Race, Ethnicity, and Identity My family and I would classify ourselves as Vietnamese racially. Both of my parents were born and raised in Vietnam in Saigon before immigrating over to the United States and then I was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan as an only child. My parents gave me a common American first name but kept my last name to keep my original roots. As a Vietnamese person, I still can barely read my language but can relatively speak it so some parts of my culture are lost; however, I am trying to relearn it to become more fluent. Vietnam’s predominant religion is Buddhism and my family also practices Buddhism. I personally don’t really follow much of its teachings nor invest time into it as much as my parents’; however, it is part of my culture relative to my ethnicity. In Vietnam, there are temples where people could visit or practice there. Both of my parents used to follow teachings and watch religious teachings on the Vietnamese television, but slowly declined. My parents do not push me to follow in their footsteps for Buddhism, but on paperwork that asks for my religion, I would select Buddhism because my family is Buddhist. …show more content…
Physically, I look no more different than an average Vietnamese person or the majority of other Asians but with subtle differences: fair or tan skin, black hair, brown eyes, angled or squinting eyes. Culturally, I do not follow much of the practices in Vietnam or its customs such as wearing the Ao Dai (long dress) in formal events or bowing to people as a greeting in the United States; however, it is a sign of respect in Vietnam. My family still practices some of the customs such as honoring ancestors with an alter and preparing special food, but not as much as my relatives in