A land that I have only walked upon once in my life, a land referred by my parents as the ‘mother country,’ a land of splendor, warmth, and tradition. In my veins, runs the blood of this ‘mother country.’ It is very hard to envision a small nation half-way across the world to be so significant in my life. Yet, traces of this country are instituted all throughout my household, my physical appearance, and so much more. There are times I desired to be an average American girl, with an average American name, with average American parents, and an average American home. However, if this was the case then I would be missing out on a culture that has existed for thousands of years. Appreciation is all this minute country asks for, and I, as a Vietnamese adolescent, will learn to appreciate what this culture has to offer. I speak the language, but have yet to master it. I partake in Vietnamese traditions, but these traditions have infinite variations. I have interacted with Vietnamese people, but have not fully comprehended the bliss, the privation, and the appreciation the Vietnamese have for life. But I trust one day I will, and soon enough I will step atop the soil of my mother country with confidence knowing that I have learned and understood all that this little nation has to offer to its people, to herself, and to the world.

I am an American.
I am Vietnamese.
I am a Vietnamese-American.