duty Canberra Memory Yogyakarta Ecofeminism
Beautiful Memory
When I was six years old, I boarded a plane with my family, my little legs swinging from the airplane seat, eyes fixed in wonder. I was traveling to Vietnam— a journey that unknowingly to me would change the course of my life. I still remember pressing my forehead against the frosty, hard, foggy window, watching how the world extended far beyond what I knew. I remember the humid air that wrapped around me when we got there, the parade of motorbikes speeding by on the streets, the way my grandma’s hands–worn and gentle—cupped my face when she saw me.
In that moment, I belonged to two worlds: The United States, where I was born, and Vietnam, where my family’s legacies lay on every street, every conversation, every home-cooked meal. And somewhere between those two places, I found my purpose.
Since that trip, I’ve dreamed of serving in the Foreign Service. At first, I didn’t know what path I’d take—Economics or Political Affairs. Even now, I still find myself standing between them, drawn to both. But for this project, I chose Economics, not just because of my cousins who studied business, but because I’ve always believed in something deeper: that diplomacy isn’t just about politics. It’s about people. It’s about opening doors for those who imagined they could never walk through them.
But if I have learned anything, it is that dreams like mine are not often handed out to people who look like me. The Foreign Service is widely dominated by men, and Asian-Americans make up only 3.6% of it. There are few stories like mine in the history books. Few faces that reflect my own in rooms where global decisions are made.
And yet, I refuse to believe that it must always stay that way.
My parents, who left everything they knew behind in Vietnam to build a life in America, always dreamed that I’d enter the medical profession–something stable, respected, and certain. It was not just about prestige; it was about survival. A doctor saves lives, and in their eyes, what could be more important than that? I understand their fear, I understand the weight of their sacrifices, the years of struggle, the nights they went without so I could have more.
But what I wish they could see is that my dream is not so different from theirs. They wanted me to heal people and I will–just in another way.
I hope to serve as an Ambassador to Vietnam in the future. Not because it is my family’s homeland, but because I understand both worlds, and I know how much it matters to have someone who can build that bridge. Someone who can translate, not just words, but emotions, history, and hope. I want to be that person.
Perhaps there has never been an Asian-American woman in the exact role I dream of. Perhaps there have been few Economic FSO’s who have stood where I one day hope to stand. But that does not mean it is impossible. It just means that no one has done it–yet.
Foreign Service, to me, is not just about policy or negotiation. It is about people. It is about the child on a plane, staring out the window, wondering where she belongs. It is about the immigrant parents who sacrificed everything so their daughter could have a choice. It is about making the world smaller, kinder, and more connected.
One flight changed the course of my life.
And one day, I hope to board another flight–not as a child searching for belonging, but a diplomat, ready to create it for others.
Because if there is one thing I learned, it is this: every journey, every dream, every step toward something greater has the power to change the world.
And I am ready to take that step.
By: Hannah Pham
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