Quyen Quyen Cong Minh Nguyen

Day in and day out for the last five years I have been commuting between Ølstykke and København by train. Every day I sit next to the same people for half an hour there and half an hour back, but we never engage in any conversation. I have known some of them for five years, but I don’t even know their names. In that respect I feel very Vietnamese, but I have never felt foreign.

I became pregnant when I was still in high school. I was young and in some ways not prepared to become a mother. But even though it was an overwhelming situation to be in as a 19 year old, my daughter was received with love by my entire family. It was extremely important to me to prove that I could complete my education. This means everything for us Vietnamese.

Today I can’t help smiling when I look at my high school photos, where I am the only one with a graduation cap on my head and holding my baby. I now have four children and I work as a project assistant. In addition to my work, I have also run my own travel agency, I have been a jewellery designer, a cookery teacher, and I am also a cashier and board member in Ølstykke Taekwondo Club. In our home we never sit still for a second. My husband and I naturally expect our children to help out, even though they have lots of activities in their free time. 20 years ago I lost my father and this is a loss I will never get over, but I just hope that I made him proud.

48 years / female / in a relationship / children / project assistant / Ølstykke / from Vietnam / came to Denmark in 1975 / residence permit same year