02/17/2026
chúc mừng năm mới and happy lunar new year!!
this was my second favorite holiday growing up - there was always so much joy in the air as the entire family gathered in my grandparents’ home, exchanging well wishes and red envelopes.
the older I get, the more I worry about the fact that one day the traditions passed down from my immigrant parents to me may become diluted as the children and grandchildren of the Vietnamese boat people start to become the adults responsible for upholding customs. the weight is one I’ve put on my shoulders for years, but as I start seeing my parents age while my generation struggles to speak our language, I’m reminded of the importance in remembering where you came from even as you move forward into who you are becoming.
but maybe becoming can only be complete when you return to yourself in the ways that growing up “other” once made you hide. it’s a middle that I’m not at all perfect at balancing on, but one I’m determined to master, starting with finding any excuse in the book to wear my cultural attire (áo dài).
loving all the notice Asian cultures have been receiving this year, and while some of it may border on appropriation rather than appreciation, I love to see all the conversations being had around it by the Asian American community because nothing changes without communication and accountability hehe and one thing about me is I was always on h-mart girl’s side ok 👀