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Colonial Day Literature Contest Winner

What it means to be an American

by PhiYen Nguyen

My grandma lay silent in her cozy house. Her duty was to care for ten people under the Communist government. Thinking how to get out of the country to gain freedom with her family safe and together was her plan. Many years she mapped this out in her head. She knew that someday she would go to America to be free, then one day everything changed.

It was January 1980 when they escaped the chaotic Vietnam. They escaped during the daytime so it wouldn’t be noticeable; meanwhile they left behind 2 adult children because they were married. The family was divided into four groups. My mom managed the last group and had to get all on the boat before twelve or they would’ve been left behind. They began their journey around 12:00P.M. They traveled 7 days on the creaky boat stirring through the ocean storms which hit everyday.

he storms looked higher than roller coasters. The dark purple and blue ocean seemed like you were being swallowed into a stark, black hole. By that time they knew they needed to travel along the China seashore for safety. They finally reach Hong Kong hungry, exhausted, wet, and mostly scared.

The arrival at Hong Kong was a joyous moment. It looked like heaven to them because of the city lights. However, five minutes later the police captured them to Hong Kong’s illegal entry jail. They were in jail for 6 months, but it wasn’t so bad because they knew that was a part of settlement in different countries.

My grandpa, Du Phan, was in the army so he knew that he wanted to settle in the U.S. The United States Catholic Conference (USCC) cooperated with my grandma’s nephew to sponsor the whole family to come to the United States. They flew to Oklahoma City in August 1980. They all knew life was going to be a free, new start again.

I know that if you’re an American you can do so many more things because you are free. Being an American means that you have a choices to make instead of people making it for you. I’m proud to be the granddaughter of my grandma, Huyen Phan, who risked her life to find freedom. I know this hasn’t been that long ago, but it has still affected my life of being an American today. I am grateful for being an American.