Update (May 27, 2025)

Everyone thinks the same.

People have dreams, wishes and wants I realize more now as I tried to understand my needs dark and light.

The goal is to do stuff.

But at my point it is just to zone out.

All the commotion of what is right and wrong, what is a need and what is a want don’t make sense at this age and time. When you reach this age and experience, the thing is to work on something to keep you pushing forward and positive.

You just need to be busy and therefore zone out.

At the end of zoning, you get something new and nice. Something nice to learn and see.

…

Being born in Durham Region …

What did it do for me?

I lived among Canadians for the most part. I had Western dreams.

If you don’t have Western dreams … then what do you have?

If you are born here, you might have Western dreams of achieving the lifestyle and success like a Westerner.

But there is a limit. There is also the real world …

…

So I am 41 years old … What did I learn?

Well what I did with my brother and team was good.

It started with my brother as he is older by 4 years. He is always thinking of doing stuff as he is very Westernized.

He doesn’t have Vietnamese friends. He his missing the exposure to Vietnam and the Vietnamese experience.

Once he understands the Vietnamese perspective, culture and drive intermingled in Vietnam and the West he will do the other things like me to increase his life. Things like relationships, other interests and building logic skills like math and coding to have a full life like I am trying to have.

…

Having the unwavering support of Tammy Nguyen, I am finally seeing the other perspective of Vietnamese.

I got finally recognized by people in Vietnam doing great things.

That is the thing. Once you are connected with Vietnamese who are born in Canada/West like you, you fully embodied the identity of being Vietnamese and think like a Vietnamese so you have something to be. Before, I did not know who I was. I was in 2 worlds. Having the support of Vietnamese born in Canada solidified my identity so I actually do stuff and go with them to building, creating and growing and having full support without the in-between feelings and reluctance to say or do. I can firmly do what I feel naturally or at least zone out doing stuff.

Basically, I am Vietnamese doing growing things in the world only because I have the support from Vietnamese born in Canada and Canadians. Canadians allow me to practice my culture and grow it alongside Canadians as it is treated positive and constructive. Also what I do as a Vietnamese is small change to Canadians.

…

The things with being Vietnamese …

When Vietnamese are young like I was in university 20 years ago, I thought like a Vietnamese a lot.

I thought about the racial and cultural hierarchy and getting along.

Did it work out when I enter the workplace? No. It did not work out in Oshawa. I don’t think it works out in Toronto either.

Then how are you supposed to live? Work forward as possible I was told by nice people in Scarborough while attending college. University is different …

Also, when you get white hairs, wrinkles and are past 35 years old, the most satisfying thing in life is working hard … Past 40 is zoning out doing something. That is life. At 41 you have so much experience and knowledge, so much because you are the underdog in society that you adapt so quickly and ignore close minded people because they forgot they had to grow too.

If you don’t do that you are basically mince meat.

So in an environment that is closed minded and systemized, you have to basically walk away and do your own thing to just live because everyone has to grow beyond their race, culture and current mindset.

Therefore at 41 you zone out and just do stuff to reach the some production.

…

Why it is great to have a friend like Tammy Nguyen?

She knows how to support people and the has the large depth of support to live well anywhere in the world. There is no problems socializing and learning together and adapting. Everything is a gradual growth process that is ‘just living and life’. She understand life and taught that to me. I am grateful to have her support. I support her too.

…

What was it like being Vietnamese for the last 41 years?

Lots of people negatively projecting to me.

What did it do? Made me more resilient and keep to myself to learn and grow around stereotypes.

That occurs with everyone and every group.

And the more this happens, the more doing my thing.

That is life in society. That is how wheels turn.