Interviewee: Nghiep Bui
Interviewer: Chau Bui
Relationship: Father
Date: March 26, 2001

A man who left Vietnam to pursue a better life for his family.

What is your full name

My full name is Nghiep Bui.

What is your nationality?

I am Vietnamese.

What is your date of birth?

I was born on January 1, 1945.

Where were you born?

My birthplace is Vietnam.

When did you (move to the U.S./move from somewhere else in the U.S.) to Philadelphia?

I moved from Vietnam to the United States and lived in Philadelphia on May 5, 1994.

Why did you leave your country/State/former place of residence?

I left my country as a refugee.

What did you like/dislike about your home/country?

I don't like to live under the communist regime

Why did you choose Philadelphia/U.S?

I did not choose Philadelphia, but I come to Philadelphia with a sponsor of United States Catholic Center (USCC).

How did you travel here?/What type of transportation did you use/take to travel here? How would you change that?

I traveled here by airplane.

How did you find a place to live in Philly?

I was able to find a place to live with the help of the USCC organization.

With whom did you travel? [Who did you travel with?]

I traveled with my wife and my two children.

Give 1 thing you remember most about your home town and why?

One thing that I remembered is SaiGon city. It is a beautiful city in Vietnam.

How did your life change when you moved and what were the differences between the two places?

My family and myself had a better life than before.

What did you expect about the US/Philly?

I expected that Philadelphia would be a development place and everyone here would have a life of happiness and prosperity.

What did you come here to accomplish and what else do you feel you still need to do?

I was very happy that I found a job when I got here, and I hope my children will be successful in life and have a good standard of knowledge in school.

What are the differences between when you came here and now?

Before I came here I was always worried about my families lives, but now my family has stability.

What did you sacrifice/leave behind when you left?

I left behind my lovely home with my brothers and sisters whom I miss very much.

What problems did you encounter coming to the US/Philly?

At first when I came here, I did not know how to communicate with the American people, and I was having difficulty finding where the bank and supermarket is located at. It was very difficult to adapt to this new place.

How much money did you have and where did you get it when you came to Philly/US?

The USCC that sponsored my family, gave us money for the first few months.

How did you adapt to your new environment?

When I came here was around summer time so the weather was hot just like my hometown, but as the winter moved in I had difficulty adapting to the cold weather.

Why do you think it was worth all your changes?

I think coming to United States gave my children many opportunities to increase their knowledge and have a better future. It is definitely good change.

What education did you have before/after you arrived?

I was able to finished twelve grades.

Do you [ever] regret moving? Why or why not?

I would not regret moving here because knowing that my family and my children will get a better life I was, very please.

What reason would/could make you go back to where you came from?

I would love to go back to visit my brothers and my sisters.

Describe your first job here. If you didn't have one, where did you get money?

The people in the USCC organization found a job for me. They introduced me into a company in which I was a welder.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I just hope that our life would get better. I think life in America is not that easy like I thought it would. I faced many rude remarks from people and prejudices, but knowing that my child will have a better future it is all worth it!