Eden Center: My Second Home in Virginia

Matt Blitz writes in the DCist:

Spend any time at Eden Center and it’s clear that the language, the food, and culture are ties that continue to bind this community. But there’s something else. It’s the harrowing stories of escape, the long journeys taken to get here, the courage to seek a better life for themselves and future generations. There’s also an immense of love for not only what Little Saigon and Eden Center has given them, but for what this country has provided.

My workplace is about ten-minute drive from Eden Center; therefore, I feel like I can go “home” for lunch any day I want to. I love home-cooking places like Saigon restaurant where I can get canh khổ qua nhồi thịt (stuffed bitter gourd soup) and tép mũi rang (tiny shrimp simmered in fish sauce). Although I go to Eden Center for the food, I simply love the language. As soon as I pull into the parking lot, I get to live in a world that is close to “home.” It instantly feels like I belong to this place. The people look like me and they talk like me. Even their swearing in Vietnamese puts a smile on my face. I am glad to have this community in the area.