Thao completed a BCom and CFA certification and excelled in her field of petroleum marketing. Her father— in manufacturing, mother— a cook, sister— a chartered accountant, and brother— an engineer have thrived and made significant contributions to Canadian society. Thao re-visited her home city of Saigon( renamed Ho Chi Minh City by the Viet Cong), where she marveled at the rapid evolution of its skyline, technologies, and consumer products. She tells me that even though its residents are economically better off, some still yearn for Canada’ s air quality, health care, education, and equality of opportunity.
Apart from the international airport, a Military Zone Museum, and a small exhibit at the Da Nang historical museum, there are scant reminders of Da Nang’ s significant military past. Another of my former students, Hieu Van Ngo— who has his own harrowing story of escape from a village near Hoi An— explained this seeming disinterest in history, saying that Buddhist-influenced cultural thought emphasizes honouring the past while living in the present and evolving to a better future. This belief is exemplified in the Vietnamese poetic sensibility that finds fundamental beauty in everything.
After spending three years in a refugee camp in Thailand, Hieu Van Ngo closed the gap in his high school education, pursued a PhD, and is now a social work professor, researching social resilience at the University of Calgary. Hieu and his younger brother eventually sponsored their mother to Canada; however, in time, she returned to her home village, finding comfort near the mountains and the sea, between heritage and modernity.
Carol Berndt started teaching English as a second language( ESL) during the wave of newcomer“ boat people.” So inspired by their tenacity and resilience, she dedicated her career to immigrant and refugee education and advocacy, and to English language instruction, programming, and teacher training. With successive waves of refugees from other war-torn countries, she remains awestruck by their settlement stories.
Looking west toward Charlie Ridge, Hill 10, April 1969
Da Nang Air Base during the Vietnam War Da Nang Beach South
Buddhist shrine
Photo by Carol Berndt Photo by Carol Berndt
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