(DOWNLOAD) "From Vietnam to Calgary." by Canadian Ethnic Studies Journal # Book PDF Kindle ePub Free

July 19, 2021

eBook details

Title: From Vietnam to Calgary.
Author : Canadian Ethnic Studies Journal
Release Date : January 22, 2005
Genre: Social Science,Books,Nonfiction,
Pages : * pages
Size : 160 KB

Description

It's March of 1979; the Vietnam War ended four years ago. The instability that many Vietnamese are facing, coupled with the tough economic situation, has left my family no choice but to leave and hope to start a new and better life elsewhere. I'm only seventeen years old, and Vietnam is the only home my siblings and I have ever known. We go to school here. We have friends and relatives living nearby. Our parents have built a successful life; my father works as a clerk in a publishing company. That's quite a prestigious job, since many from his generation are illiterate and uneducated. My mother runs her own street vendor business. I am the oldest of five, and while my parents are busy at work, I often take on a mothering role with my siblings, making sure their needs are met. Though we hire outside help to aid with various chores around the home, I still take on the bulk of the responsibility when it comes to ensuring their well being. I don't mind this responsibility and am quite protective of them (my younger sister and our three younger brothers). The thought of having to leave all this familiarity behind is frightening, yet there's a tinge of excitement with not knowing what to expect. We have to find a way to leave the country safely, and it's not possible for us to board planes because we don't have the proper documentation. The only option is to go by boat. Many others are planning the same journey, and my mother makes contact with some people who can get us onto a boat and away from Vietnam. They want ten pieces of gold from each of us. The price is hefty, but my mother pays it, and soon my father and we five kids are on board. My mother can't come with us just yet. She has to stay and care for our grandfather, her father, who is ill. We are heartbroken to leave without her. Not only are we leaving the only home we've ever known, but our mother is not able to join us. She puts on a brave face and tells us that once we start a new successful life, we can sponsor her to leave Vietnam. One day, our family will be reunited.