Writing POC 101

Vietnamese Characters - @philadelphiaa

     HI. I don't know if this will be a little similar to Ivy's (selfportraits) but I do know that I also have some cool as heck info about writing or creating a Viet character as well. c:

     However, just like Ivy, I am Vietnamese, like not even 10% or 30% that, I'm 100% Vietnamese with the parents who expect me to become a doctor and work that white jacket. BUTBUTBUT, not only am I totally disagreeing with the medical field, but I also think that being Vietnamese is kinda sorta cool.

     Okay, whatever, but my point is just because I am Vietnamese doesn't necessarily mean I know how to cuss at my parents in Viet or read everything because to be honest- I can't cuss in Viet and I can't even read it. I speak it 100% and fluent most of the time but, man, I just can't read it. But if you're going to write a Viet character- I'm pretty sure that character should be able to read Viet, but I didn't because as soon as I learn to speak Vietnamese I was sent to learn and read in English because my parents didn't know English and I sorta needed that skill to get into school. (whoo me)

     This is probably just me but Viet food is sorta bomb. Honestly, I really hate eating out at American restaurants and family houses (sorry to all you Am. friends), and that's maybe because I've developed a really deep love for my Asian food at home. Pho is great, to what you call fried rice is pretty great also- but here's the thing, I didn't grow up learning it as pork fried rice or shrimp fried rice or beef or whATEVER, I learned it as just com chien. HoWEVVER, I did grow up learning the different kinds of pho- like pho dac biet (basic pho), pho bo (beef), pho ga (chicken), etc. but I really love eating chai go (egg rolls).

     Aside from food, most Asians my parents know don't really grow up playing athletics or doing most hanging out things that most people do do. My family grew up kinda isolated, didn't really talk to many people outside of the Viet race or talk to our neighbors unless they had gardens. My mom worked at a nail salon (like a lot of the women in my family) and my dad was doing electricity while all his brothers this stuff like carpentry and plumbing, hardwood flooring, and constructing whatever that heck there was. So, because of the odd schedules I never got a chance to play sports, did dance for a while and joined a volleyball club at school but guess who quit because she hated it? *points finger at self*

     But just because I didn't do sports until almost 6th grade and played a few instruments along the way (which I don't play anymore), I still get really annoyed with all the stereotypes people points at me. Don't call all Asians Chinese because I've gotten all Asian races possible guessed at me and I only respond with 'no, son, you're wrong.'. Sorry to be the 100th one to break the news to you, but not all of us are good at math (coming from the girl who ended with nearly a 75 in her last year and barely making a 90 this year). Not many of us do karate (I know this because I don't) and not all of us hate sports. Actually, at every family party my families (mainly the men) sit at the table, drink beer, play poker or whatever, and have the TV pointed at them with the sport on TV; and the women sit in the more comfortable areas and gossip while most of us kids end up playing a game or sitting on our electronics- and if your youth is still working then yo go outside and play tag, hide and seek, or basketball/volleyball/soccer with what is outside.

     To make Asian parties seem the realest in your story though- make sure to have shoes all the the entrance of the party. Because, girl, is the a hell lot of shoes at the entrance. Make sure there are already people playing card games and loud HELLOS, NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, LMAO HOW ARE YOU DOING BUD, and lots of HAHAHHAHHAHAH LOL LOOK AT YOU.

     But Paris by Night is a well known Viet thing. Most of the time we watch them on Tet which is Chinese New Year- but we go all out anyways. It's aka for me that time of getting together with family members I didn't even know I had.

     Our appearances, eh, they vary a LOT. Many of us are born with black hair (like me) but mine gradually gotten lighter and appears to be brown in some settings, but I promise you after showers it looks black. Tran, Nguyen, Pham, Huynh, and Le are pretty common names but first names are all over the place. Get creative! Have fun writing your POC! c: