It is only when someone asks me where I come from that I am reminded that I was not born here. Both my husband and I were children when we came to Denmark, and if my husband hadn’t been Vietnamese too, I would probably have been more Danish. But I am grateful that together we can keep the Vietnamese traditions alive.
My favourite celebration is the Vietnamese New Year. We gather the whole family, that is around 44 people. We have a pleasant time all night with traditional Vietnamese food and games. It is not like a Danish celebration which ends at a certain time. A lot of people stay overnight, and the party doesn’t really finish till after brunch the following day. Simon, our unofficial foster son, also joins us every year.
Simon was five when he and his two siblings came to Denmark from Vietnam. He never really felt at home with his adoptive mother, so when he discovered another Vietnamese family in town, he practically moved in with us. It wasn’t long till he became a part of the brood. He says I remind him of his biological mother, and that he feels at home here. Simon has had a tough time getting a grip on life. We have helped him as much as we could. Today we are officially a relief family for his son Philip, named after our son. I think that Simon was too old when he arrived here. He was torn away from everything he knew, and overnight he was placed in a new home and given a new name and a new mother. My home is with my family here in Denmark, and Simon’s home is here with us.
44 years / female / in a relationship / children / accountant / Borup / from Vietnam / came to Denmark in 1975 / residence permit same year