Ai Vuong was born in Vietnam and moved to Texas at age 5. After a trip back in her late teens, she felt a strong connection to her roots, driving her to move to Vietnam post-college. She lived there for seven years before returning to the U.S. Her parents' immigration journey through the Humanitarian Operation program was marked by hardship, influencing her perspective on identity. Despite growing up in a supportive Vietnamese community, she faced challenges as a child of immigrants, highlighting feelings of difference and family discrimination.
I was born in a small town in the Mekong Delta in 1986. My parents left Vietnam through the Humanitarian Operation program, which helped former re-education camp detainees immigrate to the US.
I was 5 when my family left Vietnam, and 17 when I went back for the first time. On that trip, I was surprised to find I felt more at home there.
I spent the next seven years living in Vietnam before returning to the US. Now, my goal is to return to Southeast Asia.
Still, like many children of immigrants, I grew up quietly ashamed of what made me different. The smell of our food and the sound of my name made me an easy target for teasing.
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