Days had turned into weeks, and weeks had turned into years. Today felt heavier than any other day I had known. It was my final day in Vietnam — though I would call it my first day of leaving. My heart was a mix of excitement and sadness, a tangle of emotions I didn't yet have the words for. And somehow, today was also my birthday.
The morning was bright and warm, the sun spilling gold across the small town streets. I was helping my grandparents with chores as usual, but there was a strange tension in the air. Then he appeared — a man I had only seen in memories and stories — someone I never truly thought I'd see again. He said he was my father.
For a moment, I couldn't speak. My tiny heart beat wildly, my mind trying to catch up. Could it really be him? After all this time? I had wondered, dreamed, and sometimes cried over the idea that I might never see him again. And now, here he was, standing before me. My lips curved into a smile before I could stop it, a smile that carried every bit of happiness I had buried for years.
We spent the week getting to know each other. Every moment felt strange and wonderful at the same time. I was cautious but curious, and he seemed patient, careful not to rush what I wasn't ready for. It was a week of discovery, of small conversations, of silent moments that spoke more than words ever could.
And then, the last day arrived. The day to say goodbye to my grandparents, to the streets that had cradled my childhood, to the smells and sounds of the life I had always known. I hugged my grandparents tightly, feeling their warmth, their love, and their quiet sadness. "Take care of her," my grandmother whispered, and I felt the weight of her trust settle on my small shoulders.
Soon after, I found myself at the airport, my tiny hands gripping the straps of my bag. I looked back one last time at the town that had been my whole world. Then, slowly, the plane lifted off the ground. Vietnam shrank beneath me, a patchwork of memories and emotions. Ahead lay Europe, a new world full of unknown streets, unfamiliar faces, and countless possibilities.
Sitting beside my father, I felt a mix of fear and excitement. My heart still ached for the family I was leaving behind, but it also fluttered with the promise of new beginnings. The clouds outside the window stretched endlessly, soft and white, and for the first time in a long while, I felt the spark of hope bloom inside me.
I was leaving one home, but stepping into another. And though I didn't yet know what awaited me, I knew one thing: I was ready to grow, ready to face this new world, and ready to discover who I could become.