Doang Trang | Saigon NHO News
“This is my family’s mini park,” said Dzũng Phạm, a resident of Garden Grove city. “This little garden may not be big, but it always brings back memories of over 30 years of my life connected to parks.”
Before settling in the United States, Dzũng worked for over 20 years at Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens (Thảo Cầm Viên Sài Gòn), the largest park in southern Vietnam. When his family immigrated to the U.S. in 2010, he made sure to find a house near a park.
“California is really a golden state. Almost every city has a park, whether big or small, old or new,” Dzũng said. “When I first arrived, I lived in Fullerton, then moved to Midway City, then Westminster, and now I’m in Garden Grove. And guess what? Every city had a park.”
‘People need to recharge’
Because Dzũng often went to the park to relax, he had a chance to meet some members of the Vietnamese USA Bonsai Society, who invited him to join him. “At first, I was just a regular member, but then they saw I had skills and knowledge in bonsai, so they asked me to help. Eventually, I got ‘promoted’ to head of the technical department, and I’ve stayed in that role since,” he said with a smile.
Dzũng’s hands, long familiar with the texture of bark and the scent of fresh soil, became skilled at crafting vibrant, living sculptures that can take decades to complete.
Every day, he walks to a nearby park to stroll and enjoy nature, and sometimes bringing a small bonsai tree to trim under the shade. Once a month, he gathers with other members of the Vietnamese USA Bonsai Society to share knowledge, stories, and their mutual passion for cultivating bonsai and ornamental trees.
Two or three times a year, the Vietnamese USA Bonsai Society organizes bonsai exhibitions featuring members’ work. Sometimes these events are held at temples, other times in parks. Every time, Dzũng is responsible for the bonsai trimming demonstrations.
To Dzũng, the park is not only a place to practice his craft, but also a space that reminds him of home — a place where he continues to nurture a deep connection with nature, one tree at a time.
Dan Nguyen, a resident of Irvine, said he is not really a fitness enthusiast: “I never go to the gym.”
After being asked “Why not? You look healthy. Surely at 65, you must work out, right?” Dan explained, “Gyms feel suffocating, too crowded, it’s hard to breathe. You have to wipe down machines, deal with chemicals. I don’t like that. Instead, I go to the park, it’s open-air and much better!”
To him, exercise needs to be simple, practical and most importantly, outdoors in fresh air and sunlight.
Dan shared that after work, he always heads to Harvard Community Athletic Park to walk, breathe, and see familiar faces. He used to live in Anaheim, where the local park was a bit old and worn. “It wasn’t new or fancy, but it was still good for people to stay under the sun,” he said. “Later, the city upgraded it, more trees and lighting. Now I live in Irvine, where the park system is world-class. Whether it’s winding bike trails, wide open lawns, or peaceful ponds, there’s always a place to relax, talk, or host a small party or birthday.”
“We’re like smartphones,” Dan said. “Phones need charging every day, and people need to recharge after a long day’s work. How? By going to the park.”
Dan uses his park time to connect with friends. Sometimes a short walk turns into a one-hour chat. He’s now healthier than he was ten years ago, not just physically, but mentally too. “When my kids were young, I used to take them to the park. Now they’ve grown up, but I still go, not just to recharge, but also to remember the childhoods and reconnect with myself,” he said.
One park, three generations
When Mr. Hòa Lương immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam in 2005, his most urgent concerns weren’t just finding work but building a life where his children could thrive.
Hòa, who has three children, and he soon discovered a “local treasure”: Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley.
“When my kids were little, I took them there after school to play soccer, ride bikes or just watch the ducks in the pond,” he said. “The park became a playground, a scout meeting place and a venue for fun events and parties.”
Time passed. His eldest son is now in the Navy stationed in San Diego, and is married with two children. His second son lives in Utah. His youngest daughter works at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, not far from Mile Square Park; after work, she always walks there before heading home.
“She says she needs the park to unwind and release the hospital stress before coming home,” Hòa said.
His two grandchildren often visit their grandparents. When they do, he takes them to the park to play.
“They love the park just like their dad did back in the day,” Hòa explained. “People say that when three generations live under one roof, it’s something special. It’s called ‘tam đại đồng đường,’ or ‘three generations under one roof.’ For us, even when the grandkids grow up and move out, the park still connects all three generations of our family.”
This story was produced by American Community Media in collaboration with the Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies (LENS) at UCLA as part of the Greening American Cities initiative supported by the Bezos Earth Fund. Read more stories like this by visiting the Greening Communities homepage.
