BLOG 3 (1)

People often mistake me for being Chinese because I am Vietnamese. While asking about someone's background can be a good conversation starter, assuming that all Asians are Chinese is disrespectful. I want my identity as a Vietnamese person to be respected and not blended with anything else. It's frustrating when people forget or ignore my nationality. Being Vietnamese is something I am proud of, with our rich history, diverse cuisine, strong community, and resilience. I am a Vietnamese, and usually, before I introduce myself, people would come up and talk to me in Chinese. Are you Chinese is the most common question I get asked every single time I'm in another country, especially in those that Asians are not the dominating group of people. Asking people about their backgrounds might be a good way to start off the conversation, but playing a game of guessing every single Asian country into the right one is not cool, or even funny. It is not because I dislike the Chinese people or have any resentment towards one country, but it is because I want my identity to be respected and not to be blended with anything else. This also sounds like my nationality has been forgotten and sometimes does not even exist, and I think assuming all Asians are Chinese is the most frustrating thing, not only for me, but for the majority as well. Being Vietnamese is the most thing I am proud of, part of our thousands of years of history, part of our unique and diverse culinary traditions, part of our rich cultural heritage, strong sense of community, and resilience in the face of adversity.