Being a Hmong woman living in America, my parents always expected high academic achievements from me. I appreciate my culture because the expectations I receive makes me the person I am . Growing up my parents taught me well and taught me to be a proper Hmong woman in life. However, the twenty-first generation is different now, our thoughts on what we want and what we need are very different from what are parents want and need. When I was a kid, education was important, my parents taught me that if I did not study hard and do well, I would be living the life my parents were. Being a young child and experiencing hard life struggles made me an independent woman. I grew up not having what most American children had, therefore, I appreciated