I just came back from a three-week trip to Vietnam, and I’m still processing how much the experience meant to me.

The best part of the trip was seeing my family again. I spent time with my sister, my brother-in-law, my nieces and nephews, and many of my cousins, uncles, and aunties. Being surrounded by family again after so long reminded me how much I had missed those everyday moments—shared meals, laughter, and the kind of conversations that only happen when you’re physically together.

One moment that stayed with me was seeing my grandfather. He is now 86 years old and has grown noticeably weaker since the last time I saw him. It had been six years since my previous visit, and seeing him again was both joyful and emotional. Time feels different when you see your loved ones aging.

Vietnam itself has changed a lot since I last left. There are far more people, many new apartment buildings, and a new train system under development. The cities feel like they are growing in every direction. Development is clearly happening at a fast pace.

But with that growth comes trade-offs. The air feels more polluted than before, and the traffic is intense, almost unbelievable at times. Even late at night the roads are crowded. There is a constant hum of motorbikes, horns, and people moving everywhere. The noise and energy never really stop.

And yet, despite all of that, people seem happy. Life feels vibrant and full of movement. Everyone seems used to the crowds and the traffic, it’s simply part of daily life there.

Overall, I truly enjoyed being back. Vietnam is chaotic, loud, crowded, and constantly changing, but it is also alive in a way that is hard to describe unless you experience it.

That said, after three weeks, I realized how much I appreciate the peaceful life I’ve built in the United States. The quiet streets, the slower pace, the sense of space.

This trip reminded me that I live between two worlds. Vietnam will always feel like home in many ways, but the life I’ve built in the U.S. has also become deeply important to me.