A Lineage of Athleticism and a History Shrouded in Mystery
I love it when my Mom goes off when she watches a basketball game. There’s so much about her that I don’t even know. Intramural basketball player, volleyball player, and even table tennis. I remember her saying that even though she has had three kids, not a single one became an athlete or got into sports. I find that a bit funny sometimes.
Growing up, I don’t even know very much about my own mother, except for some of the basics. She grew up in Laos, was poor, had multiple brothers and sisters, trained to become a nurse before the Communist regime came over. She likes flowers, works at an assembly job, and enjoys her Buddhist rituals. She’s a bit of a hoarder, but only because she feels that there will always be some use. Better to have than not, I suppose.
I’d ask her about her life, but I don’t even know how I would even phrase the question. I’m pretty sure we’ll be closer soon. The only moment I ever had a deep conversation about her life was when I had told her I was worried about my future and if whether or not a relationship would be a good decision. She had told me about how she had so many dudes on her, but she’d only put them in the friend-zone and enjoy their company. From badasses to bachelors to brainy kinds of guys, she’s seen a bunch of them but decided to pick my father. Why? I never found out (yet), but last I remembered, the one remark she said about my father was that out of all 11 siblings, he never yelled at his own mother.
The one thing that strikes me different about her is that she’s got a heart condition. It’s been getting worse, and I get hesitant about making my own decisions. There are some things that I do that she does not agree with to say the least, wanting to participate in a violent sport being one of them. Some of our decisions conflict each other, but we’ve been getting better at communicating our thoughts and ideas. She’s been more encouraging and more understanding lately. The fact that she’s got a weakening heart is the most frightening thing to me right now. All I ask is that I have enough time to make her the proudest of me she’s ever been, and every day the fear looms over me. Call me a Mama’s boy if you really want, but we truly only live once. The last thing I want is for her to leave unhappy.
It’ll feel like our days are limited together, but I’ll always make the most of what I still have. We’ve been through so much shit and have come so close to becoming a broken family. We’ve come so far alive. I’ll hate to leave it broken apart.
Source: keizi
Okay, check out the link.
These ladies’ yearbook photos have been going super viral, right? Cool! Awesome. Kudos to them for being so clever. Hey, I graduated with 27 Nguyens myself, (holla @Evergreen Valley High school) and went to school with 3 other “Tracy Nguyens” ..so I know the joke. Ha. Ha. I think the audience during our graduation even clapped humorously when they called the 27th Nguyen. Rude.Side note: I think I once joined a fb group called “My name is Tracy Nguyen.”
Anyway, it’s interesting how vague and short these articles are. They praise the girls for being clever and… and what else? Having the “greatest yearbook quote ever?” I’ll give them credit for making an unforgettable mark. It’s definitely a commendable gesture that challenges the notions of all Vietnamese people having the same last name. However, this moment of history can be portrayed more critically. It still can be the greatest yearbook quote if people learn a thing or two more about the history behind it.
I personally don’t think the message was intended to garnish as much politic fervor as expect. Actually, I don’t think the media even analyzes this yb photo with the politics of identity at all. The quote seems to be a mere jab at a common high school racist joke. Racist? Yes, definitely. Especially when people try to guess your last name anytime you identity as Vietnamese.
“Oh oh, you’re Vietnamese? Lemme guess.. Tran? Le? no.. of course.. Nguyen!”
What about the history of the Nguyen Dynasty and its violent, bloody defeat? If I paid more attention in Thay Gerard’s class during my time at Hanoi University, I could better articulate how “Nguyen” is a popular Vietnamese surname because it was the last (and largest) dynasty of Vietnam… it was the last dynasty because the Imperial Palace in Hue was overthrown during the war by the National Liberation Front aka Viet Cong aka HCM aka North Vietnam aka Communist Party.
I mean, what about all the issues of Patriarchy that is operated within a Confucious-influenced-Imperial reign of the royal King? He be making hella babies with his many, many concubines! Also, did you know today’s direct descendants of the Nguyen dynasty actually use the surname Ton-Nu and Ton-That? I know a few of them myself. However, their royal blood has no significance in Vietnam America. Also: ignore Wiki’s claim on “Nguyen” being one of the most common “East Asian surnames”…
really, Wiki?
