I am currently living and working in Canada, but before moving here, my husband and I spent a long time studying in the United States. To me, both Canada and the US are wonderful countries that have brought us many opportunities and valuable experiences in life.
This photo was taken in 1999, at my husband’s graduation ceremony in the US. At the time, he graduated with an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and I was 29 years old, wearing an Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) for the first time in America. It was a red Ao Dai with gold details.
In the photo, standing next to me is Dr. Judith Ladinsky, a professor who is well-known for her support for healthcare and education in Vietnam, as well as her assistance to Vietnamese students before Vietnam-US normalized relations. The professor also helped my husband apply for a scholarship. I chose to wear the Ao Dai on my husband’s graduation day because I felt that it helped me express the formality, seriousness, and pride of this special event.
Later on, I had many opportunities to wear the Ao Dai on Tet holidays, important anniversaries, and community events from Vietnamese people in the place where I live. To me, the Vietnamese Ao Dai is truly a special costume, not only because of its meaning as a national costume that represents the image of culture and homeland, but it also helps women express their full beauty: graceful, confident, and feminine.
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