My identity

Since I was young, too young to even remember my life back then or merely speak, my parents brought me around the world and I lived in several countries, including Vietnam and Singapore. When they finally came to Australia, bought a decent home near the school I'd be going to, that was when I started learning how to read and write. And the more I grew up, I started learning more and more about my identity and began asking questions about all the places I had lived in. But what sort of identity do I have? Is it English, Vietnamese or Australian? The place I was born, the place my parents came from or the place I live in?

I was born in Norwich, England. I have no memories from the few years that I spent there, and ended up moving to other countries. However, when I returned after a few years of living in other countries, I immediately connected with the country as I travelled around it and hadn't ever found myself happier in any other country. The huge history behind the country (I'm a pretty big fan of history, specifically England and its kings and queens), the cultures and the personalities of the people I befriended when I went there captivated me, and I still long to go back one day. The country just seemed like the perfect place for me-the people were so nice, the weather was exactly the type of weather that I enjoyed (I've never minded rain, and I've always wanted to see snow once again), the country was filled with tourist sites and intriguing places filled with history and going to London especially was a wonderful experience, even if it was short-lived. So if I could say I came from a certain place, England would be my pick.

Vietnam was the place that both of my parents had come from. We returned there frequently, about every 1/2 years to visit my family, and I loved the country and its culture. Vietnam had always been a different experience compared to England or Australia, as the food was unique and tasted much better, sightseeing in Vietnam was always a joy and each place we travelled to was different from the other and offered some amazing sights. Another special thing about being in Vietnam was meeting the different people in my family, both from my mother's and my father's side, and seeing us all grow up and change. They reminded me of the life I would have been living if my parents had never moved to other countries. Of course it would be different. Of course my only identity would have been Vietnamese, and I'd probably never have the chance to go to other countries and experience different cultures and meet all sorts of people. And of course when people meet me, the first thing they typically think (apart from thinking that I'm Chinese) is that I am Vietnamese, not Australian or anything else. But I haven't gotten the chance to properly live in the country. To people in Vietnam, I'm more like a foreigner and Australian is more of my identity, since I can't fluently speak Vietnamese, eat Vietnamese food or the fact that I grew up in different conditions compared to them.

Australia was the place that I had the most memories from. I was taught in an environment that a majority of the other kids in Australia that I knew had the same experience. I had a lot of fun in a public school, and lived in a much better condition than other kids back in Vietnam. When I was in third grade, I chose to move to a private girls school that was much further away from my old school. When I moved, life was much different, even if it was in the same city. And even then, it was hard to choose where I belonged-with my old friends, or with my new friends?  I was different in both places now-my new private school, because I came when everyone had decided on their own friend groups already and life was different, or my old school, where I had left for another school and didn't have anything back then to keep in touch with my old friends. But in Australia, in general there were a lot of cultures and diversity, so I was never quite alone when it came to being Vietnamese, or living in other countries, or being someone who had lived in England for a little bit.

I think my identity consists of all the places I've been to-the places where I've made many friends and seen many beautiful sights. Of course to specific people from specific places, my identity is different and I'm a different person to each person I meet. But there's one thing, and that is even if I've lived in so many places, each place has made an impact on me and made me into the person I am today.