Updates (February 25, 2025)

It took me 4 years to understand Vietnamese from Canada and what we think and do and project for our future.

I used to think poor and just wanted a job.

After socializing with Vietnamese from Canada, I realize we do have an identity and want to carve out ours to feel right.

After socializing with Vietnamese from Canada, I realize I can have the Western life of doing good things that take time. I can now project 20 years out. I am no longer frantic no more and worried. I am not worried about what people say or do no more. That is all under control because I have people like me to talk to.

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That is the cool thing about finally socializing with Vietnamese from Canada. There is no rush or judgements placed on you from each other. It is a long road and we are walking together slowly. We are happy that we have each other walking the path in a developed country taking our time doing the things we want and can for our health and gradual growth.

When I was talking to my friends and family back home in Vietnam, they all expected fast everything that caused me to get fat and anxious all the time. Even my parents are anxious. Even my brother and sisters are anxious thinking about the future.

The trick though for me to cease my anxiety was doing and knowing that computer programming is a lifetime activity to get good. Understanding that you have to grow and accept to grow a little everyday while doing it. Once you have done it for so long, any expectations from yourself or from others, you dismiss and can not accept and toss away because you have learned that to get the best results and skills in life is computer programming and that knowledge takes time, lots of time.

Vietnamese people not exposed to at least a decade of Canadian life experience may cause you confusion, distress and anxiety because they expect things done yesterday. That is the culture?

The solid foundation and connection I have with other Vietnamese from Canada made me finally calm and relaxed and at rest for the rest of my life.

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In 2009, I went back to school to do computer science. I knew life was harder than school. It could be 100x harder or more. I concentrated on the work and passed the course. That was life at the hardest point if you wanted.

I am not sure what happened in 2016 while I was working outside. I knew how to live life since kindergarten but I went astray living. In 2017, with enough life experiences, I went back to school for computer programming.

After socializing more, finally in 2025, I found that the life of taking care of yourself doing something thoughtful and meaningful is the way on your own time. That means living the supported Western sphere doing learning and thinking quietly. Taking your time and just existing and doing.

You don’t need to be in schools or work to do this really. You need some socializing though. Somehow appreciate you have ample time, money and opportunity to take care of your health by being busy in the West.

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Now I understand that the biggest problem that I have all along was I wasn’t socialized with Vietnamese from Canada. I did not understand the same struggle we had trying to get work and get education and get developed. We have the same feelings.