Dear Daddy,

Happy Father's Day to the most hard working and inspirational man in my life! Cheers to you, daddy! My dad is an extremely stubborn person but when he really cares about you, he will always put you first. My dad immigrated here from Vietnam when he was only 12 years old, the youngest of his 12 siblings, he started working at an extremely young age to provide for his family. When he immigrated here from Vietnam, it was only a few of his siblings and they were placed in refugee camps from the war. Sometimes, my dad will tell me bits and pieces of his past but I can tell it was really hard for him. He first arrived in New York in a small apartment being shared by him and five other siblings with one room. 

After living in New York for a few months, my dad and his siblings moved permanently to Virginia. From there, my dad continued to work and go to school to learn as much english as possible. He is extremely set in his ways, but for good reason. It has been hard for him, providing for his siblings to make money while maintaining good grades to create a better future for himself. My dad only attended two years of community college, obtaining his associates, and then went on to own his own barber shop. When him and my mom saved up enough money, they opened up a spa and named it after me and my sister, Thatianna. The spa has been a success for over 10 years. When younger, my sisters and I would always say that my dad didn't want to spend time at home or with the family that he'd rather work but now that I am older, he chooses to work because he wants to provide the best for my sisters and myself so that we do not have to go through any of the hardship that he had to when he was younger. My father may be a bit reluctant to saying yes to many of our wishes and wants, but in the end he will always provide for us the best he can. With constantly working, he has given us a great home, many vacations, and trying to teach us as much as possible. Sometimes, it may be a bit tense between me and my dad when talking about plans for the future or other subjects but it's only because my dad wants the best and only wants us to be successful individuals. He may be a bit closed-minded to newer ideas and a more modern way of living, but with his background and past, he was raised in a more traditional household and raised a certain way. 

Writing about my father always gets me a bit teary eyed because I wish I could convey the amount of gratitude and appreciation I have for him. Others may be put off by his "stand-offish" nature, but it takes a bit of extra loving to really understand my dad. One thing my mom told me that really stuck with me is: "your dad would rather starve to give you the best piece of steak and have none for himself"; and it's true! He would rather provide the absolute best for his family and save none for himself because he would rather give it to us. There have definitely been times when I wished that my dad was a bit more open-minded and less stubborn, but now that I've grown older I understand that he was only worried about our well being and safety and was only trying to do the best he could in the best way he knew how. Now, when we talk about my future and my plans he is supportive and interested and we can have conversations about a range of topics. He's a bit hard on me and my sisters because I know he only wants us to achieve a great amount of things that he was never able to and to really take advantage of everything life has to offer. Yes, my dad has faults but who doesn't - he is the greatest and most hard working man that I know. 

I love you, daddy! I hope one day I will meet a partner that cares as much for his family as you do and is as much of a hard worker. I appreciate every single thing you have done for me and the family and I wish I could convey that a lot better. 

Love,
Your first born daughter (: