I don't really know how to explain how I feel but..
Let say if u, a Vietnamese American, living in America, get marry in America with a Vietnamese Women, retained your culture heritage and have kids, and then teach the kids how to speak and know our culture, then someday they will have kids of their own, but you won't know if they won't pass it on.. and their kids could be totally Americanized and forgot our heritage, marry outside of our race, and thus as time pass, the family will be totally whitewashed and thus your family line would end. On a side note, if you are a Vietnamese living in Vietnam, the situation would be totally different, because one can not feel appreciation for one culture if one have never seen it on a daily basic

I feel the same way man. I'm scared of the outcome.

That's why when we have children, we need to take out children and visit Vietnam regularly so that they don't forget their roots.

I plan to do that.

I agree. I don't even know much about my own culture/heritage. My parents never really pushed the traditional things on us. But I'll try to learn more so that my children will be proud of and love their culture.

Fear is the beginning of wisdom. What actions are you going to take, so that your children will be at ease saying that they are Vietnamese even if their mother is not?

If we are strong, they are more likely to proud and learn about true culture.

I plan to do what Socal is doing and bring them to Vietnam,
Teach them our struggles and history,
Show them why it is important,
Show them why we are special,
Show them why it is important to be special.

That is if I am not already in Vietnam. I plan to go back there and become and architect.

Learn about culture (especially history) first, because the strengths come from an understanding of the culture and the challenges it has faced over the centuries.

if only I could return to Vietnam and live a life there, that way I would know at least know that my children and descendants could have a chance to embrace our culture as I have. But it is only a dream because no one want to leave a free country for a unfree one.

Sign up with an American firm. That way, you'll also be making American money

What sense do you mean by strong?

Look at Paris Hilton. Her family is rich and strong and see how she turns out.

how can we pass on our culture if u keep criticising and make the kids unproud of ur heritage ....
and let me ask the yellow flaggies , do u tel ur kids to worship the yellow flag? do u tell them they're south vietnamese or vietnamese in general ? ....becoz if i were them, i would think my heritage no longer exist!

You have to intrigue them first.


At least you ain't afraid of being white and I've never seen her date out.

Its impossible, let me give you an example.
Say you were raised by another family, would you be attached to your birth-family ot the family that youre living with?
Our generation will feel a little bit of VIETism but the next one wont. They may look Viet but they dont think, act, and speak like Viet. Where will they feel accepted? certainly not in Viet Nam.

I don't agree with you on this point. Vietnamese people generally accept everyone who appreciates her culture as Vietnam has been a melting pot with many cultures & ethnic for centuries. I also think history and heritage of Vietnam play big part in this. Historians over the world pay a great respect to Vietnam history so I'm pretty sure that the future Vietnamese generations will not fail to see the same thing. It's good that the president of Vietnam pays a visit to Đền Hùng every Tết. They also got plan to revive Đàn Nam Giao.
For me personally, I would like to see the image of Water Spirit tattoo that our ancestors used to have, remember how the word country is called in Vietnam, đất nước (land & water).

Go to Vietnam right now and you'll appreciate how far your parents have come. I just recently went back like 4 months ago and its like the best experience ever

I will think about it when I have children.

i doubt that would happen

as long as you have viet commuties shopping malls and pho restaurants you are all set. people will go there. they like vietnamese food because it is good.

this is common for immigrants... nothing new.

it just seems natural that we lose our culture over here. there isn't enough of us, and we're not that rich.

Cultural erosion in the U.S. is an inevitability.

^ yes and thats why you have to maintain the home countries

i wouldnt want my kids not knowing their heritage or the language
i plan to bring my fiancee to vn and get married there and raise kids there for a while then bring them back to north america

Blame it on the ba que's news broadcasters. If you have some forty-something news announcers, show hosts etc. who can't even speak Vietnamese without inserting English words in mid-sentence, mat goc is inevitable and good. That's how the ba que will disappear which is all good.

Oversea Viets should follow the Chinese example in retaining language and culture.

theres lots of white washed chinese out there
but the ones u talking about are only able to do that is because theres so many of them

you Americans have it good, what about the other Vietnamese communities in other parts of the world...

Like it or not....................This is the Price of Assimilation !

Ask the Chams !

Ask the Khmer !

Ask the Chinese (well some of them anyway).............

"When you do not have a home, and a host take you in...You better adapt to that new environment as soon as possible" <--------------------------you don't trust me on this ? Just look @ the mexicans in the USA !

I was talking with a Chinese man on a plane to Hong Kong about this very issue. He told me things like for him returning to China was like a fish returning to water. It is what he grew up in, what he is used to. And he ask me if that was the same like returning to Vietnam? My answer was complex.

I am not Vietnamese. I am Vietnamese-American. I love tet, I love Vietnamese food, and yes, I like to promote the Asian values, but essentially I do not feel comfortable living right now in Vietnam. I have been back to "discover my roots" but being in Vietnam makes me feel more American; ironically, I feel more Vietnamese when I am in America.

But I do value Vietnamese culture (I guess as evident by my interest in frequenting this forum). In America, there is pluralism where you are allowed (to a certain extent) to retain your cultural heritage while assimulating into mainstream American society. I suppose this notion is not as prevalent in Vietnam or China where their respective government try to promote this rampant nationalism live "for your country right or wrong."

I understand the term "white-washed" but also I think most people here make the unwarranted assumptions that you have to be either "white-washed" or "Vietnamese" forcing people to choose between this notion of nationalism or betrayal and turning your back on one's culture. THERE is a middle way.

