Quynh-Tram Vu is chasing her American Dream one eyelash at a time. In order to achieve her dream and provide for her family, Vu has to spend a lot of time away from the people she loves most.
Vu lives in Westminster with her husband and two young sons. She is a lash extensions artist who owns and operates 95 Lash, an eyelash extension and beauty salon in Santa Monica.
Mornings are never long enough for Vu. She has to prepare for her long commute and workday, while devoting her attention to her two small sons, Tristan and Clarence.
In the back of her mind, Vu knows it’s almost time to leave. Her oldest son, Tristan, asks her not to go to work in their native language, Vietnamese. Vu explains to him that she has to work or else she won’t be able to buy him toys.
Vu has something in common with most southern Californians. She’s a commuter.
“When I first started commuting, it was pretty scary. I woke up and felt pretty scared. Now, a year later, I’ve become immune to it,” said Vu.
According to the United States Census Bureau, it takes most people in the Greater Los Angeles area 26 minutes to commute to work. It takes Vu at least 90 minutes to get from her home in Westminster to her salon in Santa Monica. If you do the math, Vu spends at least 15 to 20 hours a week on Interstate 405, which is the busiest freeway in the United States.
“I never thought about it that way. Oh my gosh. Do I really spend that much time?” said Vu.
Like many parents, Vu suffers from mom guilt.
“It’s almost still an everyday question for me whether I should be home and be a stay-at-home mom or should I be a businesswoman? It’s a day-to-day question,” said Vu.
She feels horrible about leaving her children at home with a babysitter.
“When I first had my baby, it was really hard for me to leave the kids at home and go to work. I almost cried every single day,” said Vu.
Instead of coming up with excuses to not go to work, Vu commits to the daily commutes and long hours in hopes to grow her business. She’s hoping to spend more time with her two sons in the future.
“I’m trying to make the best of my time away from them so it can benefit their future.”