Reflective Essay: My Cultural Identity

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As a child I often entertained the thought that I lived double lives. Like Superman, I was a product of my parent’s effort to send their child off to a different, safer world. Coincidentally, the Vietnamese name my mom bestowed upon me even means heroine. At school I went by Virginia, a deceivingly assimilated American school girl, and at home I was Anh Thu, an Asian-American child reclaiming her cultural identity. These two aspects of my identity remained separated for a long time. On one hand, I wanted to blend in with the rest of my classmates, while on the other I wanted my cultural difference to be recognized. It was not until I grew older that I embraced my identity thanks to my environment, family and community. Having lived in Portland …show more content…
On Sundays, I attended Van Lang Vietnamese School, where I learned how to speak, read and write the language. There, I found a community much larger than my family in which I could foster my cultural identity and receive compassion and understanding. The Vietnamese community made itself known with its growing population and annual events for cultural holidays like Tet, remembrance for war veterans and fundraisers. The parents of my classmates were the pioneers for the integration of Vietnamese culture within the Portland community. Without them, Portland would not have its restaurants, nail salons, healthcare providers or the workforce that it does …show more content…
Although my school environment hindered my ability to accept myself, the other aspects in my life did not. The growing Vietnamese population in Portland has created an undeniable impact to the city environment and with it an understanding community. My situation surely is not the only one and I hope that others facings the same troubles regarding their identity with come to the same acceptance as I did. My identity has been a reflection of my surrounding environment and I believe it will continue to develop as my surroundings
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