Also, I guess no one takes offense at the way "white-washed" is used. Why not "black-washed" or "Asian-washed"? American comes in many shades. In America you have a Black man running for President, two black secretary of state, Asian secretary of labor, etc...face it, it's too simplistic to cloak this type of discussion about American identity in terms of racial bigotry. Identity is fluid. "Nations are imagined community." If you study Vietnamese history or the history of any country for that matter you will realize this.

*For the record, also being a "red-flagger" is not a pre-requiste for being Vietnamese despite propaganda to the contrary. When you believe this then you will start believing "1st Karl Marx, then Lenin, then Ho, then your father."

It all comes down to individual choices and individual experience. Let's respect that.

Vietnamese American= Overrated... long live Chuckie Akenz

ok it is ok to be paranoid

I sometimes feel that because viet is alot better now, I should go back help out with my knowledge and skills no matter the pay, I would be greatly respected.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOO, whats stopping you since its "better" now!

that's expected anyway

I earn good money here, once I save a good amount then I can talk about it more.

if you're interested, here's a website on Viet expatriates living in Vietnam:
not All have good experience living in Vietnam. depend on how long you been away from Vietnam, culture shock is expected and ready to learn the "way" they do business there. and be ready to hear some of them call you "crazy" for coming back because most of them desparately trying to go abroad. but its your life and your personal choice. I'm sure more people will come back when the polictical environment changed and government is more transparent.

http://www.livinginvietnam.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=1

I think the best way is learning Vietnamese in the family and keep speaking Vietnamese in the family. Then chidren can back VietNam and communicate without an interpreter. That's great!!!

that is very true. when I was much younger, my parents encouraged me to sing KaraOKAY even tho I sound terrible.
and I went to a Buddhist temple for years learning the religion, language, and culture. In overseas communities like Orange County, San Jose, Houston or Melbourne, you have a well concentrated Viet people so you are constantly interact with each other and community events. of course, there will always that minority group who decided to detached themselves from the Viet communities and if that makes them happy, power to them. Plus with Vietnam opening up, more and more young overseas Viet coming back to visit and discover their root.
overall, we are not losing the young Viet overseas, at least my area, the Bay Area.

I would visit vietnam, but there is no way freaking way I will ever live there. I like my roads big. I like southern california weather. I like my personal space. It's so damn crampy over there. Went to hanoi in the summer..Hot Damn. These people seem like they have no personality. All pushy and crap. To visit and learn..yes..but to live full time? Hell No. USA is still the best country to live in.

OK, we lost you

that why you should hit the phim tau!(viet dub) so they can learn viet from it :P ahah

For the 2nd time in our history, we are being tested once again.

It's already happening. I've seen third gen Viets who don't speak Vietnamese and whose parents talk to them in accentless English.

Nothing wrong with assimilation and marrying outside the race. One fears that marrying outside the race and speaking flawlessy english or anything else besides vietnamese might corrupt their offspring, has to look in the mirror and ask themselves "why the insecurity?"

If you aren't ashamed of your heritage, you wont have to worry that your children wont know their background. Education starts at home and not in some far-off (home)land.

The OP makes it sound negative that if "you're viet-am and get married to a fellow viet-am and have kids, and raise them as such, but then their kids might get married to non-viets and turn out to be whitewashed."
Why in the world would they deny their heritage if they arent taught by their own parents to appreciate it. Just look at the Irish, you still have ppl all over the world claiming their irish acestery after 300 years.
Does that seem unfeasable for Viets? It surely shouldn't be.

Many of you open your mouth and talk big about supporting Vietnam and your fellowman, but dont even consider moving back to experience just 1 YEAR living there.

For example: "I want to move back, work in VN and share my western ideals and values and support the economy!!!!"
="however, i got a good and comfy job here, so i'll do just that until i saved enough to go back and i like my roads big" which will never happen.

SO your ethics and morals to make a change or take up the initiative to get in touch with your seemingly 'lost heritage' is swayed just be the inconvenience of living in VN?

The other half proclaims "VIET PRIDE" all over, yet act like idiots which reflects poorly on Viets everywhere.
Viet Pride is not a slogan for juvenile delinquents to paint all over their cars and drive like maniacs.

its true. as an irish man i can tell you my 1 year old son can speak some irish words and listens everyday to irish music and eats irish food as much as possible. he is half irish-half thai but i gurantee he will feel very irish. i dont push too hard as that will make him hate it. its all about the parents trying to show the nice attractive side to the culture that will pulll them in.


have some pride in your heitage and your kids will too.

yeah, thats what i'm doing now, i'm learning about the different hanboks and traditional games by myself cos my parents do not really teach me... and i'm gonna learn the ancient korean language too... my parents only thought me the modern korean language

Why waste time with these old ancient cultures, it doesn't make us any blacker or getting any respect from the brothas. We need to assimilate, and what's hot today is gangster rap/hip hop, so we must keep up with the time.

Back in the days it was hot being white, but today things has changed. You oldies once look up to the white, hence, the young generation has the right to chose their own path.


Thug life, niggah!!!

The ever famous Micheal Jackson himself has finally becomes white. Dream do come true, no?

The negative thoughts never enter my mind, so I suggest the all wannabes hang in there because time is indeed on your side.


Here are the few who almost "made" it. Let them be your inspiration. You can find sounds and practice guidance here.



"Yo dog, don't give up"



"Yo its your boi, jimmboi. Gyeah!!"


Here is the king himself...


" All I ever wanted..."

NOT TRUE

Have you heard of "The Principle of Third-Generation Interest" from Marcus Hansen? Basically, it states that in the third generation (the grandchildren of the original immigrants) ethnic interest and awareness would actually increase. According to Hansen, "What the son wishes of forget, the grandson wishes to remember."

The 1st and 2nd generations would try to assimilate, but the 3rd would be interest in the revival of their heritage.