Introduction :)

I took my first breath into the world on July 31, 1990 in Fountain Valley, California. I was born into traditional, conservative Vietnamese family and raised as Roman Catholic. I am the youngest and of four siblings (one brother and two half-brothers). I was daddy’s little girl :)

I grew up in Santa Ana (some people called it the “ghetto”) and lived right across the street from Rosita Elementary school. Every morning my mom walked my brother and I to school and then she left for work. Afterschool, my dad picked us up, walked us home and then he left for work. My dad purposely worked the midnight shift for MacDonald Douglas/Boeing, because he was afraid that we would get kidnapped or something.

Growing up, my brother and I always went to a baby sitter because there was not any one older in the house to take care of us. Although it was nice going to the baby sitter and hanging out with the other kids, I wanted to be home or spending quality time with my parents. I vaguely remember packing my stuff every day, and standing at the door, looking through the screen door waiting for my mom to come pick us up :( we were not mistreated or anything but I was definitely scared of one of the mothers who sent her son to the same baby sitter. I remember her threatening all the kids there to behave or otherwise she would hit us with the rose stem with big-ass thorns. Also, there was something eerie about the house that made me feel uncomfortable, I just wanted to be home, in the setting that I was familiar with. It was not until my grandmother came from Vietnam, were my brother and I able to come home instead of going to the baby sitter.

I guess this leads to one of the main reasons why I choose to study abroad in Vietnam. I wanted to study abroad in Vietnam because I wanted to visit my grandmother in Soc Trang who I had not seen in about five years. This studying abroad was planned around the fact that I wanted to see her before anything happened. Unfortunate that she passed away two months ago, but I feel that it was better in the sense that she was no suffering anymore not being able to eat, walk or speak anymore. She was a big part of my life and although she is not around anymore, I am glad I was able to visit her grave twice before I left for Hanoi.

On a less emotional state, I wanted to study abroad in Vietnam because one of my goals is to relearn Vietnamese and maintain it. After four years of just speaking it, I have forgotten how to read and write. And in order to connect with the people, it is essential to learn Vietnamese. On another note, I feel that it is important to learn about one’s cultural heritage in order to be proud of who they are. I wanted to learn about the Vietnamese lifestyle and the dynamics of Vietnam. The last time I was in Vietnam and it was in 1997; a lot has changed since then.

Going abroad never stepped foot into my mind when I started college but neither was joining a fraternity, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and luckily I am here today.