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In nội dung1/ Davis Trần : HAI QUÊ HƯƠNG - TWO HOMELANDS 2/ Ngọc Nguyễn : When I grow up, I want to be a person who changes the ordinary. And for now, I am the person who is not afraid to say, “I am proud that my family works at the nail salon because they do it for my future.”
Davis Trần
“Vẫn thấy quê hương đêm ngày réo gọi
Vẫn thấy trong tim canh cánh đường về
Vẫn thấy nơi đây chỉ là đất tạm
Thầm hẹn ngày về chết giữa quê hương”
“Vẫn thấy quê hương đêm ngày réo gọi
Vẫn thấy trong tim canh cánh đường về
Vẫn thấy nơi đây chỉ là đất tạm
Thầm hẹn ngày về chết giữa quê hương”
Nhật Ngân
DAVIS TRẦN
WINNER OF THE "GIẢI KHUYẾN HỌC" 2010
FROM THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY OF DC, MD,VA
April 30, 1975: a day long to be forgotten but forever imprinted within the mind of every Vietnamese American. It was on this day when countless Vietnamese citizens gave up their daily lives to become boat refugees, waving good-bye to their homeland in hopes of a better life and a brighter future. I could never wrap my head around the dark events of that day as my mom retold her “vượt biên” account, nor could I imagine the rippling effect that would entail a mass exodus of Vietnamese immigrants for the next 35 years.
Sitting here in America, in a land where the principle of freedom is so sacredly held, offers me a distinct perspective on the war and its aftermath. As part of the 1.5 generation, reading about the war in American textbooks and watching historic clips did nothing to fill that empty void, to better connect myself with the communal suffering of my heritage. Music filled that void, thanks to the many Vietnamese composers that transcribed their feelings. From Trần Thiện Thanh’s “Rừng Lá Thấp” that brought me the emotions of a solider to Duy Khánh “Xin Anh Giữ Trọn Tình Quê” of nostalgic feelings, these songs bridge the gap of my generation and that of my mother’s. This genre of music not only captures the feelings of those that directly experienced such tragedies, but enables me, the later generation, to truly grasp what occurred. Just listening to the emotional lyrics provokes me to think about how fortunate I am, to think of the men and women who have endured so much, and to be proud of my Vietnamese roots. The Vietnam War has left a scar, but the Vietnamese community is thriving, transforming such adversity and pain into inspiration for success- something I long admire and follow.
My mom not only lives by this mantra, but exemplifies it to the fullest. Starting her life anew on foreign soil, without knowing a word of English to communicate, demonstrates the utmost sacrifice and perseverance more than any song. She speaks little of the war, only asking that I do well in school. As a child, I considered myself a spy in training, and only through my eavesdropping skills did I hear her retell her journey. I remember asking my mom why. Why would she give up her youth, jump into a boat among 60 others, and risk her life at sea when she couldn’t swim. She looked at me, stared into the void space and said, “vì tự do.” This made me think about my life, how I really don’t have an excuse to whine or complain about anything for the rest of my life. Only a few years ago, my mom dropped her barber profession to take care of my bed-stricken grandmother, a stroke survivor. My mom is truly the embodiment of the Vietnamese fighting spirit. Her account, along with other stories of suffering and endurance through both songs and tears, has taught me the true value of freedom as well as the meaning of sacrifice.
As Lan Cao ends her novel, Monkey Bridge, she’s reminded of home by the crescent moon in the shape of a dangling seahorse, the shape of Vietnam. I, too, am constantly reminded of my ethnic heritage thanks to the songs and stories. While I call America my home, I know my mom does not see it that way, but yearns to return back to her home, the land she calls quê hương, Việt Nam.
WINNER OF THE "GIẢI KHUYẾN HỌC" 2010
FROM THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY OF DC, MD,VA
April 30, 1975: a day long to be forgotten but forever imprinted within the mind of every Vietnamese American. It was on this day when countless Vietnamese citizens gave up their daily lives to become boat refugees, waving good-bye to their homeland in hopes of a better life and a brighter future. I could never wrap my head around the dark events of that day as my mom retold her “vượt biên” account, nor could I imagine the rippling effect that would entail a mass exodus of Vietnamese immigrants for the next 35 years.
