vietnam di tu

i always write about missing vietnam and certain family members in vietnam. for instance, i really miss di tu. my mother's fourth oldest sister. she is my absolute favorite relative ever. i really adore her. i have traveled with her all over south east asia and in holland where her children lives. we have been waiting for her paperwork to go through so she can visit us here in the states. she fails the interviewing process each year though. for this aunt, i would do anything. she has shown me such unconditional love and nurturing. even with thousands of miles between us i can feel her love and dedication and encouragement and support. i have photos of her in my bedroom. in the 60s she was a model/actress. she left home in her teens for Saigon to dance in nightclubs and meet american lovers. she was such a scandal in the family. she has been married several times. she has two beautiful daughters, both of which are married to dutch citizens. i can go to places like amsterdam and france because of them. in vietnam, it is Di Tu i tell all of my secrets too. secrets i don't even tell my mother. i tell her about my boyfriends, my thoughts, my fears, my unrealistic goals, my love for my brother and family, my constant worries. i tell her these things i never tell my mother for fear of worrying her. Di Tu listens as she always listens to all of her nieces and nephews 'dilemmas'. no matter how trivial the problems are, she is always there listening. and then right after she tells us stories about herself. her childhood. her lovers. her wars. her losses. her tears. i can write novellas about her life. she is such a brave woman. there is nothing more i can say about her.

 

for now, i am just really missing Vietnam, but more than anything i miss being with my Di Tu in Vietnam.

Done