The Viet Kieu in America : Personal Accounts of Postwar Immigrants From Vietnam

Vietnamese make up one of the largest refugee populations in the United States, some arriving by boat in 1975 after the fall of Saigon and others coming in the 1990s. This collection of 22 essays by 14 authors illuminates Vietnamese-American culture, views of freedom and oppression, and the issues of relocation, assimilation and transition for two million people. It contains personal experiences of the Vietnam War, life under Communist rule, and escape to America. I. Peace and war The lotus pond / Nghia M. Vo Remembering Saigon / Nghia M. Vo The Vietnam War: snapshots / Chat V. Dang A pilgrim / Nghia M. Vo II. Oppression and escape My life as a zombie / Thien M. Ngo Anatomy of an escape / Theresa C. Trask The guava tree / Anh Hai The so-called reeducation camp / Trong T. Ngo The lady in black / Dieu Hien A second chance / Chau Dinh An The wish / Thang Cuc My April / Thach N. Truong III. Struggle, healing and remembrance Shadow of the past/ Mai Lien A refugees’ life / Hien V. Ho Guam, the transit island / Nghia M. Vo I left my heart in ... Saigon / Nghia M. Vo April 30th / Thach N. Truong IV. The present A love affair / Christina Vo Little Saigon, Westminster, California / Nghia M. Vo The journey home / Hieu V. Ho On searching / Christina Vo On being a Viet kieu / Nghia M. Vo Table of Contents 8 Introduction 10 I. Peace and War 20 1. The Lotus Pond 22 2. Remembering Saigon 38 3. The Vietnam War 47 4. A Pilgrim 55 II. Oppression and Escape 72 5. My Life as a Zombie 74 6. Anatomy of an Escape 83 7. The Guava Tree 95 8. The So-Called Reeducation Camp 103 9. The Lady in Black 110 10. A Second Chance 119 11. The Wish 128 12. My April 136 III. Struggle, Healing and Remembrance 140 13. Shadow of the Past 142 14. A Refugee’s Life 147 15. Guam, the Transit Island 166 16. I Left My Heart in ... Saigon 174 17. April 30th 182 18. A Love Affair 188 19. Little Saigon, Westminster, California 192 20. The Journey Home 200 21. On Searching 204 22. On Being a Viet Kieu 208 Epilogue 217 Chapter Notes 226 Suggested Reading 234 Index 236 "Vietnamese make up one of the largest refugee populations in the United States. This collection of essays by 14 authors illuminates Vietnamese-American culture, views of freedom and oppression, and the issues of relocation, assimilation and transition for two million people. It contains personal experiences of the Vietnam War, life under Communist rule, and escape to America"--Provided by publisher.