Sitting here in America, in a land where the principle of freedom is so sacredly held, offers me a distinct perspective on the war and its aftermath. As part of the 1.5 generation, reading about the war in American textbooks and watching historic clips did nothing to fill that empty void, to better connect myself with the communal suffering of my heritage. Music filled that void, thanks to the many Vietnamese composers that transcribed their feelings. From Trần Thiện Thanh’s “Rừng Lá Thấp” that brought me the emotions of a solider to Duy Khánh “Xin Anh Giữ Trọn Tình Quê” of nostalgic feelings, these songs bridge the gap of my generation and that of my mother’s. This genre of music not only captures the feelings of those that directly experienced such tragedies, but enables me, the later generation, to truly grasp what occurred. Just listening to the emotional lyrics provokes me to think about how fortunate I am, to think of the men and women who have endured so much, and to be proud of my Vietnamese roots. The Vietnam War has left a scar, but the Vietnamese community is thriving, transforming such adversity and pain into inspiration for success- something I long admire and follow.
My mom not only lives by this mantra, but exemplifies it to the fullest. Starting her life anew on foreign soil, without knowing a word of English to communicate, demonstrates the utmost sacrifice and perseverance more than any song. She speaks little of the war, only asking that I do well in school. As a child, I considered myself a spy in training, and only through my eavesdropping skills did I hear her retell her journey. I remember asking my mom why. Why would she give up her youth, jump into a boat among 60 others, and risk her life at sea when she couldn’t swim. She looked at me, stared into the void space and said, “vì tự do.” This made me think about my life, how I really don’t have an excuse to whine or complain about anything for the rest of my life. Only a few years ago, my mom dropped her barber profession to take care of my bed-stricken grandmother, a stroke survivor. My mom is truly the embodiment of the Vietnamese fighting spirit. Her account, along with other stories of suffering and endurance through both songs and tears, has taught me the true value of freedom as well as the meaning of sacrifice.
As Lan Cao ends her novel, Monkey Bridge, she’s reminded of home by the crescent moon in the shape of a dangling seahorse, the shape of Vietnam. I, too, am constantly reminded of my ethnic heritage thanks to the songs and stories. While I call America my home, I know my mom does not see it that way, but yearns to return back to her home, the land she calls quê hương, Việt Nam.
KÍNH TẶNG MẸ TÔI VÀ NHỮNG PHỤ NỮ VIỆT TRONG NGHỀ NAILS NHÂN NGÀY VU LAN 2010
Nguyễn Kim Ngọc
Những sự khó nhọc mà gia đình tôi đã đi qua chỉ vì họ muốn đem lại cho thế hệ sau một tương lai tươi đẹp. Vào lúc đó thì tôi chợt nghĩ rằng: Nếu ai đó đã cố gắng làm một công việc mà bị nhiều người khác chê cười, chỉ vì tương lai của con cái họ, thì người đó thật là đáng khen ngợi, đáng được tôn trọng. Người mà hy sinh bản thân và cuộc sống của mình để con cái được hạnh phúc thì thật là đáng nể. Bởi vì gia đình tôi đã can đảm làm những việc mà người khác coi thường, tôi đang sống nơi đây. Tôi đang có cơ hội để hiểu biết thêm về kiến thức. Tôi đang đi đến một tương lai sáng ngời. Và tôi đã tìm ra câu trả lời mà cô giáo Anh đã hỏi hồi năm xưa: Khi tôi lớn lên, tôi sẽ đem đến những sự đổi mới cho cuộc đời. Và hiện tại, tôi là một người không hề sợ hải hoặc e ngại khi nói lên, "Tôi rất tự hào là gia đình tôi làm nail vì họ làm điều đó cho tương lai của tôi."
"I want to be a person who changes the ordinary"
Ngọc Nguyễn
.
NGUYỄN KIM NGỌC
THÍ SINH ĐOẠT GIẢI KHUYẾN HỌC CDVN HTD, MD, VA
THÍ SINH ĐOẠT GIẢI KHUYẾN HỌC CDVN HTD, MD, VA
When I grow up, I want to be a person who changes the ordinary. And for now, I am the person who is not afraid to say, “I am proud that my family works at the nail salon because they do it for my future.”
