“A Good Life”

Thong Le Ha

Chinese & Vietnamese | Little Canada, MN | she/her/hers

Soldiers were everywhere on the street. We had to ration our food. Our freedom was limited. Post-war Vietnam was no place to start a family. I fled with my husband and his elderly mother on his back. My family left everything we had and joined the crowded boat full of other refugees. After being turned away at gunpoint in Malaysia and surviving a pirate attack, we finally landed in Indonesia. Facilities were sparse. We had to build our own toilets. Sanitation was a deadly problem. I volunteered as a nurse at the clinic. Finally, after 18 months in that environment, we received some news that we would be going to America.

We arrived in Minnesota. Soon after, we would be walking 10 miles to school to attend an English as a Second Language (ESL) class, because bus fares quickly added up. In the summer of 1981, I had gained enough English to enroll into college. I was going to be a computer programmer. But, one month before school started, I was severely injured by a car, almost losing my left leg. A 12-hour reconstruction surgery, I knew I would have a very long road ahead in order to recover.

In a flash I was disabled. I felt devastated. I depended on my husband for everything. My teacher kindly referred an attorney to me. The lawyer advised that I quit school and stay home so that he could fight for the most compensation. Quickly, without hesitation, I decided I would not put my life on hold. I explained through an interpreter that I had risked my life to come to the U.S. so that I could pursue my dreams. I dreamt of having a stable life and a family in my new home country. I had hoped one day I could sponsor my relatives from Vietnam who were left behind.  So, despite the many hurdles I’d face on the journey to fully recover, I would not let this accident stop me. 

We relied on welfare during our first year in American, but we were determined to get off welfare. We wanted financial independence so we pushed ahead even though I was still recovering. I attended school, became pregnant, all the while caring for my mother-in-law whose dementia was worsening. After a few years, I graduated. I would go to the top of my field in computer programming. 

I am proud of the decisions we made and how we have overcome our challenges. Our successes have taken a lifetime of tough decisions and perseverance to achieve. I am proud of how hard we worked and how we have lived our lives with integrity. With two happily married children, three beautiful grandchildren, and the ability to be active in our diverse community – our life is good.

#MinneAsianStories Series