Visiting Vietnam and finding a new identity.I have always thought of myself as an American since I cannot read or write in Vietnamese. I came to America when I was 5, and for a long time it was the only home I knew. But in 1996, my parents and I went back to Vietnam for the first time since we settled in America. The trip changed my whole perspective on who I really am. Before the trip, my parents showed me pictures of Vietnam, and long-forgotten memories came back. I recalled walking with my sister down a dirt road dirt road n (US) → camino sin firme dirt road n → chemin non macadamisé or non revêtu dirt road dirt n to my grandmother's house. I also remembered a hurricane that made our house, which was made of tree branches, fall. We had to run around the village to find some one who would take us in. My family left Vietnam in 1988 because of the hardships imposed by the Communist government. (For instance, they changed the currency, so the little savings my parents had lost its value.) My parents had told me that Vietnam was a war-devastated country and a bard place to live. I was about to find out for myself. When we got off the airplane in Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, city (1997 pop. 5,250,000), on the right bank of the Saigon River, a tributary of the Dong Nai, Vietnam. (formerly Saigon), the air smelled very strange, but very familiar. I was surprised to find skyscrapers, lavish hotels, and thousands of Vietnamese. Still, I longed to see Tam My, the village where I was born. It took us more than 20 hours traveling by van to reach Tam My. Along the way, my mind was opened to a world that was new to my eyes, but familiar to my heart: the ever-expanding rice fields, tall mountains, and rows of leaning coconut trees. I realized I was finally back home. When we arrived in Tam In Tam (September 22, 1916 - April 1, 2006) is a former Prime Minister of Cambodia. He served in that position from May 6 1973 to December 9 1973, and had a long career in Cambodian politics. My, we stayed at my sister's house. (She had remained in Vietnam to care for our grandmother.) My parents were glad to he hack where they had spent most of their lives. They were amazed a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. at how the town had grown and happy that it was again peaceful. Because of their bad memories of Communist rule, my parents had begun to resent re·sent tr.v. re·sent·ed, re·sent·ing, re·sents To feel indignantly aggrieved at. [French ressentir, to be angry, from Old French resentir, Vietnam. I was glad to see them recapture recapture n. in income tax, the requirement that the taxpayer pay the amount of tax savings from past years due to accelerated depreciation or deferred capital gains upon sale of property. (See: income tax) RECAPTURE, war. their love for their country. On the day that we were to return to America, I looked back at the land and the people of Vietnam. I realized the things I had traded for a better life in America. The trip back to Vietnam allowed me to discover an identity I did not know that I had. I can proudly declare that I am both American and Vietnamese. If asked which is my true home, I would have to say both. Send us your 500-word story, along with your name, address, and phone number. if we publish it, we'll pay you $100. The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times Upfront, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012: or upfront@scholastic.com. Son Tran is a junior at W.P. Davidson High School Davidson High School may refer to one of the following schools:
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