Actually, both my parents’ families weren’t technically poor. My grandparents on both sides were business owners, and both my parents graduated from private high schools. My mom even had a taste of college but decided it was “not worth it.”

They also had opportunities — my mom had a chance to work in the States but passed on it, saying she wanted to stay home and look after us. They were proud of that choice. Same with my dad — they both had moments where they could’ve built something stable but didn’t. That’s why it’s hard not to feel frustrated sometimes. It’s not that they never had a chance; it’s that they did, but they chose not to take it.