Immigrant Voices Podcast Project

The Immigrant Voices Podcast Project brings you the voices of the courageous people who have made the U.S. their home. In their own words, you’ll hear about the lives and people they left behind in their native countries, their journeys here, their struggles and successes. You’ll hear from parents of “dreamers,” “dreamers” themselves, undocumented to naturalized citizens, and everything in between.

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Immigrant Voices Podcast Project

Jenny From Vietnam

April 30, 2022 • Deborah • Season 2 • Episode 22

An enterprising and resilient teenager in Vietnam, Jenny learned the art of sewing, creating stylish clothing for herself, her family, and her neighbors. Two more careers unfolded before marrying and coming to the U.S. at 30. Once here, this energetic, intelligent woman struggled through culture shock to gain enough English and confidence to make her way to a fourth career and a happy life. With her children in school, Jenny dreams of opening her own salon one day. Multi-talented, it’s clear that Jenny’s greatest passion and success are built around her love of connecting with people.

Guest Intro/00:38

Coming to the U.S./01:36

Deborah: So Jenny, welcome. Thanks for doing this interview. And tell me, how did you happen to come to the United States from Vietnam?

Jenny: Thank you, Deborah. I came to the USA by marrying my husband, but as I know it’s like in previous centers until the present it’s like plenty people around the world come here with different reasons like domestic violence, real life-threatening, and policies, economic. But honestly, I think I was lucky than many people by the way I came here because I’m married to my husband that more easy for me and I feel so happy for that.

Deborah: And how did you meet your husband? Is he American?

Jenny: No, my husband is before it is my brother’s friend. So when he was in Vietnam, when they was young, they play together. Also with my brother they live close like neighbor. So always he always visits my house at that time, but then later he moved to the USA to renew them with his family and then he couple of times he went back to travel and then at that time we always work together or like went out together and yeah, that’s why it looks like a movie, but like it the way I know him.

Deborah: Nice. Nice. And what year was it that you came to the United States Jenny?

Jenny: I came here when I was 30 between 31 years old. I remember about 2006. Yeah, 2006.

Culture Shock/03:31

Deborah: So, what was it like? Was it a shock, a culture shock coming to the United States?

Jenny: For me it’s in my imagination is like very different. When I was in my country my thought is, “Oh, America is nice, very easy. Everything is like heaven.” Because everyone says, “American dream, you know, everything easy, beautiful, wonderful.” But when I came here, oh my God, I really have culture shock. Well everything from A to Z—is like culture, language, and about like the people: how they wear their clothes every time in four seasons. Oh yeah, about the weather, also. It really different everything.

Deborah: What was the most shocking thing to you?

Jenny: Maybe about culture. Maybe about culture, yeah.

Deborah: What aspect of the culture are you referring to?

Jenny: Because here the first I remember when I first came here, everyone in my friend’s families because I visit their families. And I heard a little boy called a grandmom, uncle, or aunt, they call by the name. It’s not like as my country, that is impolite to call a girl like that, it’s like a relative. You are little younger people, you have to polite. It’s like, if your aunt have a name, you could not call by a name. You just like “Aunt” or like “Uncle” or like “Grandmom” or like the other way to call, but here, the little kids could call anything by name. It’s like, oh, Sandy, or like Michael. We are really shocked about that. Yeah.

Acquiring English/05:34

Deborah: So what happened when you came to the States? What was the first thing that you did? Did you get a job or did you go to school? What about your English. How much English did you know before you got here?

Jenny: Okay. So interesting question for me. It’s like, I learn English in my country when I was in middle school. But that’s just a basic one is like really basic one. And because the accent is very different from Vietnamese sound, you know. The teacher accent is like 100 percent total different from here. So that’s why when I look at the book or something, I easy then when the teacher talked. And when I came here every time I went out is very difficult for me because even when I asked something so simple like where a restroom is, I say the way I asked the way that they didn’t understand what I talking about and when they answer me and they show me where is I, if I even like didn’t understand what they talk about, what is show me around. What with that problem I was very nervous. And I asked my husband like, okay, I may went to school in Sunday. But because when I beginning here, I just like I used to visit around a city and know more about the location where I live, but I didn’t go to a school yet. But later on only one month later I went to location school in Boston, but after only a couple months I quit because at that time I was pregnant. I have a baby. I were tired the whole time, but when the first time I finished my school, it just for on level four in my English. So from that after I have a baby I busy with them the whole time and take care of my family. And I had no chance left to school again until last two years.

