Discovering Hope in a New Land

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Discovering Hope in a New Land
By Helen Quach
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• My parents were reluctant to leave their
  homeland, Vietnam. But with the aftermath of the
  war came many harsh, new changes. They had no
  choice but to pack up and leave. The journey to
  America was long and perilous, but they both knew
  that many opportunities and freedom awaited them
  there. Through hard work and strong perseverance,
  they were able to overcome the obstacles faced
  and established a good home and a new life in
  America.

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Where is Vietnam?
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Van Huynh

• Born on February 2, 1956
• Oldest of five, has two sisters and two brothers
• Family owned a small fruit and vegetable stand
• Lived in the small village of Rach Soi
• Loved school and was very committed to her
  studies

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Cuong Quach

• Born on July 10, 1950
• Youngest of four, two brothers and one sister
• Came from a wealthy family, lived in the same
  village, but down the street from my mom
• Family owned an herbal shop
• Father would help with measuring out ingredients
  and preparing various medicines after school

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Before America

• Had a good life
• Many friends
• A successful business
• All relatives were in Vietnam

At the age of eighteen, my mom was married to my
father
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Vietnam War
Communist North
Democratic South
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The Vietnam War

• 1945- Following the surrender of Japan, Ho Chi
  Minh and his followers created the National
  Liberation Committee of Vietnam to form a
  temporary government.
• Vietminh were a group of Ho Chi Minhs followers
  that wanted Communism in Vietnam
• 1946- French and Vietminh Reach Agreement, prior
  to 1945, Vietnam had been a colony under French
  rule
• France recognizes Vietnam as a "free state
• Even before the war had begun, there was a civil
  war occurring in the country between the north
  and the south over the issue of government form
• America, afraid that Vietnam would become a
  Communist country and that Communism would spread
  throughout Asia decided to help out
• Fought alongside with the Democratic south
  against the Communist north
• South loses to the communist, in 1975 the
  Communists captured the capital of Saigon
• After the fall of Saigon, the Communist Party set
  out to reunite the North and the South
• Confiscated land and property and sent many to
  re-education camps to become good Communists
• The Communist Party took everything that my
  parents had including their homes, businesses,
  and life savings

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Path to New Beginnings

• My family fled the country after being deprived
  of all that they owned
• Wanted to escape prosecution that was brought on
  by the new communist government
• Left the country in 1978, shortly after my
  sister, Chau, was born
• Were considered political refugees by the United
  Nations- means that the United Nations considered
  their lives to be in danger

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The Dangerous Journey

• Paid six/seven ounces of gold (Dang Ky) per
  person to an illegal organization to help them
  flee from Vietnam
• Immigrants would escape by boats that were usual
  22 ft long and occupied at once 340 people
• Had to deal with horrible conditions on the boats
• Space was very limited, people were hardly able
  to sit or stand
• Many died during the trip and were simply thrown
  overboard
• Sailed during harsh weather, strong winds and
  violent waves
• Had to stop by Thailand to pick up supplies,
  while there, any valuables they had still had
  were stolen from them
• Trip from Vietnam to the refugee camp took about
  five days

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A Legend of Hope

• Thousands perished in the dangerous boat rides
  across the sea to the refugee camps
• A tale to raise hopes that was commonly told
  among Vietnamese immigrants was the story of the
  Goddess of Mercy
• According to this famous tale, a boat heading
  from Vietnam to one of the refugee camps almost
  capsized during a storm, but was saved and guided
  to the shores of the Philippines by a figure
  robed in white riding upon a majestic golden
  dragon
• This was the Goddess of Mercy and her mystical
  golden dragon

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Life in a Refugee Camp

• Could not directly go to America
• In 1979 were relocated to a refugee camp on a
  small island, Pulua (Malaysian for island)
  Bidong, off the coast of Malaysia
• Stayed there for sixteen months where food was
  scarce
• Everyday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner they
  were each given a packet containing a can of
  sardines, a can of chicken, a can of beans, some
  rice and juice, all provided by the Red Cross
• To this day, my mom still cant stand look at a
  can of sardines without getting sick
• Life was very hard and depressing for my mother
• One day, my sister two years of age, pointed to
  an apple and asked if she could have one, my mom
  replied sadly, No honey, you cant have that
  apple, we dont have money to buy it, but when
  were in America I will buy lots of apples for
  you.
• Did nothing except wait day after day for the
  United Nations High Commission for Refugees
  (UNHCR) to process their applications for America
• While staying in the refugee camp, my mother gave
  birth to my older brother Duc
• We always joke that he was a random child my
  parents found on the island
• Malaysia was not the only country to offer
  refugee camps, other countries included Thailand,
  Cambodia, and the Philippines
• Pulua Bidong was considered a mini Saigon due to
  the predominant population of Vietnamese, 255,000
  Vietnamese immigrants once called this tiny
  island home

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Life in a Refugee Camp
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Why America?

• Had a choice of going to many other countries
  including Australia, New Zealand, Germany,
  France, but chose America
• Relatives that immigrated the prior year were
  there
• Wanted to escape the prosecution faced in Vietnam
• Heard many wonderful things about this land of
  freedom and equality from Dads two brothers

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New Beginnings in America
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New Beginnings

• Came to America the August of 1980 with very
  little resources
• Had few relatives here and most of their
  valuables had been stolen
• Did not stop them from creating a new life

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New Life
New Experiences
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The Language Barrier

• Learned very little English in the refugee camp
• Once they arrived in Chicago went to Canterbury
  Church everyday for an hour and a half to learn
  English
• Church also provided them with clothes and food
• Mother took English classes at Truman College,
  but never had time to graduate from college
  because of family and work
• Father also attended Truman College

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First Home

• First home was an apartment in an urban
  development in Uptown Chicago, 4848 Winthrop
• Living here was the first time my family met
  other ethnic groups, Mexicans, African Americans,
  other Asians

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Various Jobs

• Mom had many various jobs including seamstress
  making hospital robes, baker, and finally opened
  up a restaurant
• Mom heard of money being made through bakery
• Decided to bake goods to sell in Argyle, an
  ethnic Vietnamese/Southeast Asian community in
  Chicago
• Father went to work in wholesale food shipping,
  Thailand Food, where pay was as low as 600 a
  month

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Life Now

• Leaving behind their homeland to embark on a
  journey to a country that they knew nothing of
  was a difficult task for my parents
• Although starting a new life here was very hard,
  my parents continued to do the best that they
  could to offer a better life for their children
• After moving six times through various parts of
  Chicago, they finally moved to Lincolnwood in
  October of 2000
• Through much hard work and many jobs, my family
  now owns a successful restaurant in Uptown
  Chicago and have a life that they always dreamt of