Maybe I’m not giving the girls enough credit. I can’t really imagine a better quote that would fit within the limits of 10-12 words. I mean, look at me, it took a rambling blog to explain “Nguyen.” And I hear they wanna go on “Oprah” or the “Today Show?” If they do, I really hope they back up their photo with an insightful story. It’s more than not being related. It’s challenging histories of immigrant/refugee people who have very distinct stories to tell. Vietnam is made up of three VERY different regions and over “54” ethnic minorities. Nguyens come from all over Vietnam.
Similar to how all Asian don’t look alike.. all Vietnamese people don’t have the same last name, damn it.
But as Professor Joi Barrios would say to the girls: “NGUYEN-ERRRRR!!!!”
Source: hellafly
Back to my #Roots #Mien #Dictionary (Taken with instagram)
Source: vstylecarstyle
its hard to explain how proud i am,
to be from a country - that ive never visited,
my roots maybe all i have left of my father …
So I did something crazy
I stood up to my mother for the first time in my life.
To all the people that don’t know me very well keep in mind my parents are both Khmer Rouge genocide survivors. Trauma survivors raise kids with trauma symptoms, and my depression and anxiety stems from this. Because of this my academics get really screwed up, and this is what caused me to be in the hospital for a week.
After I got out, I had to go home where all my triggers are. I’m my parents emotional punching bag and mom uses me to vent all the time. I think my mom has a lot of psycological issues that she needs to address, that I can’t handle, so I end up sick with guilt. Here’s a quick explanation under the cut of what happened.
EDIT: This is also the main reason why I’ll be less active on tumblr. I need to fix my life.
Source: trulysophisticat
a couple things i miss about cambodia/being there
- the mornings. i’ve talked about the unique smell cambodia has before and the mornings their is a blend of freshness and that unique smell. plus, the weather isn’t so burning hot in the morning either.
- the food. my second trip back consisted of a lot of amok and some loc lac with the fried egg. my mom never makes loc lac with fried egg (must be a battambang thing), but i actually like it with fried egg. :P
- being completely internet free. my first trip - i used the internet at a internet cafe because my sisters wanted to check emails and whatnot, so i just went along (happened only once). but my second time back, i didn’t use it once - for a whole month, basically. it felt great.
- going to different cities and provinces and seeing how each place was unique from the other.
- climbing up the mountains all the way to the temples on top. i believe i climbed up a little over 5 mountains.
- night life. at night, people are still hanging around, eating, buying things. my favorite nighttime moment was in siem reap at that markets, seeing people having fun, laughing, getting their feet massaged in a tank full of small fish, and attempting to haggle prices with sellers.
- and other things i’m too lazy to list. xD
Source: worthdreamingof
Laos Entry 6- Shoes
Coming from an Asian heritage background I know to take off my shoes-one would think. But the house is filthy. Not literally, but it’s always crawling with little baby ants! That however bit as well! These ants are too small to capture with my regular camera, but I tell not a lie when I say they are everywhere. On the coffee table just a hand full, but always around! ON the floor, on the earting table, on the counter, in the sink, crawling in and out of the trash, in the car. Leave your food out for too long they will be crawling throught that too! I even found some in my bed the other day. That’s what I mean when I say filth. I stepped in an ant farm the other day on accident trying to take a picture of these flowers in the yar. Vefore I can even look down they were sawrming, crawling all over the right foot. I shook them off, put my foot down for a second for balance and immediately I was covered again. I could have cussed every little piece of gras growing in the yar, but I can to keep composure of they self.
Tish is why I wear thy shoes in and out of the house. Even in the bathroom, and while I shower. -___-
Source: kissittt
Source: restlessroots
![realizasian:
thedailywhat:
Yearbook Quote of the Day: Eight high school seniors with the last name Nguyen joined forces to bring us the year’s best yearbook quote:
We know what you’re thinking, and no, we’re not related!
(Embiggen.)
[hypervocal]
Ballers.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m469tfgBit1qzpwi0o1_500.jpg)
Yearbook Quote of the Day: Eight high school seniors with the last name Nguyen joined forces to bring us the year’s best yearbook quote:
We know what you’re thinking, and no, we’re not related!
Ballers.
Source: thedailywhat
