Between Two Identities

by Vivian Tran

Nearly all of my cousins, including my brother, attended last year's work camp. Because I was unable to request time off, all I could do was read their work camp blogs and watch them update our family group chat. Now, here I am writing my own so they can read mine!! Hey family!!!!

Now here I am, going back to Vietnam for the first time since 2008, for my first work camp, alongside my family and, best of all, one of my best friends, Lani. We were devastated to be on separate teams. I felt older than the "young adult" category, younger than the majority of other adults there, and lacked the confidence to speak Vietnamese with everyone else. It was evident that everyone stuck to their own groups, and I felt disconnected.

But I felt most comfortable when I was leading our first-grade workshop. Students learned about colors and family members in English through creating friendship bracelets and their own family tree (or plate, actually). I encouraged my team to speak with the students, even if they lacked the confidence. I spoke with the teachers. It was as if I was back at home, teaching my students from Khai Trí Academy (a Vietnamese language school). It felt natural. My voice echoed through the class as I yelled, "Các bạn ơi!"

The amplified voices of forty-one students, two teachers, and my entire workshop team yelled back at me, "Ơi!"

My older cousin told me of a saying that our people use: "Mình đi về Việt Nam." We go home to Vietnam. I realized I had underestimated how well I could carry full conversations in Vietnamese. I created unforgettable friendships with people across the world and with those who lived back home in Houston/the U.S. I truly felt a union between both my identities—as an American and as Người Việt.

I send my biggest thanks to my Mom, Dad, and Bà Nội for nurturing me and enhancing my Vietnamese skills at home. And especially to my aunt Elena and older cousin Nanhi, for their dedication and impact on the Houston Vietnamese community, which inspired my love of volunteerism for our community.