Before the school year started, I will honestly say that I wasn't in tuned with my culture and my identity of being a Vietnamese American. This past Thanksgiving break I was telling my parents my interest in taking a Vietnamese language course so I could speak fluently in Vietnamese rather than in broken dialect. My mom's response (in vietnamese) "You shouldn't do that, learning English is hard enough for you, you don't need to". This made me realize something (after of course being offended) that my parents never really exposed me to my culture. I've lived in this, yes, in that we celebrate tet and other cultural festivities, but I was never truly explained and educated on why these festivities and traditions existed. I was also never lectured for not speaking enough Vietnamese or too much english, because that's what my parents wanted. .. But I today, being the adult Vietnamese American daughter today who goes to a prestigious school and took an Asian American studies course. I've become more aware of how ignorant I've been in regards to my own culture. I've been immersed in the American culture and my way of living, but not truly embracing the culture that my parents, grandparents, and ancestors have lived in and embraced for their whole lives. But now I make it my mission to not only try and speak Vietnamese more fluently but also learn and embrace my culture's traditions so that I too can do the same for my kids. So that my language and traditions aren't lost in later generations, because if I don't do it, who will once my parents aren't around for my to ask questions anymore? I thank ASAMST for this realization.
Janice Le
Janice Le
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