INTERVIEWER: In 1975, the fall of Saigon to the Communist forces caused thousands of Vietnamese to flee their country. They resorted to desperate measures in order to escape, risking their comfort, safety and lives. Huy Nguyen and his family were amongst these people, refugees who sought for a better life by heading to Australia. Huy is with us today. Welcome, Huy.
HUY NGUYEN: Thank you.
INTERVIEWER: So, how did it all start? Give us a picture of how your family came across the decision to escape Vietnam.
HUY NGUYEN: My family consisted of my father, mother, younger sister, older brother and I. We suffered a lot after the rise of the Communism. I was very young when my father told us we were going to leave, only 4 years old. So I really…show more content… But Dad insisted we left in the earliest hours of the morning. So all I remember is my family, as well as 40 or so other people cramming themselves into this tiny, rickety fishing boat. It was pitch black, and I was clinging to my mother’s hand and surrounded by the bodies of strangers as I clambered over the wood. It was scary, being packed like sardines into an overcrowded boat where you’re essentially pressed right up against someone you don’t even know. Dad and a few of the other men jumped into the shallow water and pushed the boat along for a few kilometres before starting the motor, in case we attracted unwanted attention with the…show more content… Supplies had run out and we were stranded in the middle of nowhere, starved and parched. But one day, we were spotted by a US Navy ship who rescued us and took us to a refugee camp in Malaysia. We stayed there for 4 months before we were transferred to Sydney, Australia.
INTERVIEWER: What was it like setting foot for the first time on Aussie land?
HUY NGUYEN: It was beautiful. The sky was so clear and there were all these trees and it looked like a dream come true. My mother was over the moon. It was daunting too, though. A lot of our friends back in Vietnam had chosen to seek refuge in Indonesia or Malaysia, mainly because they were less likely to stand out. When you have this distinct Asian look, you stick out like a sore thumb amongst a crowd of Australians. Mum didn’t mind though, she said we were special and very lucky to have been blessed with the chance to come to such a beautiful place. Mum always knows the right thing to say.
INTERVIEWER: And it is a beautiful place indeed. What were the attitudes of society towards you as refugees when you began settling