My Brief family history
Now back to the camps in Thailand, from time to time, a program called Intergovernmental Committee for Migration(ICM), [which worked closely with the United Nation(UN)]..would come to the camp to interview those who interested going to the USA. My family jumped on it right away! At first, we weren't too proud of coming to America because there were rumors that Americans eat human. That scared many people away. We didn't know how the rumors got to the camp.
Perhaps, they were (rumors) refering to The American History, the 13 colonies. Those who explored the West, those who crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the 1700s and got stranded in the snow for months. Many starved to death. The few of whom alived had no choice but to eat the dead bodies of their own crew in order to survive.
Well, there are some sick psychopaths out there like Jeffrey Dahmer. By the way, for those of you who don't know, this is a true story. Jeffrey Dahmer was known as a serial killer, a cannibal who eats the flesh of human beings, and a child molester. One of his victims was a young Laotian boy. The boy was kidnapped, sexually molested, and killed. He kept the heads of his victims in the refrigerator. Many more human skulls were found in his bedroom and closet. Ewww!!
Anyway, despite the rumors, my parents decided to come to America. My relatives and cousins (who were already in the USA many years) assured us that Americans do not eat human, and that coming to America was the only wise decision. Apparently, my parents were convinced by our relatives. Thank goodness, otherwise, I wouldn't be here today. So, my parents went through the whole interviewing process with the ICM, which took little over a year. We took shots to prevent various diseases. We passed all drug tests, and all the physical exams. At the end of 1983, my family was transfered from Thailand camp to Philippines to study English. Just to learn the basics - (you know like "A.B.C, Hello how are you?, etc).
My family stayed in Philippines for about one year. At the end of 1984, we were released to America. It was like a dream when our names were called to come to the USA. I woke up one morning and saw buses lined up along the street of Philipphines Refugee Processing Center(PRPC). The buses were there to take my family and many others to the Airport in Manila, the Capitol of Philippines. I felt wonderful that very moment,"We finally get to go to America" I whispered to myself.
After my family got to the Manila International Airport, we boarded the plane(747).
I was new in this country at the time. I couldn't speak English very good, but I have "pride" - my Asian Pride! I fought back because I was being stepped on. Know what I mean?
Before long, my parents decided to move to California. So, here I am in Sacramento, The CAPITAL of the Golden State. I'm now a U.S Citizen, a registered democrat. That means I'm FREE as a bird. I have been behaving myself pretty good here in Cali. Umm, except for one time, I beat this guy up bad for stealing my 4X4-Toyota truck; this same guy also stole my ex-girlfriend's belongings from her car, which parked in front of my house in the broad daylight. I chased the thief down the neighborhood, caught up with him and he wanted to fight with me. So I cracked his head open in few spots, and kicked his nose/mouth area. He was bleeding pretty bad. I feel guilty until today that I took the law into my own hands. I did it because I was uncontrolably mad that my truck was entirely ruined and stripped. Add to that, all my previous cars had been broken into and many valuable items were stolen at numerous times. It was him and a few of his thugs that did it, but I never cought them in the act. I finally cought him red-handed. So, I put all my angers on him. Can you blame me? Later, I found out that he(thief) also live in the same neighborhood as I. I now got myself an enemy next door...."sigh"
My Personal Story:
Click here
My family used to lived in Thailand from 1979-1983.
In those years, the Thai authority constantly transfering my family and others from one refugee camp to the next. Our first camp was 'Namyao' in Nan province. Second, Chiang Kham, and third, Phanatnikhom, and so on. We ended up in Philippinse and that was our last camp before we came to the USA. Living in those camps were like living in the prison. We were pretty much incarcerated, all surrounded by barbed-wire fences. We weren't allowed to go anywhere out side the camp. Refugees often got harassed, or, intimidated by the drunk Thai security guards. Obviously, there was no freedom in the camp. All in all, living in those camps were terrible. With the exception of the one in Philippinese, there, we were able to roam the entire Island freely, we were allowed to go fishing, hunting for birds with a sling-shot, swimming in the streams, set snares, trap wild birds, chase monkeys, and other wild animals deep in the jungles. I like that!
Sure enough, within that 14 hours, we arrived in Seattle, Washington. A brand new continent, a completely weird and strange country, but nice! I was 14 years old then. I went to Evergreen High School in Seattle. It was alright until I got into a fight with a white boy. I used my Kung Fu on him, but it didn't work because he was too damn big! But I got him good.. HaHa! Many Whites in Seattle were so prejudice against Asian. That white boy didn't like the way I look, I could tell. He was a bully who likes to make fun of others, and I happened to be one of his victims. I've never been treated that way in my life. Therefore, I was forced to react because I can't tolerate a bully. In the school auditorium, I saw many Cambodian girls got humiliated by white classmates. For example, calling the Cambodian girls names, pulled hair & kicked on the head from the higher seats behind, etc. But those Cambodian girls just ignored, and kept it to themselves. I couldn't understand why those girls were so afraid of their bullies. Maybe they were scared to speak out or something.
Home | what's Iu Mien? | my trip to China | Yao Ethnic | Yao Religious | Guestbook |
---|