Fleeing Vietnam - Heart Wrenching

I spent an hour one afternoon in May 2015 hearing absolutely amazing, sad, and shocking stories from two co-workers (not related) on how they risked their lives to leave Vietnam.

One fled in 1975 and the other in 1985.

Both had very harrowing stories of their escapes and it brings to light a lot of things we take for granted. They each showed up to America after a distraught trip over the ocean to islands where they lost relatives and then to refugee camps with ONLY the clothes on their back. And look where they are today!  In a great job.

As they said, "anything is possible." 

Sad to think some people sit on their butts all day and wont find a job, yet we have so much to offer and gain here in America!  I don't think many of us REALLY realize this.

To hear my coworkers had to flee, leave family behind, lose relatives on the trip, spend time in refugee camps for over a year, is heartbreaking, but inspiring.  But they also saw women being raped, seeing people die in the waters, or beaten on land.  Very sad times, and they didn't know if they would survive!

They have a few relatives left, that are still living (if you call it "living") in a communism country.  They send money home once a month.

Here is a link to Koh Kra "Hell on Earth:" http://www.refugeecamps.net/Kohkraintro.html

And here is another link of refugee camp that my coworker Dao was in: http://www.refugeecamps.net/GalangCamp.html

I am still in awe of the stories and how they had to leave.  Glad they made it!  But it's sad.

Paul, my other coworker, shared this via email with me:

There are a lot worsse stories of the Vietnamese boat people out there that might be never been told.  Below is the link of more stories.  You can read when you have time.

http://www.vietka.com/

 

Thank you for letting us sharing the journey how to escape from the Communist regime to the freedom land, USA.