A TREMENDOUS EXPERIENCE OF A
LITTLE VIETNAMESE BOY

This is how the Vietnamese have crossed the South China Sea.

Interviewer: Quy Tang
Interviewee: Tran Chan
Relationship: Friend
Language used: Vietnamese
Translated by: Quy Tang
Date of Interview: April 5^th, 2000

What is your full name?

My name is Tran Chan.

What is your nationality?

I am Vietnamese and Chinese.

What is your date of birth?

My date of birth is April 8^th, 1982.

Where were you born?

I was born in one of the big city of Vietnam. It called Ho Chi Minh City after the North took over the South.

When did you first arrive in the US?

I came to US on April 1^st, 1994, after my 13^th birthday.

When did you come to Philadelphia ?

I came to Philadelphia around April 13^th-14^th, 1997.

Is there any reason that made you leave that lovely place?

Well! When I left Vietnam, I'm still a little boy, know nothing about that, but later on my dad told me that we ran away from his companies. I remember, I used to ask him who was his companies? He just said "You don't know nothing about this."

Have you ever asked him why you ran away?

Yes, I did. Once day, after came back from my friend's party. I saw my dad with his newspaper. Suddenly, something forced me to ask him "When are we going back to Vietnam?" He said "Ooh! We can't!" I asked him," Why? Mom still there." He said "We can't live there any more, We can live with the Communism, I and don't want to." I asked him " What was that?" I didn't know what Communists mean.

Why did you choose Philadelphia?

Well! A friend of my dad introduced to us this lovely place. My dad wanted to change our life condition. We knew that it must more for us to get a job.

How did you travel here? What type to transportation did you use?

I think you already see the picture I that I show you ( the picture above.) That was my first step to get here, that not my picture, but that how it look when I traveled.

First step? How about the whole process?

Okay! From Ho Chi Minh (South Vietnam) it took us like 1 month to get to Hai Phong (South Vietnam). I can't remember how my dad and other people got the small and old wooden boat to fit 45 people. After I woke up, I didn't know how long I have been on the boat. We came to South China and acrossed to Hong Kong. We live in the camp in Hong Kong for three years. After that with a program called HO (Humanity Operation) all people in the camp allowed to come to US.

That mean you came straight from Hong Kong to US?

No! After I left Hong Kong in 1994 I came to California. I lived there about two years and went to Indiana and I spent one year there. Now! I'm here and this is my final lap. I already tire moving around.

Wow! You have a wonderful experience! Can you tell me what problems you and people on the boat underwent during your travel?

During we travel, we have to know when we come to certain place at certain time, because we hid from the Chinese pirate and Chinese cruiser. I remember once my dad was a captain he predicts that no one should have talk during we across the border. He was the only one who could just because he knew Cantonese and Mandarin. At the time the Cruiser came, they used the lighthouse to beam us, that light woke me up. I called my dad "Ba!!" All the people on the boat were nervous. One man came to gag me, because that was Vietnamese, that doesn't matter just because the word father in Chinese is pronoun just like the word father in Vietnamese (Ba and Pa). Lucky, the man came and gag me. If he didn't I would say something else. The Cruiser asked my dad that why we travel in the dark? My dad told them that we were late because buy so much stuff. They did not pay any attention, they just wanted to make sure that we were Chinese, because they got a little lazy and happy with their wine. After we came in to the shore we burn the boat and dumped it into the sea, and across the China's border to the Hong Kong's camp.

Thank God that you are still alive! How was your life like in the Camp?

Well! All people in the camp were Vietnamese but there was still a controversy between the Northerner and Southerner. Some of those foolish tried to killed each other just because wanted to be an old head.

Now! Let pretend you having a revision test, I let you choose one place you think it's one of the best place you want to live. Where can it be?

I don't have to think! I want to live where I feel free and save. I think it is here, Philadelphia. I love this place. This is the place that I have the most friend than all other place. Although it isn't the most beautiful place but to me it is.

Thanks Chan! Thank you for your time and your kindheartedsharing your wonderful experience.

You're welcome, Quy.

Why are Vietnamese people all over the World? For more information click here: Http://www.wvmccd.cc.ca.us/mc/Fall/