Deborah: How many children do you have?

Jenny: I have two kids and one boy and one girl. So they are attending school. Now they attending a great school now and I’m very happy for that.

Studying Online/08:15

Deborah: You have a little more freedom now?

Jenny: Yes, of course. That’s why I back to school. So from you remember 2019? 2019 was a difficult year for everyone in the world. So everyone’s stay at home around home. They could not went out anywhere except at home. So at that time, I have a chance to take online class to attend in a GPA program. Until now I feel I’m lucky and that’s how helping me to improve my English very much. I appreciate.

Deborah: That’s great. So it sounds like you, you know what’s going on now when someone is speaking to you.

Jenny: Yes, it’s very clearly. And if I didn’t understand that, I don’t understand what what are they talking, I will ask again and I know how to ask and I understand like normal. Basic thing. All I can ask or I can talk. Yeah.

Careers in Vietnam/09:23

Deborah: So you told me earlier that you have a job in a salon. Could you tell me a little bit about that work and how long you’ve been doing that?

Jenny: You mean my job in here or in my country?

Deborah: Both. I’d love to hear about what you did before you came here and, what you’re doing now that your kids are a little bit older.

Jenny: Oh, that’s a long story for me if I talk about.

Deborah: I love long stories. Why don’t you tell me what you did before you came to this country?

Jenny: That way. So, I remember that’s what in the decade 1990 that’s pretty long times ago. And at that time I still a teenager. So in my country, you know, Vietnam is not a development country at that time because the country is not open for the whole world, you know. And at that time if you want to looking for a good job, a good salary that’s a problem. So at that time before I still went to school, middle school only, but I think it’s like it, that’s socialism time because the people need not too rich to bought everything they want to enjoy the life like here. So at that time, the people love to sew their own garments like clothes, designer clothes at home. So too many lady, they just stay home and garment the clothes it like the tailor.

Deborah: Did you make your own clothes?

Jenny: Yes. So I went to a center to learn about it. I had my teacher and I learned how to design a clothes, how to make a style and have fashions. And at that time, you’ll have to pay not very expensive for that, because that job is very popular. And if that’s the case, you know. I still school, I stay in school and learn weekend only. So at the other time, if I free, I did my job at like tailor at home to help my neighbor, friends, and my family to design clothes and I not got the full price for that. It’s just like for supporting me, support to me to, to make properly all the material to this, to work with my job.That’s it. And they all very supported me at that time. And that’s my first career, my own business at home, but with not much money I own, you know, just for my hobbies and my favorite one to learn for that.

Deborah: So you were a teenager and you were in business for yourself?

Jenny: Yes. And I’m very I’m proud myself because at that age not much people know how to design the clothes they want and do what they want, but I did. I learned that and help my neighbor and people around me. So I’m proud of myself that time. And my second job I would tell me tell you about my second job.

Deborah: Is this your second job? You mean once you came to the States or a second job in Vietnam?

Jenny: It’s still in my country because I continue to tell that by my age, you know, and at that time, because I a little bit older, a little bit older, it’s like middle school, almost high school. So, I worked for a restaurant. I worked at the drink counter. They call it like here maybe they call it here bartender. But in my country, they call drink service or drink counter. So at that time, it like. If the people want some drink, I will make that. And just serve the people. And the other side in that culture, you’re not only just for drink, you first for too many different thing and different work, because like you know, in my country not one people are not, like one person here. I standing there, but you work with too many different work.

Deborah: Are you saying that the job meant you had to prepare the drinks, but you had lots of other things you had to do at the same time?

Jenny: Yes. Exactly.

Deborah: Like what were the other things you had to do?

