The Vietnamese People

Well our tour of Vietnam came to and end on Saturday. I'm feeling a bit sad about leaving. I feel that I understand so much more about my heritage, my family and myself. My Vietnamese has definitely improved and I'm very comfortable speaking it now. I actually kind of miss it now that we are in Hong Kong and I have no idea how to speak Cantonese.

I'd have to say the people in Vietnam are generally very warm people (especially in the South). The Vietnamese people I have met here are unbelievably hard working and care greatly about their friends and family. I'm not just saying this because I'm Vietnamese. In fact, growing up I was embarrassed to tell people I was Vietnamese. There was just so much bad press out there about the war and later on in the 80's and 90's more negative press about the Vietnamese youth gangs and their ruthless killings. I was also embarrassed by the idea that we had come to Canada as political refugees. I was just easier for me as a kid to tell people I was Chinese. I guess I didn't really understand the risks my parents had taken to give us (their kids) freedom. Freedom of choice about what we wanted to do with our lives and how we want to live our lives. I'm sure I'd be working in the Saigon market today, with overly tanned, leathery skin and big buck-teeth if my parents had not made the choice to leave Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon. Who would have guessed it that their 3 kids are working professionals today (a tax lawyer, a senior director and an IT guru). It was probably the greatest gift they could give us. I just hope that I can live up to the opportunity they gave me. (No pressure really!?!?)

For the first time, after experiencing the culture here, I am very proud to say that I am Vietnamese. I know I must sound completely ridiculous but I wish that I had come to this realization sooner. But I guess it's better late than never.