In our own backyard

Last month we discovered that there was a Vietnamese restaurant right in our own backyard. The restaurant has been there for about 10 years and we never realized that it was only 12 miles from our house. The food is a blend of Vietnamese and Chinese so you have several choices and variety. They have the traditional spring rolls and of course the Vietnamese Pho soup! What more could you ask for? I'm just glad we don't have to drive 40 miles out of our way to go into the city for Pho. Now we try to make it to the restaurant at least once a month. So last Friday was our monthly pilgrimage ;-)


I have to laugh because on our first visit to the restaurant, the waitress, who was Vietnamese, looked at me and then looked at my children and asked me if we were Vietnamese. I answered yes and she proceeded to speak to me in the Vietnamese language. I really hadn't expected this to happen in my own hometown so I smiled and told her that I don't speak Vietnamese even though I "look it". I felt like we were in Ho Chi Minh city again! This must have happened to me at least five times a day when we were in Vietnam!

I think age and maturity has allowed me to deal with this a little better. When I was younger, I didn't want to say I was from Vietnam because I didn't want to feel embarrassed. I felt ashamed because I didn't speak the language or know anything about my heritage. I still don't know much about our heritage nor the language but at least now, I feel a little prouder and more comfortable of who I am and what I've become. I feel I'm having to "re-learn" who I am through my children's eyes. I know it sounds all corny, but it goes back to being adopted.