Jenny: The other thing because the restaurant is not a small one. The restaurant is for it holds one to invite friends there to party or to have a wedding party, a birthday party. That also a hotel, but the hotel in upstairs a restaurant in downstairs. So I work it downstairs for a restaurant only, but I had to like connect with people like solving when they want to come here to ask for the menu, they asked for a service and they asked for a price like accounting, like how to pay at the finish the wedding.

Deborah: So they did the wedding planning and you helped with the wedding planning. And did you give them estimates of what it would cost them to have a wedding in the hotel?

Jenny: For me it like when the people come and you met with them and you talk about a menu and then you talk about a price and after they agree with everything. You introduced to the other departments with like a chef. So they have to talk more detail about that. But my work is only there and finish that. And when the party begins I have to work with just the drinks and after they finish a party I had to accounting with the meal and clean up everything. Oh my God!

Deborah: So many different parts of that job. You weren’t just a server. Yeah. We were like, you helped plan the events.

Jenny: Yes, that’s for that is I learn more, you know, I learn more from that and I happy to work with that because like I connect with too many kind of people around us. And I learned from them a lot. And more importantly like if someone needs help I can help, but after work my whole body numb.

Deborah: Exhausted.

Jenny: It’s so awful, but I happy to work with that job also.

Deborah: It sounds like you do a great job working with people.

Jenny: Yes. I love it. I love, I love to connect with people. Yes. And I worked there for a couple years.

Deborah: Then when you came to the States, what happened in terms of your careers?

Jenny: Oh, I’m still not finished. I still have the other job.

Deborah: Job number three in Vietnam.

Jenny: Job number three in Vietnam

Deborah: Oh, fantastic. Let’s hear it.

Jenny: You, you ready to hear my third job? And that job is a more interesting job I have.This time at that time I totally changed like eighty degrees with different job. Because at that time I have more skill between when I was worked with restaurant. I’ve had time to work and learn other skills. I learn computer. I learn a language like English and Chinese. And we got, I learned that at the other time of job, you know, in between and, after I quit that restaurant job, I feel more, I feel more confident for myself and I looking for the other job and this job I worked with a foreign company. My boss is from Taiwan. He was Taiwanese and that is garment factory.

Deborah: Wow! A garment factory. So this one, you knew a lot about it from your sewing.

Jenny: Yes, I sewing, but that totally different from what I learned because what I learned is just like a tailor a simple thing for yourself to do single, single one, you know, but a garment factory, they have to fiinish a ton of that as export to foreign country with over a thousand workers for that. And my boss is really a nice guy and he gave me a chance because that company also a new company just move from Vietnam you know.

Deborah: A chance.

Jenny: Yes. He gave you a chance to got the new job.

Deborah: What were your responsibilities in this new job for the garment factory?

Jenny: That’s a great question. Just same with the second job, I got you know, it’s still too many work on that job. So I was assistant for manager. So my job is also translate a language between Vietnamese, Chinese, and I also work with the workers in the factory to help them provide the accessories for the products. If they’re not enough, I have to connect with the client. I have to deal with manager. I have to deal with the workers and also I have to translate paperwork. What is that’s, like the client and all the sample, they have a technic technical a form in order it’s like the order form that asks you exactly how you garment the clothes. It’s like a fashion. Even the label on something very simple. You have to make exactly what they want. So I have to generate the paperwork for the worker and help them what they want. Yeah. It’s too much. It’s just stressful.

Deborah: So much responsibility.

Jenny: Too much for me. But I always try my best to work, but also at that time, I thought like because I’m new I’m new worker I’m new at that job. And I really appreciate for my boss to give me that chance to learn, you know. In my mind, I just thought like, oh, this job for learning, not for earning money. So that’s why I feel great.

Homesick While Making a Life in the U.S./20:57

Deborah: Was that the last job in Vietnam? And then you came to the United States. Or was there a fourth job?

Jenny: No, basically for when I came here it’s just like stay home parent the most time is because. When you came here, you’re no chance to do what you want, you know. It’s just so difficult. Because like I tell you is the culture shock and the language you just like a meal and sleep and empty. You know everything is so difficult for me when I beginning my new life. I thought that like just for a baby when you learn how to eat, how to walk, how to talk. I imagine the same thing with that for me at that time. And I feel it’s very, very hard for the beginning. I just feel, oh, I have to went back to my country. I could not stay here anymore for a couple years, you know?

