National Adult Literacy Database

August 29, 2011

This week, we have a story written by Sue Bui, from Nanaimo, BC. Sue is enrolled in literacy classes at Literacy Central Vancouver Island, in Nanaimo.

The Story of How I Travelled to Canada

by Sue Bui

I left Vietnam in 1988. I went to Hong Kong by boat. It is a very hard boat ride for those leaving South Vietnam to go to Hong Kong due to the weather and ocean fishes who could eat you if you fall overboard from overcrowding on the ships. The ratio of people who make the journey is only about 50/50 versus the time travel of about a month to arrive. Plus the people who leave from North Vietnam have a short distance to travel, and it usually only takes 1 week to 10 days so chances are the survival rate is 80% of the ratio of people able to arrive in Hong Kong. So I feel very lucky to have made it to Hong Kong. It was a big ship that held 137 people so we had bunk beds to sleep on, but it was very crowded. It took one week to travel by boat to get to Hong Kong. Then I stayed for 2 years working to save enough money to come to Canada. When I was in Hong Kong I worked sewing jeans. First I arrived in Kitchener, Ontario and stayed with one of my brothers who came to Canada before me. I come from a family of 8 people who live in North Vietnam. Most of my family is still in Vietnam, and my one brother is in Ontario and I am now on Vancouver Island. Presently I have 2 teenage sons who enjoy learning about the English lifestyle.

[This story was taken with permission from In Our Words 2009, a collection of writings by students at Literacy Central Vancouver Island, in Nanaimo.]