Back Home in Texas

After Vietnam, there wasn't much of a culture assimilation shock (is that a thing?)  Because I came home to my mom and dad making me banh cuon, one of my most favorite dishes EVER!

Aren't they cute?

Aren't they delicious looking?

Drove back to Austin in this mess

Went to a going away party at the Ballard's for Chris & Amy (and little Ev!)

Isn't she adorable???

Played Mafia.  It got intense.  Hence the hands

Had breakfast at Whole Foods with Caleigh on the day she went to go find a place to live in Temple.

Master Thomas!

July 3rd - Months after his actual graduation, my family and I finally were able to celebrate it with him! And we celebrated by going to his FAVORITE PLACE in Houston: Dim Sum Kim Son. We had quite the feast, and some of the siblings ended up picking up the tab. It was really sweet and I think it meant quite a bit to Thomas that my family likes him enough to take time out of their busy schedules to come together just for him :) He's pretty likeable, that Thomas.

Yes, there was a lot of food

And yes, there were some drinks, and yes, my mom participated

No, my dad was enjoying himself a LOT more than it looks...

Sweet Bella Lina

And the crazy youngins

After the dinner was over... some of us went back to Anh Vien's for some karaoke... :)

Light at the End of the Cave

So I sent my dad an e-mail, this time pleading for more. I figured that might be a little vague, so I asked him to describe prison to me. This was the reply I got:

Melissa,
I was in prison 37 days! (from 3/11/1975 to 4/17/75). The time in prison was too hard for me! You have understand that, the prison of VC is the place in the forest, no house, no elctricity...no water...nothing else! VC kept me and about another thousand poeples in one small place! At night VC tied me up by telephone cord. Wake up in the morning, clothes got wet like taking a bath!
This story is very long...I can't resume in the one email. I hope someday, when you come back to Houston, I will translate (many details) from my book (more than 350 pages). OK?
I love you,
DAD.

Dissatisfied with so little information (especially after the e-mail I had gotten before) I told him there's no way I can wait until Memorial Day. (And also... I hope he doesn't plan on translating the whole 350 pages in person... in one sitting...) So I begged him for just a little. What it was like when he arrived in prison. I got my reply... which is a lot more like my long-winded father:

Melissa,
I understand...I obey...I try... But before I tell you about how they took me to prison, I thought that you have to understand the organization of The Republic of Vietnamese Government. The Regime that I served.
Viet Nam has 50 States (Province & City). I was Deputy Governer of 3 States. Quang Duc (1967), Cam Ranh (1968-1971), Darlac (1972-1975). My position was appointed by Prime Minister of Viet Nam Govenment.
VC attack Darlac April 10-1975, this is time I was in charge at Darlac Province. VC try take over Darlac, so that, VC try to capture any persons serving VN Government, I was one of them. ( I was the second person who had responsibility to manage Darlac Province ).
VC attack downtown of Darlac at 3:00AM on April 10/1975. Our family resided at the Administrative Headquarter! So that, at 6:10 AM, I order your Mom and all 6 kids, in a hurry get in the car to move out of the Ad 'Headquarter, I made that decision because I want to avoid the dangerous, anything can happen for our family.(easy to be kill by VC artillery). I believe that my Headquarter is the target of VC artillery.
About 6:30 AM, VC stop attack, Worry about safety of family, I drive government car to the place, where your Mom and your brothers, sisters living. Very lucky, All family still stay there safety.
At 7:00 AM, on the way returning to my Headquarte (only me). When I come close to Headquarter. one artillery bullet drop infronf of my car(about 10-15 feet). car stop engine, I was fling out of the car, Very fortune, some soldiers knew me. they brought me in the Military' Headquarter of Darlac Province.
At 10:30 , Military Headquarter was attack by artillery too heavy, I can't continue stay there, I have to get out as soon as posible. Do you know how can I get out Darlac military Headquarter under heavy artillery of VC? I ran, I crawled...I walked...(try to avoid VC artillery). During one half hour doing that, I reached the Headquarter of 23rd Division, (strong military place , strong-hold of Darlac Province). I stayed one night in the information cavern. Early morning April 11/1975,
at 7:00 AM, This cavern was destroyed by one big bomb! At that time, at least over 100 peoples in this cavern. I knew some of them die by bomb,some felf down and got hurt by strong soldiers step on !!! I am lucky because not fall down. I thought alway that all of us will die in this cavern because we did not know how to get out, how to survive!!! I close eyes and pray all the times! I stand there and waiting, but did not know what am I waiting for???
30 minutes late, suddenly, we hear the big shout: Having the light at the end of the cave!!! Now...We knew we are survivors.
But unfortunately, VC attack Headquarter by many different kind of weapen during our side have nothing to fight against VC. All of us have to escape by get out Headquarter immediately. Not all of us get out safety, some die, some got hurt...I got out safe with the Colonel Luat ( my Province Chief), Colonel Quang, (my former Chief at Cam Ranh in 1968-1971). After 3 hours got out of 23 rd Division Headquarter, VC find out the place we are camping, VC start attack us, We continue to run away, someone be kill, someone alive. Not long after that, I was captured by VC. From Darlac to the VC jail, I have walking 3 straight days+4 nights, no food, no water!!! I have only two chaces to drink water when I met the stream, We enjoy to drink even if good or bad water!!
Melissa...Ok for this time???
Love...Love,
DAD.

