Born in Sài Gòn, District 5 in 1997, we were always destined to return home one day...
When we first arrived in Australia we lived amongst the Vietnamese community in Footscray, Melbourne, before shortly moving to the Vietnamese neighbourhood of Marrickville, Sydney.
Eventually, we settled and grew up in Bankstown, once again choosing to be closer to our fellow countrymen.
On weekend shopping trips to Cabramatta, regardless of the hot rage of desperately scrambling for parking spots in narrow streets, we were never going to be denied our rightful spot amongst the other Vietnamese families who journeyed to come and fill up the streets, alleyways, and restaurants. It was important that no matter where we lived we could visit our home away from home.
Each other.
A Vietnamese community that made sure that even in Australia, approximately 5000km away we were not estranged from the herbs and spices that brought us home to our flavours, the language that our parents carried over by boat, and most importantly the traditional values our forefathers thrived upon.
Vietnamese youth all with varying degrees of Vietnamese knowledge and understanding form the grassroots of an ever-prevalent Vietnamese presence within Australia. We continue to celebrate our heritage and its qualities. Whether it be with Henessy bottles at karaoke or catching up with the family for yum cha on the weekends, we consistently showcase the beauty of our unity. Together we all share the origins of our parents who had to leave their homes to find and establish a new place to raise their families. This bond allows us to form a strong Vietnamese community within Australia so that our future generations would never have to feel like they didn’t belong.
Growing up we were raised to be proud of our Vietnamese heritage. Our predecessors came from lives of hardship, and they toiled and struggled so that their children could be afforded a better future. We were taught that life back in Vietnam was rough and a lot of the luxuries we had here in Australia were mostly unheard of. Drinkable running water, universal health care, and well-paved highways free from potholes are just a few of the many conveniences not readily made available in Vietnam.
So what about our compatriots back at home? Despite being separated and growing upon different paths, we share in language and origin.
Growing up our parents raised us upon the South Vietnamese perspective during the Vietnam War. In Year 12 we were taught the Australian perspective of the Vietnam War. During University we decided it was time to learn the North Vietnamese account, hence embarking upon a journey from North to South Vietnam.
Upon this journey, we were able to truly reconnect with our home country as we interacted with fellow Vietnamese people from all walks of life. By the time we were back in Sài Gòn, we developed a newfound love for our country of Vietnam, from as high as its mountain ranges to as low as the Mekong Delta. However, most precious was the love we felt for our fellow Vietnamese. Our Anh and Em.
It is for this love that we established Æ Việt | Anh Em Việt Nam.
We hope to sow the seeds for unity amongst Vietnamese youth all over the world. It is our firm belief that through diasporic discourse we shall be able to pave the pathway towards a united global Vietnamese community for the future generations to come.
Therefore Æ Việt hopes to be the hub for the exchange of all things Vietnamese. Let’s share new Vietnamese media and culture. Let’s have respectful and open political discussions to better understand one another’s differing perspectives. Let’s explore Vietnam together as we suggest travel destinations and itineraries. Let’s promote our Vietnamese creatives by sharing and supporting their works. Let’s reflect upon our shared history together as a means of learning from each other’s varied past for our united futures. Together, let’s listen to one another’s stories to try and better understand each other, accept our differences, and embrace our similarities.
Together let's be Anh Em.
Æ.
