Tag Archives: Vietnam

Dr. Lynn Ngo Story As Boat Person and Refugee

        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 »

Trieu Nguyen – Leaves Vietnam for Greater Freedom

Imagine being raised in a country where you are constantly being monitored and having constant worries 24 hours a day. My Dad was born in Saigon, Vietnam. His life was not the most ideal lifestyle because of his family worries about not having food on the table every day. He lived in a police state and the police were pretty ... Read More »

Starting Over After War (Vietnam)

Both my parents are immigrants from Asia, (my mom is from Vietnam and my dad is from India), but I chose my Mom’s story for this essay because she has a very interesting story in my opinion. Her tale is exciting and dramatic. It is a tale of going from privilege and comfort to struggles and hardship, and the lessons ... Read More »

The Great Escape (Viet Nam)

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 »

The Golden American Dream of (Viet Nam)

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 »

Escaping Post-War Vietnam

“We left our house with our small bag to go to the cargo ship knowing that I may never see my house again, and that we could be shot for walking the streets during the curfew.” My uncle Tai was born and grew up in Cholon. Cholon was a district of Saigon which was the capital of old South Vietnam. ... Read More »

Children Left Behind from Vietnam War

Being born during the controversial Vietnam War is not something that would have been pleasant. Immigrant Linda Le was one of those who was born during a time of great dispute in her country. Caught amidst the conflicts involving her country, Linda, along with her mom, resolved to leave their country. She had endured much during her trip from her ... Read More »

Hai Phan’s American Dream

The sounds of gunfire, cannons, and people in your town screaming are signs that your life is going to change. My mother is from Vietnam and had her life change because of war. She is now living happily here in America. This is Hai Phan’s life story. My mom was born in South Vietnam in 1974. “The life back then ... Read More »

Quy Lee’s Immigration Escape Plan

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 »

Kim Thanh Tran’s Immigration Story: Vietnam to California

They waved glow sticks to attract the attention of anyone who could help them. Thai pirates also prowled the waters; there was always a feeling of imminent danger. Walk into Hair 7 Salon, and you’re greeted by a small jade statue of the Buddha on the front desk. Hairdressers are quickly snipping and cutting while chatting with their customers. Kim ... Read More »