Update: As of April 2021, I rebranded my site to my name, Angelina Tram Nguyen. This was my very first blog post in 2017, when I named it the FOBLOG.

I came to the United States at eight years old not knowing a word of English. My father had no idea what winter meant when he chose to resettle in Minnesota. We wore used clothes donated by a local church. I felt scared getting on the school bus because it started a school day during which I would be constantly clueless. I couldn’t figure out how to open a milk carton because I had never seen one before. Who even knew eating cereal for breakfast was a thing?!

That’s what it’s like to be FOB.

Fresh Off the Boat is a term used to refer to recent refugees. Depending on the context, its connotation can be pejorative, or lovingly poking fun at a fellow refugee, or both. When I first heard of FOB from a fellow Vietnamese-American classmate, I instantly knew she was talking about me.

I am still a FOB in many ways. In fact, everyone in America was once a FOB or is a descendant of a FOB. The FOBLOG is dedicated to all you FOBs in the world.

This blog is an extension of my journal. I began to write as a way to process my feelings and thoughts when no one seemed to understand my experiences growing up. I have an inkling that I’m not alone, so I started the FOBLOG. There are plenty of writing about refugees and immigrants, but most are written from a removed, observatory perspective. The FOBLOG is written in a first-person voice. I hope to build a community that helps its members process their FOB experience and cope with ongoing challenges.

Growing up in the United States, my Vietnamese history is ignored or misrepresented. The perspectives and stories of refugees – and of people of color in general – are not taught in school or documented in popular media. Mainstream narratives portray the protagonist in the Vietnam War as White American and people like me are depicted as background accessories. Worse, popular media distort non-white people and perpetuate false stereotypes. I want to break those stereotypes, encourage critical thinking, and spark constructive discussion through the FOBLOG.

But I don’t want to just share my perspective. I also want to hear from you, my readers. Let me know what you think, ask questions, share with your community if you like something I post.

Welcome and happy reading!

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