George Miller – US Democrats Congressman – in Malaysia greeting children at a Vietnamese refugee camp.
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Monsoon fury – image credit Thejas Panarkandy
Monsoon – image credit 5particle.
22 Jun 1979, Kuantan Beach, Malaysia: Refugees aboard beached boat from Vietnam. – Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS
Pulau Bidong island.
Refugees transported to Pulau Bidong island walking on the jetty.
Refugees having picture taken for ID.
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Listen to: (Link to phamduy.com Ngàn lời ca khác – Nhạc Pop 60-70).
I have come to accept racism in this country in exchange for freedom after escaping from the Vietnamese Communists.
Comments about this post on ABC Open DRUM – Casual Racism.
Arriving in Australia from a Malaysian refugee camp in April 1984, I stayed at a six-bedroom parish house in Burwood, Victoria together with thirteen other Vietnamese refugees. On Christmas Day that year, when I was alone in the house, the parish priest took me along to an Australian parishioner’s house and I had my very first Australian Christmas lunch there. It was a frosty lunch as no one spoke a word to me. More than thirty years later, I still wonder why those Australians were cold to me. But wait therre’s more!
It was a frosty Christmas lunch and the very first for me – a Vietnamese refugee.
Coming from a refugee camp in Malaysia, I arrived in Australia at the end of April 1984. After staying a week at Enterprise Hostel, Springvale, Melbourne, Sister Petite Peach took me to a six-bedroom Burwood-parish house that accommodated thirteen Catholic Vietnamese refugees and me – a Buddhist. But wait there’s more!
(Rispetto-style poem)
I miss you Mum, I miss you Dad,
I miss you bro, I miss you sis,
It’s Christmas time but I feel sad,
A family can’t go amiss. But wait there’s more!
I witness the devastating psychological effects of Secret Santa’s gifts.
My very first introduction to the Secret Santa game in the office has unnerved me, to the point of ruining it for me for life. But wait there’s more!
(Cinquain-style poem)
Santa,
The vile use him
To send snide messages
To their disliked, chosen victim.
Damages. But wait there’s more!
Too bad, I’d sullied the team’s reputation.
Comments about this post on ABC Open 500 words – I broke it.
Soon after I started as a new comer in the team, I received an email invitation for an SWB lunch. I didn’t know what SWB meant and was told it stood for “Secret Women’s Business”. But wait there’s more!
(Lai-style poem)
Male pec and male bum,
Kill off the boredom,
Eye-sex. But wait there’s more!
My first Christmas in Australia was spent in solitude. I took up sewing to kill time and to save clothing money for the coming tertiary year. Since then, it sparked a passion and confidence in me for making signature clothes for myself.
Comments about this post on ABC Open 500 words – New in town.
I had never sewn so much as that time when I was home alone! But wait there’s more!
A refugee's journey - Vietnam to Australia 
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