A little about my Background

March 1, 2025 – Day 3

So, I just want to share a little about myself..

I’m born in a third-world country. From my perspective, I have been fortunate growing up. I am very lucky that my parents really did their best to raise us.. My dad had a very wealthy family of origin, but my mom was born and raised in a province in China. She had to move to our country for an arranged marriage with my father, which my grandfather arranged. This was probably to preserve the chinese bloodline I believe (I know this is too traditional but hey, it was back in the 1960s). So my mom arrived here without knowing anyone, without having the right education to get a decent job, she was very dependent on my dad and his family. She started out to be a chinese teacher since she did come from the country.

Again, I want to emphasize my father had a wealthy family of origin.. Because of the arrangement, he knew he had the upperhand, my parents were 17 at the time. Hence, my father was partying a lot and wasn’t very faithful to my mom. He was “living”.. The addiction for gambling came from him. Up until me and my siblings were born (I’m the youngest), my dad still lived.

Growing up, the earliest I remembered gambling being brought up in our family conversations was when I was 4-5 years of age I think. My mom at the time was laid off her teaching job because my siblings and I were always getting sick so she had to take a lot of day offs. She was very Christian. She had to sell clothing in a shopping center. She had to carry clothes around the mall and sell clothes to stores. My dad on the other hand was working for his family business but due to his addictions, my mom had to work extra. At the time it was brought up in our family evenings that me and my siblings had to pray for my dad for his gambling to stop.. Guess what, he didn’t until just recently I think, to remind you again I’m 29. I don’t think my dad can stop to be honest..

I grew up witnessing 2 extremes, 1 parent that works extremely hard, and another who doesn’t like working at all. From my perspective my mom was able to grow her business by having a store now and my dad wasn’t able to build anything. I’m very lucky that I was able to finish school and even college. I work extremely hard but I also have addictions as well.

I was exposed to weed and gambling when I turned 16. Weed was from my classmates and gambling from my brother. My parents weren’t giving us enough allowances to be able to go out with friends, so my brother had to find other ways to earn money, which he tried gambling. He was good at it so I followed him. I lost a lot at first, and I had to borrow money from my girl “best friend” (It was complicated). I returned the money tho when me and my brother won it back.. Gambling had been such a coping for me besides weed. I studied Civil Engineering and looking back I can’t believe I was able to graduate despite the addictions. I can’t explain it but the thrill from gambling, I can’t get that anywhere else, probably what makes it soo addicting for me..

It was on and off for me, for both gambling and drugs. I am happy with my old self that I only dabbled with weed, shrooms and ecstacy (only took 3 times in my life)..

I love my parents, both of them, but i know that my mom did all the heavy lifting. Typing this made me realize that my dad was on and off the gambling addiction too. He’s now turning 60 but I know he has debts. What is weird is he earns significantly more than my mom but he has no savings.. My mom even paid off his debt, and my debt in the past.. I really hope I won’t make the same mistake..

Through a lot of challenges I’m able to start a construction business with my wife, I made her partner cause I love her. I was able to stop gambling for 2 years but then I backslid. I was able to do a lot in those 2 years. Now the business is still running but due to my latest backslid I had to take a loan so that the operations won’t be affected. My wife is working as a psychologist. I know that for students and other psychologists would view my life as interesting.. I’m working my way out of this don’t worry, but if I do relapse I’ll also write it down..

Thank you guys for reading my story, please let me know your thoughts whether good or bad.