[VTP writer Jennie Le recently returned from Tanzania on a volunteer mission with United Students. Below are the reflections of a Vietnamese American woman's first experience of Africa.] I never thought I would ever say this, but I think I know what being white feels like. While this was not a thought that had crossed my mind before my trip to Africa (really, I don't spend my … [Read more...] about Jennie in Africa: When Being Asian Feels White
Travel
Of Shame and Pride: Confronting My Vietnamese Identity
It was July 2002 when I stepped out of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, and into the streets of Saigon, revisiting my homeland and my past. The heavy humid air bore on me and my skin began forming beads of sweat. Here it was, the Vietnam that I had so missed when I first came to America in 1992 — the noisy crowded streets, the musty air, and the people who spoke my native … [Read more...] about Of Shame and Pride: Confronting My Vietnamese Identity
Vietnam’s legendary turtle is good as new – and, she’s a girl
During 15th century Vietnam, emperor Le Loi found in his possession a most powerful sword--a sword with which lead to a victory against the Chinese, reclaiming Vietnam’s independence. While sailing on a lake in Hanoi formerly known as Luc Thuy, or “Green Water,” a giant, golden turtle (“Kim Qui”) appeared and took the sword from Le Loi. The turtle submerged to the depths of … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s legendary turtle is good as new – and, she’s a girl
The Ultimate Vietnam Road Trip: The Thousand-Mile Road
Vietnam’s National Highway 1A (NH1A) is one of the main arteries of transport in Vietnam. It is the longest highway in the country, stretching along the coastline from Huu Nghi Quan Border Gate (near the Sino-Vietnamese border) in the north to Nam Can in Ngoc Hien District of Ca Mau Province in the south. The highway is over 2,300 kilometers (or over 1,400 miles) in length, … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Vietnam Road Trip: The Thousand-Mile Road
Food, Accents, and Authenticity in Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam
For those who don't yet know, I'm fond of all things food and Vietnamese. And judging by recent responses on VTP, I'm not the only one. I am, however, equally - if not more so - obsessed with the cultural production of “accents.” Imagine my delight then, when confronted with the Australian hybrid travel-cooking show, Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam. If I were a bit more sexually … [Read more...] about Food, Accents, and Authenticity in Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam