Viva la Vietnam

 Vietnam - 2025

I'm a little late, but this year I had the opportunity to visit and meet my family in Vietnam. For those of you who don't know, my dad is a second-generation immigrant from Vietnam. He and his mother, my grandma, followed my grandpa to the United States 

after one failed attempt at an escape. I could spend so 

much time talking to you about this, but I'll save it for 

another time.

In February of 2025, I traveled with my aunt, her boyfriend at the time, and my dad, hitting four different airports and two countries, ending in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. This was my first time leaving the country (Hawaii doesn't count, right??) After leaving at 5:00pm on February 14th, 6 hours of layover and 18 hours in flight, we landed in Vietnam on February 16th at 10:00am. And it was truly an experience I could never have prepared for.

As much as I love and appreciate America, I can confidently say it has nothing on Vietnam, and it might just be because it is the only other country I've ever visited, but it was absolutely breathtaking. We stayed with our family on the South Coast of Vietnam, Phước Hải. The photo you see at the top right is from the

evening we landed. We rode mopeds to a spot to look at the water.

On day two, I started my morning around 9:00. The jetlag was almost the end of me, but we had coffee at a cute outdoor coffee shop about a 15-minute walk from where we stayed. The drinks were very well made and tasted great. There were mosquitoes everywhere, and unfortunately, my skin doesn't take their saliva, and their bites turn into massive, pus-filled welts.

Then, after a short break, we drove over to a MASSIVE market, which you can see at right. There were so many fruits, trinkets, and foods, it was overwhelming. The different colors, sounds, and smells put me on sensory overload, but I ended up really enjoying my time. Seeing the culture, almost everything could be bargained, and a part of me felt guilty, but the other part of me knew it was just the way it was. 

I had the chance to watch my family bargain for lower prices in Vietnamese. A language that I can't speak fluently or understand, but did notice while being there, I picked up on the language and conversations, and have realized it's really improved my understanding.

We ended the day at our cousins, socializing and eating the fresh fruit found at the market, and getting to know the country more. I got to do puzzles with my younger cousins and soak up this new family culture.

Days 3-5 were lots of exploring and just sightseeing. I visited our family's grave "plot" where I learned about lives I never met and stories I've never heard. We went clamming, where I picked up a gorgeous shell, and stowed it away in my bag, which, a couple of days later, smelled horrible; turns out there was a little critter living in the shell, and it died and rotted in my bag...

We visited places of worship, more family, and scenery. My aunt owns a crochet business there, and she makes all kinds of adorable things. I took home a panda and a plant that now serve as memorabilia of my first time in Vietnam. You can see the picture to the left.

We ate dinner on the balcony where we stayed, we ate the clams with rice and fish! I had the chance to get closer to my cousins. Later that evening my cousins spent the night in my room. We played games to help them work on their English. Simon Says was a big hit, and I loved laughing and making these cherishable memories with them.

After the week was over, it was time to go home. Which was hard and sad. Vietnam was such an incredible experience, and I wasn't ready to let go, but unfortunately, all things must come to an end, and I couldn't have asked for a better one. Our family drove us to the airport, where lots of tears, snot, and sweat were shared. The flight home felt much more depressing than the flight there, which was expected. I felt an overwhelming sadness and dread for leaving, so I tried to sleep most of it off. I am so grateful for my family in Vietnam, and my family here, in America, who made this trip and opportunity possible for me,

Until next time, Vietnam.