Talk
Stories of the new American-Vietnamese generation
Young people living with the problems of their generation, looking to the future and at the same time looking for a connection to their parents' generation.
Free register to participate
There are many things that remind each of us of our Vietnamese root, such as water spinach, pottery, a commemorative room from our grandparents' time, or familiar expressions in daily life such as "uh huh".
With very unique ways, all of these are incorporated into the literary materials of Eric Nguyen, a second-generation Vietnamese writer in the US, Vu Anh Duong and Do Van Hoang, Vietnamese writers. Their materials of MY VIETNAM project “Pretty Nails” (Eric Nguyen), “The Room” (Vu Anh Duong) and “Coca, water spinach, garlic” (Do Van Hoang) share creative reflections of second-generation Vietnamese in the US and in Vietnam.
It is the story of a second-generation Vietnamese girl in the US about communicating with her traumatized mother during the war about her passions, becoming a ceramic artist and possibly working in Vietnam. It is also the story of an American overseas Vietnamese man who gave up his life in the US, learned Vietnamese and wanted to "live like a Vietnamese". And there is also the story of a young Vietnamese boy whose childhood moved with his parents and loved the game of buying coke with a coin so much that he forgot his mother told him to buy water spinach, garlic, and chili.
They are the young ones that lives with the problems of their generation, looking toward the future and at the same time on a journey to find a link with their parents' generation. The talk "Stories of the new American-Vietnamese generation" will introduce to the public the materials of second-generation Vietnamese young writers in the US and Vietnamese writers in Vietnam, and at the same time opens a space for sharing, comparison and reflecting about stories of memory and hope for the future.
* These are documents of MY VIETNAM, a project about Vietnamese identities across borders implemented by the Goethe-Institut in collaboration with local partners. The project got financial support from the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam and other individuals. This event is one of three events being organized from May to July, 2023 to introduce project materials.
MODERATOR
Quyen Nguyen (*1984)
Quyen Nguyen is a Doctor of English literature and an independent researcher and critic.
SPEAKERS
Dr. Phùng Hà Thanh
Eric Nguyen (*1988, Washington D.C.)
www.ericpnguyen.com/writings.html
Do Van Hoang (*1987)
Vu Anh Duong (*1985)
Details
Goethe-Institut Hanoi
56-58-60 Nguyen-Thai-Hoc-Str., Ba Dinh
Hanoi
Language: Vietnamese – English
Price:
Free register to participate
+84 24 32004494 kultur-hanoi@goethe.de