Nguyễn Kim Ngọc
Just a few years ago, my English teacher asked her class who each person would like to be when he or she grows up. Some wanted to be doctors, scientists, and some wanted to be lawyers, engineers… When she asked me, I looked around and asked myself, “What do I want to be in the future?” A classmate yelled out, “Maybe you can work at a nail salon!” It was as if that was a joke, the class burst out in laughter. I felt hurt and discriminated. But most of all, I felt angry because in an attempt to make fun of me, that classmate has denoted something shameful about the job of a nail technician and about my own background.
My grandfather is a veteran from the Viet Nam war to gain independence for our beloved country. Though we had the help from American troops, after the war ended, grandpa was sent to an internment. Long after the suffering that grandpa endured, he and his family were finally brought to America by the American government to enjoy the freedom that he well deserves.
I’ve heard of many stories told by my dad about the struggle my grandpa’s family went through when they first came here, and I’ve always admired them because of their strength, their bravery, but most of all, their hard work. My grandpa entered the United States along with my grandma, and my five aunts and uncles. My uncles and aunts were no older than thirteen at that time, and so as the breadwinners of the family, my grandpa and grandma took on many jobs to support the family.
Life was hard because they had to learn English as a second language, alongside with finding jobs that would require no prior knowledge, training, or education. Yet to add on to the hardship, they had no relatives and no friends in America to lend a hand of support. My grandpa was a labor worker, my grandma worked as a nail technician, while my uncles took on part-time jobs as dishwashers at a restaurant near home.
I vividly remember my mom told me one day, “Con nhớ là phải học giỏi, để rồi mai mốt, con sẽ có tương lai tốt đẹp. Người Việt như mẹ với bà ngoại đây qua Mỹ trễ quá, mù chữ, nên phải làm nail, cực lắm con ơi.” That was when I realized that Vietnamese migrate to the United States to look for opportunities; opportunities, not for themselves, but for the future generation. I realized that my mom would withstand it when people criticized her position as a nail technician only to bring me a better future.
All the hard work my family has done was to develop a better and brighter future for the next generation to come. At that point, I realized that no matter what path people take in life, everyone deserves respect. Someone who is willing to work a job that people look down upon to support his or her children should deserve to be respected because that person is selfless; that person is willing to make sacrifices for the ones he or she loves. Because my family was brave enough to take on those jobs that are considered to be “low in standard”, I stand where I am today. I am getting an education. I am making a brighter future.
I found the answer to my teacher’s question: When I grow up, I want to be a person who changes the ordinary. And for now, I am the person who is not afraid to say, “I am proud that my family works at the nail salon because they do it for my future.”
Nguyễn Kim Ngọc
Just a few years ago, my English teacher asked her class who each person would like to be when he or she grows up. Some wanted to be doctors, scientists, and some wanted to be lawyers, engineers… When she asked me, I looked around and asked myself, “What do I want to be in the future?” A classmate yelled out, “Maybe you can work at a nail salon!” It was as if that was a joke, the class burst out in laughter. I felt hurt and discriminated. But most of all, I felt angry because in an attempt to make fun of me, that classmate has denoted something shameful about the job of a nail technician and about my own background.
My grandfather is a veteran from the Viet Nam war to gain independence for our beloved country. Though we had the help from American troops, after the war ended, grandpa was sent to an internment. Long after the suffering that grandpa endured, he and his family were finally brought to America by the American government to enjoy the freedom that he well deserves.
I’ve heard of many stories told by my dad about the struggle my grandpa’s family went through when they first came here, and I’ve always admired them because of their strength, their bravery, but most of all, their hard work. My grandpa entered the United States along with my grandma, and my five aunts and uncles. My uncles and aunts were no older than thirteen at that time, and so as the breadwinners of the family, my grandpa and grandma took on many jobs to support the family.
Life was hard because they had to learn English as a second language, alongside with finding jobs that would require no prior knowledge, training, or education. Yet to add on to the hardship, they had no relatives and no friends in America to lend a hand of support. My grandpa was a labor worker, my grandma worked as a nail technician, while my uncles took on part-time jobs as dishwashers at a restaurant near home.
I vividly remember my mom told me one day, “Con nhớ là phải học giỏi, để rồi mai mốt, con sẽ có tương lai tốt đẹp. Người Việt như mẹ với bà ngoại đây qua Mỹ trễ quá, mù chữ, nên phải làm nail, cực lắm con ơi.” That was when I realized that Vietnamese migrate to the United States to look for opportunities; opportunities, not for themselves, but for the future generation. I realized that my mom would withstand it when people criticized her position as a nail technician only to bring me a better future.
