggles of living in a country with limited access to advanced medical technology. Tragically, my parents passed away from cancer when I was 6 years old, partly due to the lack of early diagnostic tools and treatment options. This heartbreaking loss left a deep mark on me, ultimately inspiring my desire to pursue a career in healthcare, particularly in medical imaging.

For more than a decade, I worked in the apparel production industry in Vietnam, taking on roles such as a purchaser, order follow-up specialist, and assistant product developer. While I had a stable career, I often felt that something was missing. I longed for greater opportunities for both personal and professional growth. More importantly, I wanted to develop my skills in a way that would allow me to contribute to a field that could make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

Given these aspirations, I knew I had to seek new opportunities beyond my home country. The United States, with its advanced healthcare system and strong educational institutions, seemed like the perfect place for me to turn my dreams into reality. 

The Immigration Process and My Journey to America

Unlike many others who face significant challenges in the immigration process, my journey to the U.S. was relatively smooth. Fortunately, my wife was able to sponsor me, and despite the difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, I successfully arrived in the U.S. in 2020. While many people struggle to pass their consular interviews, I was lucky to complete mine with ease. Additionally, while some individuals wait several years before being able to immigrate, my wait time was relatively short—I spent only two and a half years before finally making my way to the U.S.

Although the process was not as difficult for me as it was for others, moving to a new country still required a great deal of adjustment. Leaving behind my home, my career, and everything that was familiar to me was not easy. However, I remained hopeful that the opportunities ahead would outweigh the struggles, and I was determined to make the most of this new chapter in my life.

Challenges After Arriving in the United States

When I had been in the U.S. for just six months, I fell ill due to depression. My heart was constantly racing, I had difficulty breathing, and my blood pressure was high. These issues kept me in and out of the hospital. But ironically, the doctors told me there was nothing wrong with me. In my opinion, it might have been due to the drastic change in my living environment—life in Vietnam had been so much easier, whereas everything became much more challenging when I moved to the U.S.

I quickly realized that adjusting to a new country involved more than just adapting to a different environment—it required resilience, patience, and a willingness to step outside my comfort zone. Initially, in 2021, I found stable employment at Lynx Automation, where I worked for three years. However, just as I was settling into my role, my company announced its relocation to Tampa, Florida. Unfortunately, I was unable to move, and as a result, I had to reassess my career path.

Rather than seeing this setback as a failure, I chose to view it as an opportunity for growth. It was at this moment that I decided to pursue something more meaningful—an education in MRI technology. I had always been passionate about healthcare, and I knew that this was the perfect chance to turn that passion into a profession.

However, I quickly realized that in order to succeed in the MRI program, I needed to overcome one of my biggest challenges: English. As an immigrant, mastering the language has been one of the most difficult obstacles I have faced. I knew that before enrolling in a rigorous healthcare program, I first had to strengthen my English skills. With this in mind, I made the decision to enroll at Cosumnes River College (CRC), marking my first college experience in the United States.

At CRC, I have not only been working to improve my English, but I have also been building the foundation for my future in medical imaging. This journey has been challenging, but I am determined to keep pushing forward, knowing that every step I take brings me closer to my ultimate goal.

Looking Ahead

Although my journey has been filled with challenges, I have never regretted my decision to come to America. Every difficulty has been an opportunity for growth, and each setback has only strengthened my resolve. My belief in karma has helped me stay positive, reminding me that all the effort I put in today will eventually lead to something meaningful in the future.

As I continue to build my new life in the U.S., I remain focused on my goals and eager for the opportunities that lie ahead. Moving to a new country was not just about seeking better job prospects—it was about finding a sense of purpose, embracing new experiences, and creating a future where I can make a real difference. My immigration story is still unfolding, and while I may not know exactly what the future holds, I am excited to see where this journey will take me next.