Most people question spending a semester abroad in a foreign country but you made the decision to permanently move away from home, to a country where you knew no one. You left your parents behind, your family and everything that was familiar to you. You made the conscious decision to accept challenges, discrimination, and suffering just so that twenty years down the line, your children could have a life of privilege, one where they never need to worry about finances or a lack of opportunity.

I'm almost positive that the journey to get to where you are now was not easy, from learning a new language and trying to find a job to buying a house and learning the social norms of your new community. You never had the help of your own parents (or anyone else for that matter) when you needed someone to watch your kids or had an emergency, but somehow you managed to provide for your family.

You stood tall when people called you outsiders and made fun of your culture and beliefs. Despite these negative comments, you assimilated and made yourself love and commit to a country that, in a lot of ways, hated people like you.

You taught me what hard work looks like and how important it is to follow your dreams, even when the entire world thinks you won't succeed. You made sure that I didn't forget my roots and made it clear that I was a product of two cultures, a person who could have two homes.

You don't get nearly enough credit for what you have accomplished and while millions of people across the country share similar stories, yours isn't any less valid or impressive. Out of all of your achievements, the one I'm most proud of is that you gave me the best life that I could have. It is because of your sacrifice and dedication that I am able to have the liberty to pick what I want to study, where I want to travel, and even what I want to eat.

You gave me the gift of exploration and the chance to make my own future and for that, I cannot thank you enough.