Stories That Bring Us Closer to Home
Weekly reflections on Vietnamese culture, identity, travel, traditions, and the stories that connect us across generations and borders.
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Whether it's about identity, culture, family, belonging, or your connection to Vietnam, we'd love to hear from you.
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Anthropology of Kinship Language
In Vietnamese, language does more than communicate. It places us within relationships. This editorial explores the anthropology of con and cháu, examining how two everyday words reveal ideas of kinship, respect, regional identity, and belonging, while reflecting on how diaspora families can carry these traditions into future generations.
The Art of Mặt Nạ Giấy Bồi
Long before vibrant colors bring them to life, Vietnam's traditional paper masks begin with simple layers of paper, patient hands, and generations of craftsmanship. In this editorial, we explore the history of mặt nạ giấy bồi, their role in the Mid Autumn Festival, the artisans preserving this fading tradition, and what these handcrafted masks continue to teach us about memory, identity, and cultural heritage, both in Vietnam and across the global Vietnamese diaspora.
Anthropology of "Mời"
What does the simple act of saying mời before a meal reveal about Vietnamese culture? This editorial explores the anthropology of mời, examining how one everyday tradition reflects kinship, respect, hospitality, and belonging, while considering how Vietnamese families in the diaspora can continue passing these values on to future generations.
Why Many Vietnamese in the Diaspora Feel Disconnected From Their Roots
Why do so many members of the Vietnamese diaspora feel disconnected from their roots, even when Vietnam has always been part of their story?
Drawing on historical context, psychological research, migration studies, and personal reflection, this editorial explores how war, displacement, language loss, bicultural identity, and intergenerational trauma have shaped the experiences of overseas Vietnamese around the world. More importantly, it examines why a growing number are now reconnecting with their heritage and discovering that belonging is not about being "Vietnamese enough," but about understanding the journey that brought them here.
Why We Created a Vietnam Heritage Tour for the Vietnamese Diaspora
Why create another tour in Vietnam when thousands already exist?
Because for many of us in the diaspora, we weren't looking for another itinerary. We were looking for connection. To culture. To community. To stories that felt familiar. To parts of ourselves we didn't fully understand.
This is the story behind why we created our Heritage Experiences and what happens when travel becomes something more than sightseeing.
A Conversation About Home, Identity, and Belonging with Our Host: Jason Phúc Hữu Nguyễn
What does it mean to belong?
For Jason Nguyen, it's a question that has shaped much of his life and work. Born in Vietnam and raised in the United States, he has spent years creating spaces for conversations around identity, culture, family, and community through his projects Nguyễn Dynasty and Ngã Ba. This November, he joins Third Culture Vietnam as the host of our Heritage Tour, inviting others to explore the stories, memories, and connections that continue to shape who we are.
Anthropology of "Dạ"
The Anthropology of Dạ explores one of the smallest words in the Vietnamese language and the worlds it contains.
More than a simple response, dạ can express respect, care, attentiveness, humility, and belonging. It reflects how relationships are navigated, how generations communicate, and how culture is carried through everyday interactions.
Through stories, conversations, and lived experiences, we examine what this single word reveals about Vietnamese identity. Not just what it means, but what it says about the values, histories, and ways of being that continue to shape us today.
Keeping the Mid-Autumn Light Alive
Every Mid Autumn Festival, lanterns illuminate streets, homes, and memories across Vietnam. Yet beyond the celebration lies something deeper: a tradition of gathering, storytelling, and passing light from one generation to the next. As the world changes, how do we keep that light alive, not only through ritual, but through the values, connections, and cultural memories it represents?
Reverse Migration Deep Dive: Coming Home, and What It Really Means
More and more members of the Vietnamese diaspora are returning to Vietnam, not as tourists, but in search of something deeper. For some, it is a chance to reconnect with family and culture. For others, it is an opportunity to understand a place they have only known through stories. This deep dive explores the emotional, cultural, and personal realities of reverse migration, and what it truly means to come home.