Leaving With Her Family To Look For Freedom

Interviewer: Nguyen Ngo
Interviewee: Diem Tran
Relationship: Cousin
Language: Vietnamese
Date: May 29, 2000
 

What is your full name?

Diem Tran

What is your nationality?

Vietnamese

What is your date of birth?

5/1/1978

Where were you born?

Vietnam

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

July 7, 1995

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

Looking for freedom.

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

I never did like the government system.

Why did you choose Philadelphia/U.S?

My relative live here.

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

By plane.

How did you find a place to live in Philly?

My aunt found the place before I got here.

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

I travel with my family.

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

The thing that I remember the most is my old house in Vietnam where I grew up.

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

A lot of thing have change since I moved here like I have more money in my pocket than I used to have. In Vietnam we can not make much money.

What did you expect about the US/Philly?

I really didn't expect a lot, except making money and looking for freedom for all of us.

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

All I want to accomplish is to have the freedom for my family and also myself of course.

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

When I first got here I can not speak that much of English, but now I learn how to read and write.

What did you sacrifice/leave behind when you left?

I left a lot of things behind like my relatives, my friends, etc.

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

The language is the big problem for me.

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

I didn't have no money, but my aunt who live here before me lend me some of her money.

How did you adapt to your new environment?

I have make some friends. One of my friends introduce me to her place of work and get and she got me a job there.

Why do you think it was worth all your changes?

It was worth it because my life is getting better than when I used to live in Vietnam.

What education did you have before/after you arrived?

Before I arrive to the United States I have been graduated from high school in my country, but after I arrived here I didn't attend to any school in the America.

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

I will never regret about moving, because I have got what I needed from living in the Philly.

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

The only reason could make me go back to Vietnam is to visit my lovely grand mom.

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

My first job here is pretty difficulty. I have a hard time understanding my boss, but he is generous enough to help me when I needed help. Also he help me a lot with my English. After few years of working there I can finally understand what he is saying.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I think I have nothing to add.