What Do We Owe Our Parents? Duty, Dementia, and First-Gen Identity in a Polarized World | Sophia Nguyen Eng

Everyday Ancestral with James Barry

In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with my fellow San Jose native, Sophia Nguyen, for a conversation that’s as personal as it is powerful. We go deep into what it means to truly honor your elders—especially in a culture like the Vietnamese one, where family and generational responsibility are foundational.

Sophia shares the emotional journey of caring for her father as he declines into dementia, and how her upbringing as a first-generation Vietnamese-American shaped her response to that challenge. We talk about the grit of immigrant parents, the wisdom they quietly pass down, and how that sacrifice becomes the very foundation we build our lives on. If you’ve ever wondered what it really means to live with intention, or how to balance tradition with the fast pace of modern life, this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways

The Role of Elders in Vietnamese Culture – How a multigenerational household preserves dignity and honors the sacrifices of immigrant parents.

Family as Infrastructure – Sophia’s mother’s metaphor of laying asphalt speaks volumes about what it takes to create opportunity for the next generation.

Facing Dementia with Compassion – Understanding the emotional and logistical demands of caring for a parent with a degenerative condition.

Cultural Assimilation vs. Cultural Retention – The tension between preserving ancestral language and values versus adapting to American norms.

Catch-Up through Grit – Why children of immigrants often develop a relentless drive to close gaps in wealth, language, and opportunity.

Marriage Across Generational Lines – How Sophia and her husband navigate differing cultural upbringings and unify around shared values.

Intentional Living Starts with Family – The small, quiet acts of care and commitment that keep ancestral values alive in a modern context.

Where to Find Our Guest

Follow Sophia on IG : https://www.instagram.com/sprinklewithsoil

Follow the Call to Farms Podcast : https://www.instagram.com/calltofarmspodcast

Links & Resources

Join Sophia as she shows you one of her family's favorite dishes : https://sprinklewithsoil.com/pho

Get 20% off Pluck Superfood Seasonings using code EA20 at http://www.eatpluck.com