So, here it is;
Which ethnicity are you?
Vietnamese
Which generation are you?
I was born in Australia but my mum was born in Vietnam. So, I'm guessing my mum is first generation Vietnamese Australian and I'm second-generation. If I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me.
What are some stereotypes that you struggle with?
Can you speak your language?
What is the first experience where you felt that demarcation of being a minority/different?
I grew up in a very immigrant heavy community so I guess I didn't really feel indifferent. It's only when I reflect on the past and see in some instances where I could've felt that way but didn't affect me much at all.
For example, I spent about a year of my childhood residing in an area which was dominantly Anglo-Saxon, where my family was the only Asian family living in my street. A year after, I moved to a community where I had more access and had a closer connection with the Asian community. I didn't really notice it then, but looking back at my early primary school photos, there was a good balance between Asians and non-Asians. Growing up having Asian neighbours and Asian friends throughout primary and highschool meant I didn't feel to much of an outcast at all.
However, I guess I can recall the first time I felt like a minority was my first highschool camp at the end of year 8. The camp was based down the south coast, 2-3 hrs away from Sydney. That was when I began to notice that us Asians were the minority Australians.
Were you always proud of your heritage or was there a time you rejected it?
I was very proud of my Vietnamese heritage, and still am to this day. I don't think I ever rejected it growing up.
What are some stereotypes that you struggle with?
The stereotype that "all Asians are smart at maths" was probably what I struggled with the most. I guess I was pretty average growing up. I was a little slower than most of my Asian peers during primary school, whilst I was just average throughout highschool. I was never in any of the advanced maths classes, nor did I study 2 unit maths for my HSC. And I was always the slowest in my tutor classes.
Can you speak your language?
Very brokenly. I attended Saturday Vietnamese school for a few years, and was fortunate to have extra Vietnamese language classes that was made available during the week at my primary school. Hence, I am able to read and my writing isn't too bad, but my speaking skills are pretty poor. I won't be able to have a full conversation in Vietnamese without throwing English terms along the way. And, I would struggle badly when it comes to interpreting.
How has being Asian Australian affected your relationship with your parents?
Even though I went to Vietnamese school and could speak and write basic Vietnamese, the language barrier was (and still is) the biggest setback that has affected my relationship with not only my mum, but also my aunties and uncles. My mum speaks very little English so it's hard to have a conversation about anything really. It's hard for my mum to understand me because of my inability to communicate any concerns or have any discussion about my thoughts and the events in my life. So, more often than not, there is some misunderstanding between the two of us. I'm pretty sure it would be a very different and a much stronger relationship if we could just both communicate in the same language.
I also feel like a huge disappointment to my family because of this.
I also feel like a huge disappointment to my family because of this.
How do you feel about your heritage now? Do you identify with it?
I love my Vietnamese heritage. And yes, I identity myself as Vietnamese but more specifically Vietnamese Australian. However, I still get conflicted between the two. Sometimes, I am made to feel like an outcast in Australia only because of my Asian image despite being born and bred in Australia. Meanwhile, I would also feel indifferent in the motherland Vietnam, because of my lack of speaking skills and different upbringing.
What is your favourite thing about being Asian Australian/your heritage?
Other than my appreciation for Vietnamese cuisine, and the fact that a lot of Vietnamese have common surnames (despite being unrelated - hello Tran and Nguyen!), I also deeply appreciate the Vietnamese history.
The Vietnam War and the ultimate outcome of it played a huge effect on my mum's life experience. I have a big appreciation for my mum's refugee journey. And, have an even bigger appreciation for the former late Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser for implementing a refugee policy that allowed my mum as well as many other Vietnamese refugees to settle into Australia. I have a huge appreciation for the former South Vietnam flag because not only does it represent my mum's former homeland that doesn't exist anymore, it represents the Vietnamese refugee community.
Being born to a former Vietnamese refugee who started afresh in Australia gained me more awareness and have more empathy for the current asylum seekers and refugee crisis that we are currently facing.
It's safe to say that I hit that ultimate jackpot the moment I was born here in Australia. It definitely is a privilege to be Australian and having the childhood that I had will always be my treasured memories.
And, I can't finish this without a special mention to Cabramatta. Although notorious for being the heroin epidemic ghetto in the 90's and blaming the Asian community for its social issues, I'm proud how far Cabramattta has come since those days.
I will never be ashamed of being Vietnamese-Australian.
Lots o' Love, Linda