Big Navy Ship: The USS Midway

So my sister Rachel wrote a little snippet on her blog about the US Carrier Ship the USS Midway. This ship apparently was crucial to my family's departure from Vietnam back in 1975. I read some articles on the ship and learned about some pretty heroic tales from Operation Frequent Wind (which, thanks to Lisa's initial interpretation, will always make me think of something ELSE first...) Anyway, they were very heartwarming and of course I sat and cried at my desk while reading them during my lunch hour (forgetting, by the way, to eat lunch). So I shot my dad a quick e-mail asking him for more details. I'm pretty ashamed of my little to no knowledge about my family's escape from Vietnam. Anyway, here was his reply. As usual, I haven't corrected anything and left typos, grammatical errors and all. I find it endearing and adorable, and... you should too.

Melissa... My smart and sweet Daughter,
Let me tell you litle bit about the way our family escaping from Viet Nam communist regime.
On April 14/1975. ( I make decision to escape by myself).Our Family left Banmethuat ( I was the deputy Governer of this Highland State), at 9: PM by car. (Mom & Dad + 6 childrens + uncle Khai + my friend Huy and his wife anh nephew of the man who let me use his car .Total 12 persons in the small car). We move to South area.(still in the Center of VietNam). Must understand that, this situation was very dangerous because if they find out, many chances, I will be kill!. How lucky, nothing bad happened to our family.
On April 15/1975, we left NhaTrang Provine (Center of VN) to Vung Tau City (South VN) by small boat! Total 28 persons on this small boat. We spent two days and one night on the sea, dangerous because this boat is easy to be sink by waves, by 'boat driver (engine-driver). (If he did not have enough experiences)! We arrived safety Vung Tau City on 4/18/75.
We stay at Vung Tau City from 4/18 to 4/27/1975, when VC (Viet Cong= Viet Communist) attack Long Thanh, the Town next to Vung tau, we have to go to the beach and get in another small boat in a hurry way to escape the attack of VC. They start to attack by artillery! About one hour late we left small boat again and come up the Viet Nam civil SHIP (name DaNang), This ship carried about 150 peoples.
We left Vung tau with the plan going direct to Singapore, but...Unfortunatly, when the ship get the international sea, Ship gat problem! (Ship can sink any time). We can not continue to go , the Sip'Commander made decision to returne to Vung tau. My GOD!!! We were very afraid! Someone...cry!!! Your Mom prays all the time! She ordered me anh your brothers, sisters to pray with her! Scare me because if returning to Vung tau, VC psesent there, Where can I go? Scare time prolonging more than 5 hours. How fortune, on the way back to Vung Tau, we met the Big Navy Ship of America. After two hour to find out who we are, the Commander of Big Navy Ship gave order to pick up all Vietnammeses to his Ship!
Thank GOD! Melissa, now you know, this big Ship is...The...MID WAY ...
Your Parents and your 6 Brothers and Sisters lived in there 3 days and 4 nights.
I will tell you more..OK.
DAD,
Vy

I love my dad.

And thank you Commander of Big Navy Ship... for saving my family. Now we know why my mom prays so much.

My Love Dad

I drove to work today and listened to NPR and the story of an American US Naval officer who was visiting Vietnam on a Naval warship. He was of Vietnamese descent. 39 years old. Fled Vietnam on April 30th, 1975. He hadn't thought he'd come back so soon in his life (34 years, though seemingly long, is soon to a lot of people) and as I sat and listened to it, my eyes teared up and I got really emotional. I have six siblings similar to this man--not to mention my parents and aunts and uncles and cousins that have gone through the same journey he did. I know snippets of stories--some I'm not 100% sure about.

I e-mailed my dad and told him that I need him to tell me these stories. He wrote an entire book on it, but it's all in Vietnamese. My dad's gift of rhetoric is amazing, but that just means very long metaphors and analogies that I'm surely not going to understand. I just wanted him to tell me his story, bit by bit. This was his reply, typos and all.

My love daughter Melissa,

I am very happy to know you want to know about our family' escape. I will relate for you somedays or you can read this story in the piece of story I wrote a long time ago. OK my love dasughter?

Dad,

Vy

Seriously. How precious is my dad?