VLD Week 2

Dear Ashley and Angel,

                We’ve arrived at Bach Dang. Nothing really went wrong, but Joan told me that she had met Dennis, the snotty bully. I was sure that he would tell his dad. But really, nothing went wrong. We had all gotten ready for the journey: my old maid had brought a big bag of food, my mother, who was very worried yet still positive, carried Abby on her back, Auntie Anne, who was also very positive, read to us from her Bible, Joan, who would sneak under the bridge with me because we were the sneakiest as children, and my father, who seemed to have changed in the last few days to a sullen man.

                When it was late with no moonlight, only a few lamps were on in the houses along the river. There were two guards-Joan had told me about them. The whole family waited quietly on the sand spit. I knew that they were scared, but they handled that very well. Both Joan and I knew our responsibility. We were the most nimble because everyone else was over thirty, and we would make no sound in swinging under the jetty. It was horrible- the sharp barnacles stung, there were slimy pieces of seaweed everywhere, but the worst part was that Joan slipped and the water splashed around. Luckily, we weren’t caught, and we made it to the Lucky Dragon. My dad helped everyone aboard because he was the only man. We had a bit of trouble because Abby got stuck in the sand and my mother had to help her out. Finally, we made it after several hours, and we all sat, exhausted, in the boat as it drifted out to sea. We were tired, but we had made it.

                We were so happy. Everything was so peaceful. My mother sang a lullaby to Abby, and my old maid cooked us some delicious stew with ingredients she had stuffed into her bag. Joan and I chatted about our new life in Malaysia- what we were going to do there, what kind of house we would live in. Even my father, who was stressed out last night, smiled and laughed. Auntie Anne told us a funny joke about a one-legged pirate. Then suddenly a real pirate, or monster, appeared. My mother shrieked, and Abby woke up, crying. Everyone froze. I thought it was a sea monster, and so did Joan, who had a lot of imagination. My father was logical and put himself between the stranger and his family. When we realized he was a friend, not foe, we all relaxed again. It was an exciting start of this journey.

                                                                                                                                         Sincerely,

                                                                                                                                 Jacklyn Your Cousin

VLD Week 1

PART A:

Dear Ashley and Angel,

                I have very sad news. The government in Jakarta has accused my parents of doing something they didn’t like. They have threatened to send us to different parts of the country, and our whole family will be separated. We will have to be punished for something we didn’t even do.

                But last night, we had a family meeting. We couldn’t bear the thought of separation. We decided to escape! If God is willing, we will try to get to your place over there in Makassar. Even though it is still in Indonesia, it is much safer because it is a smaller city, and besides, it’s in a different island. I know that we rarely meet, only once a year during holidays, but now we will live at your house until my father gets a new one.

                Unfortunately, that is the only good news I have. Our other neighbors who also want to go to Makassar say that there is a very slim chance, about 15%, that we will arrive safely in Makassar without the government catching us or other dangers. You see, this is much harder than when we usually visit your place and used planes. Now, all air passage is blocked to civilians, and so we might take weeks or even a month to get there. We don’t know what kind of dangers we’ll encounter in the water. To b honest, the thing I’m most scared of is getting lost. Everyone aboard the boat doesn’t have any experience in running a boat. We will have to follow the coastline. I’ve seen it on the map. I’m also really scared of illnesses. Nowadays, being in the wrong place can bring terrible diseases.

                I really hope we can see you soon. At least I don’t have to worry about food and money. We’ve got plenty of those, though we couldn’t sell our houses and factories in Jakarta because it will arouse suspicion. I will really miss the nice stuff in Jakarta, my school, my friends, the maids, and other positively familiar things that make Jakarta my home. Never mind; in Makassar, the beautiful beaches will replace the rugged mountains in Jakarta’s edges. It will be different for sure, and it’ll take a lot of adjusting, but I’m very grateful that my family and I can still stay together. What’s even better is that we can live together now. Do you remember we were always complaining when I had to leave your house and return to Jakarta? We made a group, the five of us; my sis, both of you, Nicole, and I.

                Sadly, Nicole won’t be coming with us. Our group won’t be complete without her. Her father, Uncle Jeurgen, was put in prison because he was German, and she and her mother were sent away to a place I don’t know. I don’t think we’ll ever see them again. But we can still hope.  What frustrates me the most is the difficulty of the journey. Please pray for us. We’ll be excited to see you.

                                                                                                                      Sincerely,

Jacklyn and Joan, Your Cousins

Part B:

           I think I relate to Phan Thi Chi because in his dream, he had nightmares. I know it’s a bad habit, but I am a person who worries about everything that’s different from my  usual routines. In his dream, he worried about his father’s letter. I would also think negatively, because I think it is better to hope for the best but expect the worst. That way, our hopes won’t be kept up even though our plans won’t work. Actually, I was afraid that Phan Thi Chi’s father had died because he hadn’t replied to the letter, and he was already an old man.