Deborah: Wow. So you must’ve been homesick for Vietnam.

Jenny: Very. Absolutely. And I feel lonely because all my friend is not here. All my friend wasn’t here is all day worry in my country is my family only me and I only my husband family. At that time, I stay home to take care of my kids is I feel depression, you know? I’m feeling lonely. It’s really hard time for me.

Deborah: So the American dream was a little bit of a nightmare for a while.

Jenny: For me it’s like, I think it like because before I heard, when I was in, in my country, I heard everyone says different way before realize what you deal with is so different. It’s like you have to learn from zero, everything from a zero.

Deborah: That’s a big contrast from all those responsible jobs where people looked up to you as somebody who had so many skills and then to be here and be at zero again, must’ve been very hard.

Jenny: The first thing you have to try is learn the language that the most difficult one the language.

Deborah: Did you make clothing for your children? Did you sew clothes for them?

Jenny: Because here is heaven. I don’t need to sewing for my children and anywhere the price is not too expensive. The style is wonderful. So market anywhere, so that easy to purchase. So I don’t have to work so hard for that.

Finding a New Career/23:39

Deborah: You said you started to feel depressed. Did the depression lift? Did it go away a little bit, and if so, what made the depression go away?

Jenny: Yes. That’s also nice questions. Because at that time I thought like I could not stay home the whole time and I start to thought about, okay, I have to learn something. I learn something more easy to make money. And easy for me to don’t need too much language to learn. It’s like don’t need to too many skills of English. So my friend told me like, oh, you should learn about a nail job. It’s like a nail technician. And then I thought about this and then I take six months to learn to went to school and I got the license. Yeah. After I got a license, I started to apply for part-time jobs. It just a weekend when my husband stay home to help me take care of the baby. And then I work on the weekend for two days. And then, that makes me more happier to connect with other people.

Deborah: Are you still doing that work?

Jenny: I keep working. I keep working for that job until I have more time when my kid going. A couple year later I learn more about a facial and a facial needs more time. I need the whole year to learn and got the license for that. For now I still work only part-time and not a full-time. I love my job now.

Missing Vietnam/25:30

Deborah: That sounds great. What do you miss most now about Vietnam?

Jenny: Maybe my family because some of my siblings is still over there. And as the other sad story I think I miss, I miss my mom the most. You know in Vietnam last year the more difficult year in Vietnam because of COVID and my mom just passed away last year. I feel so the regret is the most regret thing I could not back there to visit her at that moment. At last moment that the most regret I couldn’t make.

Deborah: Are you saying that’s a regret?

Jenny: Yes. I miss her. That’s until now I still think about her.

Deborah: To go back to Vietnam. Are you do you have a green card or are you able to travel?

Jenny: No. I am a citizen now. I was a citizen from 2010. Yes. I got that from a long time ago but because the pandemic I cannot.

Deborah: The pandemic.

Jenny: Yeah. I could not went back at that time and that’s so, so hard for me to talk about that. Until now I still like oh, my God, not easy at all.

A Memento from Vietnam/26:56

Deborah: Did you bring something from Vietnam that you have with you? Some little thing, maybe that you carry in your purse or you keep near you that you will always keep with you?

Jenny: Oh, thank you for asking that question. That made me remember. Yeah. I show you this one. You see where I wear. That’s the ring. That’s just like a gem. That’s a gem that’s the more meaning that the most meaning stuff, I show you. That simple.

Deborah: Can you hold it up and just hold it? Let me take a picture of it. Okay. Just, just like that.

Jenny: So this ring is I always wear it anytime I went out. I brought a lot too many things with me, but this is easy thing I wear the whole time.

Deborah: What is the symbolism of that ring or what is the history of that ring? Why is it so important?

