Phuong Pham

Phuong Pham came to the United States from Vietnam only 18 months ago. He had no idea how to speak English or what to expect of the culture. Everything was completely different. It was almost as if he was on another planet.

He came to America at age 15 from Vietnam, where he and generations of his family had lived for many years. His grandfather worked for Americans during the Vietnam War and it was this connection with the United States that helped his family come to the country.

When Phuong arrived in Bowling Green, the difference between it and Vietnam was immediately evident. The first thing he did was explore and see what life would be like in his new home. “When I got here, I ran around to see the differences. There are many fun things you can do here,” Phuong said. “But it’s boring. I lived in a much bigger city. There was always more going on.”

Phuong lived in Ho Chi Minh City, which is the largest city in Vietnam. It has a population of roughly eight million people and is much larger than the city of Bowling Green, which has a population of about sixty thousand. Phuong was used to a much more crowded, busy, and loud city. In fact, one of the things he found to be the most interesting about Bowling Green was how quiet it is.

Even though Phuong has liked his life in America, he still has had to overcome numerous challenges. When he first arrived in the United States, he could only speak Vietnamese. This language barrier created a struggle to make friends and communicate with others. The grammar, in particular, is what he found to be especially challenging. However, since arriving in America he has put forth much hard work to learn English and since then has made many friends.

The way people lived their lives was also something he found to be strikingly different. Phuong agrees that in America he feels much more safe as he lives his daily life. “In Vietnam, for example, I couldn’t set my stuff down for a picture without someone taking it.” Phuong said, “Here, I can set my stuff down and it will be where I left it.”

He also agrees that he feels more free to do what he wishes in America. Phuong said, “We had to wear a uniform to school every day. We didn’t have as much freedom.”