After the Vietnam War, with the economy failing and limited job opportunities, many opted to move away for a chance at a better life, among them, Ha Bui’s father. He initially left with his first family, moving to Hong Kong, and from there, to the Netherlands in search of better work. Following a separation from his ex-wife, Ha’s father moved back to Vietnam, where he soon after met his current wife and started a new family. After 17 years of being back in his home country, he relocated the entire family to the Netherlands.
Ha Bui, who is currently 24 years old, moved to the Netherlands in 2018 with his parents and younger brother. Moving across the world at a young age isn’t an easy task for anyone; however, he consistently remained hopeful, excited, and curious.
The smell of freshly cut grass remains one of his most prominent memories from those first few days. Stepping out of the airport and seeing the sheer size and modernity of the roads, he instantly knew the Netherlands would be nothing like Vietnam. It was a complete change. His father had always told him stories about the country, describing it as clean, modern, and full of job opportunities, but actually living it was an entirely different experience.
Although he had a hopeful, excited attitude, nerves were still creeping in. “Will people judge me?” he recalls asking himself constantly before joining a new school, and trying to make new friends. He didn’t feel much better after realising that the Dutch people in his community were not as welcoming and open as he had expected. He remembers people being much more direct than in Vietnam, not hesitating to completely disagree with you to your face, rather than avoiding the confrontation he was used to.
Over the first few years, he naturally grew accustomed to this direct nature, realising that there were no negative intentions behind it. One aspect that proved much harder to get used to was the lack of relationship with neighbours. In Vietnam, a common saying goes that “we better trade our family for our neighbours”. People are very close with their neighbours, often going to each other in times of need. However, in the Netherlands, Ha realised that it is the complete opposite. They keep to themselves, which became one of the major culture shocks he experienced.
Ultimately, he found that a key component to feeling welcome in such a new community is remaining curious. Navigating a new country, as Ha had to do, is not a simple task. However, he believes that if you stay curious and eager to learn more about the culture, it becomes much easier to truly feel at home.
