Conditions were sparse – the family received little water and food. Their food included flattened dried fish, which in Vietnam is what her family would feed their pigs. The meager food portions were not enough to feed her family of six, and in a few months it would be a family of seven as Tran was pregnant. In order to help support her family, 24-year-old Tran would wake up at two a.m. to prepare for work. Over her immense pregnant belly, she would make sticky rice and bean sprouts to sell. The life she now led was extremely different than what she had previously.
“My life in Vietnam was much better than in Thailand,” she said. “I wanted to go back to Vietnam, but I couldn’t out of embarrassment to return. I had already left for freedom and wanted my children and brother and sister to have a better future.”
Although the sparse conditions were not ideal, her older brother, who died in Vietnam days before they escaped, encouraged them through his spirit to stick it out. Hope came after Tran delivered her son. A few days after giving birth on a thin straw mattress, the Americans interviewed Tran as a possible candidate to come to the U.S. Her family has been accepted by France and had the chance to go to Australia, but they decided on America.
“When [the American officials] interviewed me, I could feel the freedoms and happiness of America,” Tran said.
From Thailand, the Americans would either send their chosen refugees to Singapore or the Philippines in order to learn English. The Trans traveled by plane to the Philippines, but Tran could not concentrate on learning. She had a baby that was weak and she had to provide for her family. Compared to Thailand, life was better in the Philippines.They had plentiful food, water and basic necessities.
After living in the Philippines for seven months, the family flew to Maryland on visas. They stayed in hotels and ate in restaurants, a large change from their previous conditions. Her uncle had connections in Texas and helped them get down here. Tran found solitude at St. Phillips Apostle Church in Lewisville, where she got help getting a job at Marcus as a custodian. Although her family arrived safely in America, it was a complicated voyage.
“We never thought we would make it to America, but we prayed,” she said. “I saw with my own eyes how difficult it would be. I saw people fall in the water and have sharks eat them, and saw the pool of blood. I saw how hurtful it was.”
Tran has worked here since 1985. Although she knew a little bit of English, it was incredibly hard at first. Her disorientation with her new surroundings initially made working at Marcus difficult.
“I had no time to go to school,” Tran said. “After three days, the people at St. Phillips took me to go to work. My son was born in 1983 in Thailand, and I took him with me to work in the Philippines. But when I came here, I couldn’t do that. And I didn’t know where to go in Marcus. But now it is okay.”
Most of Tran’s family now lives in America, except for her 83-year-old mother and some siblings. Although she would like them here, they have everything they need in Vietnam and she sends them money when necessary.
“It is easier over in Vietnam because the houses are already paid for and they have all their living expenses,” she said. “If they come here, they have to find a new house, lighting and electricity. They would have to take a citizenship test and learn English. It would be hard.”
Regardless of the struggles she faced trying to find freedom and a better life for her family, Tran was promoted to head custodian in 2006. She says she tries to do her job as best as she can.
“I try to take care of the building good,” she said. “I just want everybody at Marcus happy.”
