My family had to flee Laos which at the time when it was a war torn country. At that time my father planned the best escape that he could under the circumstances. You see we were a family of five with three children under the age of four. None of the groups wanted to wait so long because no one ... Read More »
Robert is a first-generation Laotian refugee who has reached his American Dream of owning his home, being active in his children’s lives and saving for his children’s future. He has overcome many obstacles in order to be where he is now–working as a Chief Of Construction Services. He began his journey here in San Jose, where he attended primary schooling and then started working when he was ... Read More »
I was born in Saigon Vietnam. I’m 55 I came here when I was 8 years old, I had a very short time in Vietnam. Up to 8 years old I was a student. I attended a private French school until I was 8 years old which was until 1975. Living in Vietnam ... Read More »
When Lang opened the door to her new home, she found the house fully furnished, the refrigerator and cupboards stocked with Vietnamese food, rice, bowls, even chopsticks! The church would take turns sitting with the kids whenever they went to ESL classes, even giving them a ride to the classes. Back in Vietnam, “we lived a very good life,” said ... Read More »
Dr Lynn Ngo is a clinical assistant professor at Stanford medical school, practicing internal medicine. She considers herself a melting pot of Vietnamese, Chinese and American. Her story includes an escape for Vietnam and over a year in a refugee camp before coming to the US. She spoke at a Welcome Week event in September 2019 ... Read More »
Quy Lee tells a gripping story of his escape by boat from Viet Nam, along with 264 passengers he took along. Also, time in a Malaysian Refugee Camp, followed by a new life in the USA. Quy was part of a storytelling event called “When Home Won’t Let You Stay: Stories of Escape and Refuge.” It was co-sponsored by the ... Read More »
On November 1, 1955 the Vietnam War began, the North Vietnamese against the South Vietnamese. It was hard for the people and for the government. Tons of people had to leave. People couldn’t live under these conditions. The north came over to the south and robbed the south. Kim’s family (name changed) left when she was eighteen years old to ... Read More »
There are many unique immigration stories, but none are exactly like my dad’s story. It consists of many hardships and much patience. Although there were a lot of responsibilities and much loneliness, I must say that my dad conquered them all. My father was from Southern Vietnam and lived quite a normal life with his family. That is until, suddenly, ... Read More »
Seng Ra was born in Myanmar. When she was 16, she ran away from a civil war. Afterwards, she sheltered in a refugee camp in Malaysia. When she was a month away from her 18th birthday in 2008, she came to the United States with the help of UNHCR. Seng was sent to a Refuge Foster Family home in Concord, ... Read More »
Watch Quy present his story in front of an audience, or scroll down further for the written story. It was 1975 in Vietnam. Quy was living in Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. All around him, he was seeing effects of the Vietnam War and communist control. Ethnic Chinese like him were being discriminated against to the point where their ... Read More »