Reporter: Hello, Aunt Binh. I would like to know what you felt when you had to go to Rach Gia.
Aunt Binh: My family-the people I lived with, I mean, -they were going to be sent to separate camps. I didn’t have anywhere to go. I just wanted to stay alone and die. I felt that everyone thought of me as a useless woman, and I didn’t want to be a burden anymore. I didn’t understand why everyone was making such a big deal of the trip-especially Quan. The night before we left, I had dreams full of memories of my late husband and daughter.
Reporter: I’m sorry about your late family, Aunt Binh.
Aunt Binh: I felt very sorry for myself too, actually, at that time. It made me think, “Why couldn’t I die with them?” Anyway, I had to go with Ah Soong. She helped me a lot, I have to admit. She carried everything and brought be to the different bus stations when I was too exhausted to travel any further. But I didn’t feel any appreciation. I was full of negative thoughts: we were all going to die. What was the use of trying anymore?
Reporter: What surprised you at Rach Gia?
Aunt Binh: What really shocked me was the change of attitude in my brother-in-law; Phan Thi Chi. He was usually in charge. But this time it seemed like he was hopeless, kind of like me.
Reporter: What did it feel like when you waited for Quan and Phan Thi Chi with the rest of the family on the sand spit?
Aunt Binh: It felt like we were waiting forever. I wanted to throw myself to sea. Then suddenly, Ly gasped, and pointed to the faint silhouette of a boat in the distance. It was the lucky dragon. After Ly came on board, it was my turn. I already felt sick when I saw that I had to be pulled up so far up. But Quan was very firm and tied the rough rope around me, which got me up eventually. I slept immediately and when I woke up, Uncle Tan had just emerged from the boat’s engine department, saying something about a new engine. Everyone was laughing. But I screamed because I had seen something-or rather, someone.
Reporter: And that would be Captain Cu, wouldn’t it? What was your first impression of him?
Aunt Binh: I was extremely frightened. He was fat and wore a scary helmet. But he was nice and offered to help us. Up until that time, the idea hadn’t pooped into my mind that he might bring us back to Rach Gia.
Reporter: Would you mind if I ask the reason of your change in attitude aboard the Lucky Dragon?
Aunt Binh: No, of course not. After I had noticed how Phan Thi Chi seemed more haggard every day, I saw myself mirrored there. That’s how people saw me. I decided that from that time on, I would no longer be a burden to my family who let me in for refuge when there was nobody else. I would give no one the excuse to think I was useless. I started to do everything; cleaning and washing. I tried to be attentive to who needed help, whether it was Ah Soong in cooking or Captain Cu and Quan in steering.
Reporter: Why did you leave Malaysia? What was your knowledge of Australia?
Aunt Binh: Quan was the one who made the choice to steer away from Malaysia. He was right. It was rotting, and we wouldn’t have been much better there than in some Communist camp. As for Australia, all I remembered was from my daughter’s textbooks back in my hometown. It had kangaroos, I suppose.
Reporter: Thank you very much for your time, Aunt Binh.
