My home country is Vietnam. I had lived there for 18 years. After my
father died, my mother decided that we would move to the US since all of her
extended family is already there. It was just that. I had to leave. I had to
leave my little cozy house. I had to leave my garden full of my favorite fruits
and vegetables. I had to leave my flowerbed full of hydrangeas, hibiscuses, and
daisies. I had to leave my friends…
Eighteen years of
experiences and memories had to packed into two small suitcases. I had to
choose what needed to be left behind. I carried with me my high school uniform.
It is not like any other uniform that most of you have seen. It is called “Ao
Dai”. It is a white, form-fitting elegant dress that all girls have to wear
when they enter high school. I carried it to remind me of the friends, the
teachers, and the memories that I had in high school. I carried the sadness of
the girl who had to leave everything behind: her hometown, her neighbors, her
flowers… I carried my photo albums, my passport, some clothing. I carried my books.
Books were my other friends, the friends that I could carried with me whenever
I go. I carried the unweighed fear of one coming into a new country with different
cultural values. I carried the fear of one who did not know how to speak
English. Would I be able to communicate? Would I be able to do well in school?
Would I be able to make new friends? Those questions were always there,
taunting. However, I also carried the determination to thrive, to excel, to be
the best that I can be. I carried hope. They helped.
Now I have been
able to speak English. I have jobs and I’ll graduate from college with a summa
cum laude in a few months. I have also
become a US citizen. However, I will always carry my hometown with me. Vietnam
will always be in my heart. Its values, beauty and the experiences that I had
over there are what make me the person that I am today…
Below is a link for those who want to know more about the Ao Dai.
Vietnam Traditional Dress, Ao Dai
Below is a link for those who want to know more about the Ao Dai.
Vietnam Traditional Dress, Ao Dai
Wow, this is so captivating. I was really drawn into this because I am personally a creative writer and I really enjoyed O'Briens's chapter "The Things They Carried". I felt the fear you carried leaving Vietnam just as much as I felt the fears that the soldier'a carried when they left to go to war. I just wanted to keep reading more of what you writing. You should continue this if you want to or if you have time. It's also an interesting thing to note that a person moving away from home can experience the same fear as someone leaving to go to war. It really shows anyone at any time can be feeling the same kind of pain as someone else in a completely different situation all around the world.
ReplyDeleteHa this was so intense. I loved how you shared your part of the things they carried. Your story telling about your entire life of moving from Vietnam to United States and how everything changed was very captivating. I loved how you gave so much detailed descriptions of each things. I loved your garden descriptions, that even you were going to even miss the fruits and the flowers. I loved how you felt about not speaking English so well because I felt the same way. You should have written more Ha, it was very thrilling. Your experience was truly intense. Loved it.
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