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It was the strangest feeling to have come back to my place of birth. I didn't know how to react or what to even think of that country. I came there with little expectations or more like none at all. I'm the first person who's been back besides my mom, who went a decade ago. When we arrived, my friends and I went out to venture the city of Saigon, I felt so strange like I belonged there but yet I felt like a total stranger. What a odd position to be in, I thought. Anyhow, Dan S., Galen, Stephanie, and I went to eat at this cute Pho restaurant which cost us .50 cents for a bowl. It was so good!!! If you don't know what Pho is,…go get some now, it's the best Vietnamese noodle soup out there. They have them in major US cities.
Anyhow,…my uncle, my dad's younger brother, the only relative on my dad's side picked me up that next morning to go to his house. I have never met him before nor his family. I wonder what they thought of me when I came. I really didn't care, I just wanted to see them and talk to them. So, I did. I spoke to them all in Vietnamese and it was great! My aunt took me shopping to the best malls in Saigon and we went all out. I bought too many dresses(ao dai's) but they were all so cheap, though. If you like shopping, Vietnam is your place. I had a good time with them.
I then went to visit both of my grandparents grave and did my part as a grand-daughter. I then went to Quang Bien, a city where I used to live, north of Saigon an hour. I went back to where my old house was, which is where my uncle lives at the moment. He's my mom's older brother, the only one left in Vietnam. I have never met him either. When they saw me, they wondered why I was so short, living in America and all…how is that possible. Don't they have milk in America? No matter where in the world, I get teased. And on top of that, they thought I couldn't speak Vietnamese. I proved them wrong in seconds. Anyhow, I met my cousins and they are the coolest people on earth. At night, we walked to this place where the whole neighborhood would go and pray. After prayer, we went to a nearby restaurant and ate banh beo, a great dish! It was so good! The next day we went fishing where I caught three and one fell in. It was so much fun! I enjoyed in so much. I love that relax feeling of fishing.
Overall, I enjoyed my homeland very much so. It's tropical land, beautiful scenery, wonderful food, and people are just so kind and genuine. At times, I wonder how my life would have been if I didn't go to America. I guess like Skeet said, "I would be selling coconut on the street or selling postcards" or something of that nature. After being there, I feel not only appreciate of my life but the life that I have. My uncle who I went to visit in Saigon, Uncle Loc payed for my whole family to come to America so if it wasn't for him, I guess I would be selling postcards on the streets.
I hope you have enjoyed Vietnam as much as I did. I'll see you in Malaysia and Singapore.