My American name is Evan Chen. It comes from my Chinese name, Chen Yi Fan, which means “white tiger,” to represents bravery and nobility. The intention of my Chinese name, chosen by my grandfather, was to remind me to stay humble. These are the qualities that I try to strive for, and they are the expectations of my family bloodline.

My parents’ origins started in China, where my mom and dad grew up. They lived in different provinces and met in a province for college. They both applied to go to University in America, but they ended up getting accepted to different schools. They had to separate as my dad went to Berkely (in California) and my mom went to Austin (in Texas). After college they were both given job offers as professors at the University of Manoa, where they were able to unite and start a brand new life in paradise. They gave birth to me in 2010 on 'Oahu.

My first core memory is when I started playing soccer. At the age of 5, my dad introduced me to soccer in the hopes of helping me come out of my introverted nature. My dad noticed that I always kept to myself, especially in daycare. In order to make my personality more outgoing, he signed me up for soccer. It did have an immediate and long lasting impact on my confidence and participation. It has become my most significant passion and now is my whole life. I have improved and honed my skills significantly, and now I can proudly say that soccer is one of my strengths.

Another significant part of my life is my siblings. I have two 11 year old siblings that are twins. One is a girl and the other is a boy. With them, my life has been so much more fun. They have not only made my life better, but turned me into a better person. This is because we always push each other to become better. I don’t know what my life would be like without them. When I think about family influencing my life, I have to say that I love my grandparents the most. I feel nostalgia every time I think about them. After I was born in Oahu, I lived a few years in China, and they were the ones who raised me there. All of my core childhood memories are from China - eating food, enjoying scenery, and spending time with everyone there. Because my grandparents don’t live with me now, I always feel great sorrow when I’m not with them, until the summer, can I see them again.

Being a Chinese person in America, I often feel I am smarter than most people. In China, the education is much more harsh. I realized that all they focus on is education, all day and everyday. When I compare my American life to Chinese life, I think that the American way is much better. You have a lot more freedom to pursue your passions. The Chinese government is more centered upon uniformity and conformity, while America is based on individual interests and rewards those who works the hardest. Although I love China and its people, I think that I can become more successful in an environment like America. Another difference I notice is that in China some areas are very old and ancient compared to the modern skyscrapers of America.

My life has so brought me so many gifts and so many journeys. I am thankful for the perspectives that I have developed. I have only lived a small part of my life, and I hope the rest of my life will bring much more. I am forever grateful for all the memories that I have made, and realize that I am lucky. I will always be proud of who I am, and what I want to become.

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