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The smell of crying

Last week, I felt a deep feeling of sadness to the point where I felt like my thoughts would consume me. I knew I had to do something to distract myself from the overwhelming thoughts that were racing through my mind.

I remembered a store that sold scents that I had never visited before, thinking it was unnecessary for me to buy something from there, like it wouldn’t be worth it to spent money on this kind of experience. However, I decided to try something new and visited the store. I spent some time browsing through the shelves, inhaling different scents and focusing only on my sense of smell. The experience was new to me, and it allowed me to be present in the moment and appreciate the simple pleasure of smelling different fragrances. It was a way to escape from the constant chatter in my mind and find a sense of peace.

As I continued to explore the store, I suddenly realized that these scents were triggering memories from my past. The floral smells reminded me of my mother, and I was transported back to my childhood.. When I was a child it was the smell of my mother’s perfume that brought tears to my eyes. It was the scent of her perfume that brought tears to my eyes and reminded me of how much I missed her when she was away traveling. I used to smell her clothes for comfort, and the memory was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.

In that moment, I realized again that the power of scent was not only calming, but also had the ability to evoke memories and emotions. However, at the same time, it can also bring back negative memories, reminding us of a disliked person or a place. The trigger factor of smells is big since it’s capable of conjuring both positive and negative emotions.

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losing your mother-tongue

Language loss is a common issue faced by children of immigrants who where born as the first generation in dominantly western countries. Due to that we may forget our first language if not used daily or struggle to maintain fluency in it because of various reasons. In some cases, this has a significant impact on our cultural identity and the ability to communicate with our families and communities, and therefore as well on our mental health as BiPoCs in a predominantly white society.

Immigrant children are not only placed in a society that is systematically racist but specifically in an educational system that is not supportive in all cases of multicultural identities. Depending on the status it can be hard to provide a adequate surrounding where children of immigrants can embrace both of their languages.This lack of exposure and use can lead to a decline in their language proficiency, particularly if they are not receiving support from their families or communities.

I would like to draw attention to the struggle that many people like me face in western society. The feeling of not being able to communicate even though you want to is painful, and this kind of language barrier is closely linked to feelings of shame and sadness. Coupled with the cultural differences and the values that set you and your parents apart, this experience can be very confusing for the relationship between you and your family and your own identity.

This interview will show you an insight into the topic from the perspective of my American-Vietnamese friend David.

Feel free to comment or to share your experience with me,

Luisa Ngoc Linh