It was along time ago I wanted to write a DIARY for our FAMILY. Years by years past by our Family become big and bigger. I am wishing that our Family no matter how big our Family are, we still know each other, still stick together, helping each other on those difficult days of life, to overcome it and go to further ahead. Let no any member of our family to be wash away by the flood of life.
My Father (Levu Thai) loves Lan-Anh and Dũng very much. I love my Father. Now, every time I think of my Father I think of it with tear on my eye.
We were married on 1963 Jan. 1st. Our family were lived in a small room built on the roof the garage of my parent’s house (23 Thái-Phiên Hanoi).
We, for sure, never forgot those war days. American jets and B52 flew to Hanoi shot rockets, drop bombs. We all get in our so called "Air-raid-shelter" just a table which was pushed to corner of room ,with all kind of blankets, pillows on top. once ,bombs dropped too close to our house, the house was shaking ,Lan-Anh quickly laid over her Mom ,try to used her little body to protect her Mom. Oh! So many things to remember on those days.
Then there is a big event came up ,it changed our family' life. For our family it was a TURNING POINT of life. 1979 Chinese invade Vietnam. Vietnamese Gov. for its only choice, kick out of country and city all Chinese-Vietnamese. That made me very, very mad. l decided : "GO!" Get out of Vietnam. That its. Just get out ! We sold everything we have on our whole life in Vietnam. All of it just enough to buy 4 seats on an old, old wood boat. Then, on 1979 April we left Vietnam. All we have are the HOPENESS and the BRAVENESS, the CLEAR MIND and HARD-WORKING-HANDS.
The time we left Vietnam, I was 45 years old ,my wife (NHU-LAN) 40 years old. LAN-ANH 14 years old. DOUG (DUNG) 10 years old. Those days on open sea ,Lan-Anh and MOM laying on the boat's floor ,got sea-sick. Me and Doug staying on the roofs boat with other man. Until now, couldn't understand what made a 10 years old little kid could staying safe on that small boat's roof days and nights on the open sea but not falling off to the sea? One night we found that boat was leaked, big leak. water had leak in all of the boat. All people who could stand up on the boat, line up 3 lines, used anything ; bowls, pots, pans... any thing at all to load water , pour it back to sea. Fortunately, a young man found out the leaking hole. lt was a drain hole used to empty water from the boat to do maintenance ,fixing boat on port ,for Some reason its wood plug fell off, gone, This man used blanket plug this hole back, So our boat could slowly "drift" to Hong-Kong. Thanks to GOD who has blessing us all the way we go to find a safe land . We started the "BOAT PEOPLE" life. Yes, we are refugees, came to HK by boat without any documents, without any permission. But we were happy , HAPPY !!!
1981 July 16, we fly to CANADA, the HOME-LAND for us to stay on our life. The new, permanent life started here; Started from ZERO. My VN University degree were not accepted here, my English so poor. I do not have any trade, and my muscle so weak.
Nhu-Lan, my wife started on sewing job lt is a hard doing job, poor paid, but still a way to make money. She doing hard and doing good, she was a main income source for family on first few years. I myself every day took the bus went to any factory that need worker, write down application, then wait. This circle repeated day by day. Until Dec 1981, a small upholstery shop call me to work as a helper with a lowest pay. Even my paid was low, but l'm still VERY HAPPY. I did any job they wanted me to do, and did it good; like ripping off old sofa, old chair, glue up old, old "antique" chair, filling up feather into cushion (after finish this job, I become a "feather man" feather covered up my whole body, get through cover cloth suck into my nose, my mouth ).
lt was a chance came .1986 shop no more job for helper, so I was laid off. Boss feel sorry for me, but I was HAPPY, very HAPPY. It was right time. At this time, Ontario Gov. make a re-education program for unemployment. l get in this program But one thing I have to get it done, was go to adult school to get CANADA high school credit. CANADA high school credit was not a problem for me. Math and Physics teachers call me a "Master" .only English was tough. But at last, I got a "Pass". Then I also Pass the test on CONESTOGA COLLEGE, got in "Electrical Technician Machinery and Apparatus Program" November 1988 l was graduated as a Electrical Technician I got Diploma and have my name on CONESTOGA COLLEGE "PRESIDENT HONOUR LIST" with $400.00 reward.
September 1988 OMARK a company making chain saw in GUELPH accepted me to work as a Laser Technician to repair and maintenance Chain saw bar Laser-Welding Machines. My paid for the 1st. month was $11.25 1Hr. almost double of my paid few years ago. lt was a big Company with 700 workers, only me was Asia worker at the time I was hired. One thing very important for our Family was I am, now, a Technician, getting respect from people I work with and work for I am proud of what I had done. At the age of 54 I got CANADA DIPLOMA and become a TECHNICIAN.
We also say THANKS to JOHN NORTH and ROBERTA and their CHURCH for they had sponsor us to CANADA. Just for this favor to us, is enough for us to say THANKS to them and to CANADIANS
1993 Sept.14 Our first grand child was born.: CLARK
2007 June19 Doug and Monique gave birth to 1st Baby boy, named (Binh) NICOLAS
2009 Feb 19 Doug and Monique gave birth to 2nd Baby boy, named Nigel
2011 May 1st. Doug and Monique gave birth to 3rd. baby boy, named (Yip) NOLAN
2011 Sept. Our 1st. grand son GLARK will go to UNIVERSITY WATERLOO ,COMPUTER ENGINEER CO.OP Program. Oh Boy ! Time gone by so fast, I do remember that when CLARK was few years old, we were talking the time CLARK will go to University, then CLARK said : "at that time Ong will be gone ". Now, THANKS to GOD, I'm very HAPPY to see CLARK go to UNIVERSITY, as HAPPY as the first time I saw CLARK with a little bag on his back go with me to neighbor to watch "TU-TU-TRAIN" system running CLARK, if GOD give me more Blessing ,l wish I could see you on a day you graduated University, then go to work with HAPPINESS
2O11 July 27 Ong I have no more thing to say. lt is your (Our children and grandchildren and...) to continued doing this work. Let OUR FAMILY grows strong, get more and more branches
30 years in CANADA; our new HOME-LAND July 1st.2011. It had been 30 years we live in CANADA since 1981. I remember the first CANADA DAY July 1st. 1981 we celebrate it with Canadians in Victoria Park, Kitchener Ontario. Everything were so new, so strange, even July's weather here was so cold for us, the new comers. At this time, my feeling was very confused :Happy, sad, worry, lonely...
Now, it all over, our family have successfully overcome all obstacles on the way building our new life from NOTHING in this new HOME-LAND. We are proud of all the thing we had done to become the respectful and useful CANADIANS. We are proud to be CANADIANS. We are glad to be CANADIANS. We have grown our roots deep and strong in this HOME-LAND. We say THANKS to GOD who gave and give us so much blessing We say THANKS to CANADIANS who had give us helping hands in our new life.
Now my feeling is HAPPY, HAPPY and HAPPY !!!
