While my family normally chose to visit natural scenery, I requested that we looked at more historical sites instead. Although we visited numerous places, my personal favorite site was the Imperial City in Hue, the palace of the last ruling dynasty in Vietnamese history. While much of the palace is still being restored, its remaining architectural magnificence still offers an insight into the extravagant lives of Vietnamese royalty. Because western media only portrays Vietnam as a side character in America’s quest for containment during the Cold War, it felt especially meaningful to experience a side of Vietnam that is rarely mentioned. Visiting the Imperial City made me realize that there are many aspects to Vietnamese history that the younger generation of Vietnamese-Americans, including myself, are ignorant of. This has motivated me to further research into our history, as well as educate my peers about it.
Both my love of history and my trip to Vietnam have instilled a considerably heightened pride of my cultural heritage. In the future, I hope to not only explore other civilizations, such as China and Korea, as well and share my knowledge and passion with