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| CONTEMPORARY ISSUES The journey seemed long, but we made it to America. by Judy Yang Keywords (Ntsiab Lus): migration, family history, historical consciousness, teaching Hmong culture and history The journey seemed long, but we made it. My mother said, "We wanted to leave Thailand because we saw the United States the land of promise." My mother and her family left Laos to Thailand in 1975. They wanted to find a place where they could just live their days and quietly sleep their nights. Their dream was to come to the U.S to seek for better opportunities. They heard of better lives in the U.S from other relatives that were already living in this country. "It was only dream that your grandfather dreamt. He really wanted us to come to the U.S, but he did not know how we would make it through." My mother was only three years old, when my grandfather his family fled out of Sayabury, Laos. My Uncle Chou was ten years old and Uncle Feng, seven years old. The youngest at the time that they moved out was Aunt Pang. She was only one. At times, my mother would ride on the horse that they brought along with them. While everyone else moved on foot. They had to move through the mountainous forest quickly and carefully to cross the rivers. Uncle Chou would carry my mother on his back to cross the forest. My grandfather, held Aunt Pang in his arms tightly, as he led them to cross small rivers. Uncle Chou held onto my mother on his back as he crossed. My grandmother held onto Uncle Feng's hand as they followed at the end of the line making sure that no one is left behind. When they had to cross big rushing rivers, my grandfather paid the Thai or Lao people by the river to cross them over. Once they got to Thailand, they first went to the village of Nam Yao. My mother called it home for five years. My grandfather worked his hardest to feed his family. My mother and Uncle Chou worked their best at the farm with my grandmother. There, my grandmother had my Aunt Youa. Everyone worked very hard to bring home enough to eat. At the end of the rainy season, my grandfather received a letter from my mother's uncle, who lived in the U.S. He wrote a letter to let my grandfather know that he was going to support my grandfather and his family to come to the U.S. My grandparents and were so happy. They did not have to struggle any longer. My grandfather's dream was coming true. In 1980, they left Thailand and landed in Minnesota. There, they lived for another five years and had my Aunt Mai. My two uncles, my aunt, and my mother were going to school to learn what the Americans were learning. After living there and getting comfortable to the community and how things were, my grandfather drove his family down to Stockton, California. They were living there for about two years. Not long after that, my mother went to go visit Portland, Oregon where her aunt lived. She met my father there and a year later, they got married. They left back to Portland, Oregon right after their wedding day. My mother was their first daughter in law. She gave birth to my oldest brother, who is the first grandson in 1986 in Portland. After my brother turned one, they moved to Crescent City, California in 1987 where I was born. After my mother had me, we moved back to live with my grandparents in Portland. After I turned one and a half, we moved down to Fresno, California, where the rest of my siblings were born. My mother said that she is very glad that she could give us a better life. It was better than where she was. Here, she said the hospital and the stores were so much closer than over there. Over there, just to go to the hospital, they had to go down to the city. "I'm very glad and thankful that I had the opportunity to give my children a better place. Here, I know that I would be able to watch my children grow up, and see my grandchildren healthy." My mother told me that she is very happy that she could give us what she could not get when she was still living in Thailand. There are opportunities that my mother wanted and now, she has it. My father gave her the opportunity to go back to school even after six children, to become a Medical Assistant. Now, she has been a Medical Assistant for about fifteen years. She said, "The best thing in my life right now is giving all that I could, and supporting all of my children to make their dreams come true." The text has been written for the ASAMER10 course at Fresno City College during Fall 2006. It has been edited by Dr. Kao Ly Yang. Some of the names have been changed in order to preserve Judy Yang's family privacy. A big thank you to Judy for allowing me to publish it in my website HMONG CONTEMPORY ISSUES in order to offer genuine witness on the Hmong Contemporary Experiences. |
| TOPICS OF 2007 January Tseem tsis tau hlub tag: tseem tos Un amour inachevé: l'attente An Unfinished Love: The Wait Tus poj niam txiav plaub hau uas kho kho siab La coiffeuse langoureuse The languorous Hairdresser February 3 lub kub toj xub kev sib daj sib deev Les trois perles faisant face à l'infidélité The 3 Pearls Facing Unfaithfulness June Vim li cas NaisPhoo Vaj Pov raug mus nkuaj thiab Hmoob sawv pab thuab? Comprendre le projet politique General Vang Pao et les réaction de la community hmong Understanding Former General Vang Pao's Scheme and Hmong Community Reactions July: Guest Writer: Malie Siong LajZim thiab MasLias Txoj Kev Sib Hlub Hauv Nruab Siab L'amour secret de Lazi et Malia The Secret Love of Lazee and Malia September Guest Writer: Judy Yang Txoj kev yeej ntev, tabsis peb yeej taug mus txog Asmeslivkas teb La voyage fut long, mais nous sommes quand nous sommes enfin en Amérique The journey seemed long, but we made it to America. October November December |
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