My name is Kong Jing, a 15 year old middle schooler. I come from the YunNan province. Currently, I am a sixth grader at the Da Jing Middle School. My parents are both farmers and harvest land. My older brother is in a different city trying to work. On rainy days, our leaking roof lets in water and we hurriedly have pails to catch the rain. Our family’s yearly income is barely enough to account for basic needs. Every year, we rely on selling pigs to make up our income. Sometimes, we sell some red peppers for extra money.
At home, we have an old TV. My father is the only one with a phone. In middle school, every winter, I suffer greatly. Other people have several warm jackets yet I silently freeze in my barethin clothes. I shiver from the cold and my hands are red from frostbite. I only have a couple pairs of clothes. When they’re ripped or have holes, I ask my mom to mend them, and continue to wear them again. Whenever I’m sick, we can never go to the hospital. The hospital bills are insurmountable and we are unable to afford. I remember one time, the school lengthened the semester. That week, I would not have enough funding to remain in school. I was scared to ask my parents and scared to borrow from my classmates- scared that I would be unable to pay them back. For that week, I would only eat one meal a day, sometimes not even eating at all. I believe that if I work harder, my grades can become even better.
Through these years, my parents have suffered greatly. They rise before the sun and come back very late. Even when the days are cold, they continue to harvest and farm. LAst year, when my mother got sick, she had to go to the hospital. We couldn't afford the city hospital fees. So my father borrowed several thousand dollars from my uncle. Because of my mother’s sickness, the family life is even harder. Though my brother is in another city working, he can only save a couple hundred yuan from his job. He never brings money home as his wage is already very low. Sometimes, my brother can barely afford to live by himself.
Now, I am a 15 year old adolescent. In the future, when I grow up, I want to become a teacher or a doctor. As a teacher, I can teach students and teach them to work hard and study hard to improve their own futures. Or as a doctor, I can save people who are sick. So that when my own family members are sick, I can care for them too. So my loved ones will be healthy and happy. I want to become a doctor or teacher to help those who are suffering around me. I will keep my dreams buried in my heart as I work hard, so that one day they will bloom into a reality. Though our family faces challenges and hardships, I will continue to persevere. I will get into high school and get a college degree. This year, my parents will continue to harvest and farm. Our family’s only financial income has disappeared as our pigs have died. My mother is in the hospital yet again. Life is harder than ever, but I will continue to go forward.
Thank you for listening to my story.
