Ngo forth

In June 2025, Vietnam’s National Assembly passed a resolution to restructure provincial-level administrative units — reducing 63 provinces to just 34. This means many places we’ve called home will eventually be merged out of existence, not immediately, but inevitably.

I am one of those people.

I was born in Bến Tre — the land of coconut groves and muddy rivers, where the warmth of the people is as rich as the soil itself. Though I grew up in Sài Gòn, my roots, my identity, my family stories — they all trace back to this peaceful patch of the Mekong Delta.

So today, I’m writing this down and putting it on the internet. Because even if one day I’m no longer here, and even if Bến Tre’s name no longer appears on official maps — this piece of its story will live on, in the digital world.

A quiet moment with the homeland
Wearing áo bà ba and soaking in the palm-shaded stillness. There’s no better outfit for belonging.

A countryside feast
Every dish on this table speaks of tradition — homegrown, homemade, and heartwarming.

Bánh tráng nướng by the fire
Roasting rice paper the old-fashioned way — with ash, patience, and a lot of family stories in between.

Man and goose — a Mekong friendship
You haven’t really experienced the countryside until you’ve been interrogated by a goose.

Generations rooted in the same soil
My grandmother and my mom in their garden — guardians of memories, wisdom, and native plants.

So many memories captured — let these few pictures present what it’s like to be me.