My parents think of Vietnam as the country they escaped. I see it as the place I want to live.

Ai Vuong, 38, grew up in Texas but feels more at home in Vietnam.

Todd Brown

• Ai Vuong, 38, was born in Vietnam and moved to Texas when she was 5.
• During a trip back in her late teens, she realized she wanted to explore her heritage further.
• Vuong lived in Vietnam after college before returning to the US, but her long-term plan is to move back to Asia.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ai Vuong, a Vietnamese-born filmmaker who grew up in Texas.