Jenny: Yes, that’s important to me and meaningful to me because that the gift from my mom. Yes. And this one is when I moved here my mom bought it. My mom said, okay this gem is bring the lucky to you. So you should wear it the whole time. Is that good. So for that I always when I see the ring I remember my mom all the time. She’s just beside me, you know, in my heart. And if I feel my mum then.

Deborah: That’s lovely.

Jenny: Yes. Thank you. You like it?

Deborah: Yes, I do. I got a picture of it.

Jenny: Yeah, because this ring you know red gem in my country.

Deborah: Yeah. What kind of gem is it? What is it called?

Jenny: It’s like onyx.

Deborah: O N Y X onyx?

Jenny: Yes. Onyx. And in my culture is like it will bring the lucky to you if you wear it. Sometime it will change the color. It will change the color you see here this side, you see the dark one, right. But the other side you also see the light one.

Deborah: Wow, that’s fantastic.

Jenny: The people say when you change the color that time you have luck. I believe it. But it’s not easy to have that change color, you know. When you wear it your whole life maybe.

Jenny’s Advice/29:26

Deborah: Jenny, tell me what words of advice would you give somebody coming to this country based on what you learned that you didn’t expect? What should they be prepared for?

Jenny: That’s a great question. My advice for immigrant. If they move to the other foreign country, they should prepare first thing, they should prepare for the language of that country. And that’s so important, you know, if they learn more, they know more, and they will get the easy life when they enter that country. And for me because when I was that age and not much chance to preparing. When you enter here you had to like take care of kids, take care of family, earn money, and less chance for education for yourself. So that the regret I on myself. So for me and my advice is like you have to learn the language first. Also you could learn about the technicals for any job you liked. Also you could learn about the skill, the life skill, you know everywhere. You’ll have experience in your life. You’ll survive easily. And for me it’s like connections, community, the people around you, like your neighbor, your worker, coworker, also like the people you met, that’s so important to connect with other people around.

Deborah: Don’t be shy.

Jenny: Don’t be shy to make you alone. You feel lonely if you shy. Yes, be brave!

Future Dreams for a Salon and Travel/31:15

Deborah: So, Jenny, what is in store for the future? What are some of your dreams that you’re hoping to realize?

Jenny: That’s a great question. I think my little dream is accomplished. My little dream accomplished. My little dream is so simple because I just wish for my children to attend a great school. And now my kids is when they’re ready they in Boston Latin School. The first school in the Boston. So I’m so grateful for that. And my second dream, I hope in future I create my own salon.

Deborah: Your own salon. Your own salon.

Jenny: Yes. I hope that my dream come true. And the other dream also in my, my favorites like it because I like travel. So I hope someday I could travel around the world.

Deborah: Where were some of the places you’d like to go?

Jenny: So many places. I could say in the world. But the most I could visit is maybe Japan.Yes. That’s a quality country for the everything. So I love to visit first if I had a chance.

Deborah: Well, this has been great talking to you. Is there anything else that you would like to share that we didn’t cover in this conversation?

Jenny: Thank you, Deborah. First I want to thank you to you. To give me a chance to talk with you. That’s very great time for me. Also I want to thank for GPA program, and thank for Michelle to give me opportunity to attend this Immigrant Voices Podcast Project, and that’s like a journey for me here. And I feel grateful to share my story for everyone.

Deborah: Thank you so much. This has been really interesting and you keep smiling. That’s not going to show up on the podcast, but it just tells me that you have a very positive approach to your life and your desire to connect with other people is very cool.

Jenny: Well, my job now because my job is need to connect with people around to give them positive thoughts. So every time when I work with my clients they are so very happy and bring a smile back on their own. And every time they say, “Oh, thank you, Jenny. I love you.” I say I feel so great about that.

Deborah: That’s great. Well, thank you so much.

Jenny: Thank you, Deborah.

Wrapping Up/34:29

It’s clear from hearing Jenny’s story that she turns every opportunity that comes her way into a chance for growth and learning. Whether during her Vietnamese life as a neighborhood seamstress, a wedding planner, a garment factory manager, or a salon worker in the U.S., Jenny never shies away from responsibility and hard work. We are grateful to have her as a vibrant member of our GPA community.