The Journey to My Dream
Since I was young, I have had a special fascination with animals. Like many Vietnamese children, my parents always made me take an afternoon nap, but just like most kids, I often sneaked outside to play instead. Under the intense heat of summer, I would spend hours in the field behind my house searching for small animals and observing them. The carp in the pond and the beetles resting on rice leaves always had a special attraction for me.
I was always excited whenever I had the chance to visit a zoo or an aquarium. The turquoise glow of seawater, the lights illuminating the magical underwater tunnels, and schools of fish swimming above my head fascinated me endlessly. I often wondered why there were so many different species of fish in the ocean, how they could recognize one another, and why they behaved so differently. Even though the place where I lived was not convenient for interacting with marine animals, I always tried to search for answers with my young imagination. Wildlife documentaries and books about marine life have become my closest companions in my free time. Gradually, as I learned more about their world, I became even more captivated by it.
In eighth grade, during a one-month summer camp in Canada that I attended independently, I had the chance to visit a magnificent aquarium in downtown Toronto. Although traveling there alone was quite nervous at first, it was absolutely worth it. There, I was able to observe and learn about many marine animals—from tropical coral reef species to those living in the colder waters of the Hemisphere. It was also where I discovered my favorite animal: the manta ray, a member of the Mobula genus and the largest fish ever recorded. One of them swam directly above me through the tunnel, and its calm yet powerful beauty completely stunned me. That moment was when I decided that I wanted to pursue a career as a marine biologist, so that I could better understand marine animals and contribute to protecting them from human impact.
As I grew older, I began doing more academic scientific research related to oceanography. Some of my projects included studying the symbiotic relationship between clownfish and sea anemones, analyzing local water quality in Vietnam, and exploring the adaptations of marine microbes in environments with different temperatures. One of the most recent research projects I am working on investigates: How does manta ray feeding behavior indicate environmental conditions in seawater, and how can microplastic concentration affect their migration patterns?
I am truly grateful to my parents for allowing me to study abroad and to experience a more advanced scientific environment. Because of them, I have learned to become more independent and continue moving forward on the path I aspire to pursue.