My Vietnam trip was from 21st to 31st, ten days to spend with my extended family. This was the first time I went back to Vietnam by myself, and third time I have been back since 2010 when I moved to the U.S.
It was an interesting feeling, moving from one place where I did not speak the language to another place where I actually understood everything that people say, from the moment I wake up, to the moment I go to sleep without trying. I visited my elementary and middle school, the church that I spent 12 hours a week included mass services and Sunday school. I could not visit my old house because my parents sold it before we left. Some people still recognized me after all those years, it made me so touched.
All I remember about my childhood in Vietnam was going school. I went to school from 7a.m. to 11a.m. then went home to have lunch, headed out for my Literature tutor class at 1:30p.m until 3:00p.m and English tutor class from 3:30p.m to 5:00p.m. I got home for dinner and went out again for my Math tutor class at 7:00p.m until 8:30p.m. and finally, time to go home to do homework. My weekend used to be housework and choir practice on Saturday; Sunday school and mass then homework at night. Thus, when I came to the U.S, the teachers usually asked " What do you do in your free time? What's your hobbies?", at that very moment, I realized, I did not have anything. I began to question myself, besides studying, what did I have? and how I was okay with living such a life. Well, for the reason, because every other kid I knew, was the same as me. That is the K-12 education system in Vietnam. It might sound a bit rough to people who do not know but personally, it was not bad but fun to have a busy schedule, I always had things to do and got to meet my friends.
This trip was mainly for eating my heart out and visiting my relatives. It was about five hours flight from Korea instead of sixteen hours if I went from Hawaii. I got to eat all the street food that I have missed for so long and seeing the people I have not met for years. I did not take a lot of pictures but instead, I had a lot of Instagram story videos of Vietnamese food and people, if anyone is interested, I would be glad to share.
