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Tran Vu Hanh My and her mother in Japan.

In the 2024 contest to find an Ambassador of the Vietnamese language within the overseas Vietnamese community, Hanh My, who lives in Tokyo, Japan, captivated audiences with her heartfelt performance of the poem "Vietnamese is Love," written by her father, Tran Vu Dung. The verses, though simple, are imbued with profound family affection and a strong sense of the importance of preserving the mother tongue.

Learn through daily stories

Though born and raised in Japan, Hanh My's first language is Vietnamese. “At home, Vietnamese is our main language. I went to nursery school when I was one year old, but my parents always speak Vietnamese to me at home. They fear that I will forget Vietnamese if I do not use it regularly, so they always let me speak and write in Vietnam as frequently as possible," said the girl.

Hanh My learned Vietnamese through daily conversations with her parents and brother, weekly phone calls with her grandparents, and songs and poems. She also participated in activities to preserve Vietnamese in Japan by reading stories online for her friends. Vietnamese stories connect children and help them learn the language together.

Hanh My is proud that she can speak both Vietnamese and Japanese. “At school, many of my friends and teachers want to learn Vietnamese, so I teach them and my head teacher. The teacher said Vietnamese is too difficult, but it is fun to learn. I like it very much," she said, adding that she also likes to become an interpreter. "Whenever my grandparents visit Japan, I like to go to the park, take a walk, or go to the supermarket with them, and at those times I become their interpreter. Interpreting is fun but very difficult. There are many words that I don't know, so I ask my parents to translate for my grandparents to understand.”

A photo of Tran Vu Hanh My.

“Mom is my teacher”

Hanh My’s mother, Tran Thi My Hanh, said that since her child was two years old and could not read yet, she bought her Vietnamese comic books and taught her Vietnamese songs. When she was four years old, she started teaching her letters and spelling.

Little Hanh My said: “Mom is my teacher. Every time we practice singing, mom explains the lyrics to me and then I memorize them so I can sing by myself. Mom read a lot of Vietnamese stories to me. Now that I am older, I can read by myself and to her.” Every week, Hanh My's mother dedicates time to teaching her Vietnamese through textbooks, sharing stories, and writing in a diary together. On weekends, the whole family enjoys watching movies on the Vietnam channel.

When asked about her secret to fostering a love for traditional culture and the Vietnamese language in her child, My Hanh shared that her daughter's passion for her native language and homeland developed naturally. Despite the three-year social lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, during which they managed only three visits to Vietnam, this love remained strong.

According to her, "The child can learn Japanese later because she has many opportunities to live and study here. However, if there is no awareness of preserving Vietnamese, she will lose the language." My Hanh said: "I cook Vietnamese food for my two children. At school, they eat Japanese food, but at home, they enjoy Vietnamese meals in the evening. The children eagerly look forward to weekends to enjoy pho. It is a joy to see that they truly appreciate Vietnamese cuisine. Hanh My also frequently calls her grandparents to share her daily activities."

For children born and raised abroad, it is essential for families to instill a connection to their homeland. Therefore, My Hanh consistently reminds her children that they have two hometowns, speak two languages, and should be proud of that.

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