All the hard work my family has done was to develop a better and brighter future for the next generation to come. At that point, I realized that no matter what path people take in life, everyone deserves respect. Someone who is willing to work a job that people look down upon to support his or her children should deserve to be respected because that person is selfless; that person is willing to make sacrifices for the ones he or she loves. Because my family was brave enough to take on those jobs that are considered to be “low in standard”, I stand where I am today. I am getting an education. I am making a brighter future.
I found the answer to my teacher’s question: When I grow up, I want to be a person who changes the ordinary. And for now, I am the person who is not afraid to say, “I am proud that my family works at the nail salon because they do it for my future.”
Vài năm về trước, cô giáo dạy Anh của tôi hỏi tất cả học sinh rằng họ muốn làm gì khi họ lớn lên. Có bạn thì muốn làm bác sỹ, nhà khoa học. Bạn khác thì muốn làm luật sư, kỹ sư.. Khi cô giáo hỏi đến tôi thì tôi nhìn quoanh và tự hỏi mình, "Tôi muốn làm gì trong tương lai?" Có một ai đó la lên, "Bạn có thễ làm nail đấy!" Cứ thể như điều đó là một trò cười, ai ai trong lớp cũng bật cười. Tôi cảm thấy buồn và tức giận vì họ đã coi thường những người làm nail, và họ đã coi thường địa vị của gia đình tôi.
Ông ngoại tôi là cựu chiến binh từ hồi chiến tranh dành sự tự do cho nhân dân miền Nam. Việt nam đã có sự giúp của quân đội Hoa Kỳ, nhưng sau khi chiến tranh kết thúc thì phần thắng lại chẳng thuộc về những người đấu tranh cho sự tự do chính nghĩa. Và những chiến sĩ như ngoại tôi đã bị quân thắng trận giam giữ sau những năm tháng từ đấy. Nhiều năm gian khổ thì ông ngoại tôi lại được trở về nhà với gia đình và được chính phủ Hoa Kỳ đưa đến đất nước Mỹ để được hưởng sự tự do thật sự mà bao nhiêu năm đã bỏ biết bao công sức và tuổi thanh xuân để bảo vệ.
Năm 2003 chính là năm mà ngoại bảo lảnh gia đình tôi qua Mỹ. Tôi đã nghe ba tôi kể thật nhiều chuyện về sự khó khăn mà gia định ngoại đã trải qua khi họ bước lên đất nước Mỹ. Ông ngoại tôi sang Mỹ cùng với bà ngoài và 5 cậu, dì của tôi. Tôi luôn luôn khâm phục họ vì họ thật là mạnh mẽ, can đảm, và kiên trì. Ông ngoại làm việc lao động trong hảng, bà ngoại làm nail, còn các cậu thì rửa chén trong nhà hàng. Cuộc sống sao thật gian khổ vì ngoại vừa phải học tiếng Anh, vừa phải làm những công việc lao động - những công việc mà không cần đến sự hiểu biết tiếng Anh. Và để thêm vào nỗi đắng cay ấy, ngoại tôi chẳng quen biết ai trên đất nước Mỹ xa lạ này. Ngoại chẳng có ai để chia sẻ nỗi buồn, chẳng biết nương tựa vào ai khác trừ hai bàn tay trắng của mình.
Tôi nhớ có một ngày mẹ bảo tôi, "Con nhớ là phải học giỏi, để rồi mai mốt, con sẽ có tương lai tốt đẹp. Người Việt như mẹ với bà ngoại đây qua Mỹ trễ quá, mù chữ, nên phải làm nail, cực lắm con ơi." Khi đó tôi mới biết rằng: Người Việt mình qua Mỹ để tìm cơ hội; một cơ hội không phải cho họ, mà cho con cái, cho thế hệ trong tương lai. Tôi biết rằng mẹ tôi đã nghiến răng chịu đựng khi mọi người chê báng nghề làm nail của mình chỉ để đem lại cho chị em tôi một tương lại sáng đẹp.
Davis Trần & Ngọc Nguyễn
Theo: Diễn Đàn Net
Theo: Diễn Đàn Net
Tin mới
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