Hue-Tam Tran
Dear Summer Search Foundation,
My name is Hue-Tam Tran. My family and I come from a rural village in South Vietnam. In order to care for my seven brothers and sisters and me, my parents had to travel all the way to a big city, Saigon. They worked so far away from home that I only got to see my mom once a month and my dad once every three months. During that time, my sister took care of me. We had a small store in my house, and she sold candy there. My life then was innocent and simple. I just went to school, came home, and played with my friends and my sister. I didn’t think much then about not seeing my parents.
In 1993, my family told me we would be coming to America to search for freedom. I didn’t know what that meant, but I just went along with what they said. When I got to America, I didn’t talk much to my dad, because he always had things to do. My mom noticed this and said that I should love my dad the most of any of my family for what he had sacrificed to get us here. That’s when I learned my family’s story. My dad spent six years in jail because he fought in the Vietnam War against the communists in the North. His suffering earned our place in America.
When my parents came to America, they were already quite old and could not work. In fact, I barely remember really seeing my parents when I was growing up. My friends would describe time spent with their families, and I would feel sad because I felt nothing. I felt empty. I never had a special moment with my parents, and especially not with my father, like that. We were always too busy doing things, too busy surviving to show each other much love.
All the thoughts I had in my mind were to help my family and show my loyalty. I know that my family would be so pleased if I do good work in school. When I wasn’t signing out of school early to go to the welfare office with my dad, I tried my best to earn good grades. I even took the test, and I got into one of the best schools in the city, the John D. O’Bryant.
On the other hand, my brother gave up. He didn’t concentrate on his schoolwork, his English improved very little, and he got into fights with us all the time. It was like he was in a dark room. I kept turning the lights on for him, but he kept turning them off. And he buried himself deeper and deeper in that room. After a while, I couldn’t keep turning the lights on for him. At this time I did not think or feel for myself, only for my family. I felt invisible...
... Summer Search offered me the opportunity to go to Thailand through AFS [American Field Service]. This time I was going without any fears or doubts about myself. In Thailand, I lived with a Thai family. I fit into the family so fast because between Vietnam, America and Summer Search, I had learned how to relate to many people from different backgrounds.
I also got to go to school with my host sister. In America, even though I’ve been here for nine years, I still feel nervous speaking English, because I am afraid I will make mistakes. The more I try to perfect it, the more it comes out so wrong and that makes me feel very bad. But, in Thailand it was a different story. It was my first time to be ahead of the rest of the group. I could learn Thai more easily than the other Americans on my trip, because I was already bilingual. I couldn’t believe it, but Thai students and teachers at school told me, “I want to speak English as good as you.”
At school, I was so popular that I loved it so much. Wherever I went there were always groups of students and teachers waving and saying hi to me. My whole life was never being famous like that before. Before I leave to go back to Boston, I sang a Thai song in front of 4,000 people in the school. I still remember, as I finished the song they clapped their hands so hard. I think they were surprised and enjoyed listening to a foreigner who sang a Thai song so beautifully. It turned out I always had that song in me, it just never had a chance to ring out before.
Before I became a Summer Search student, it was cloudy and I could not see the sun or the river. But Summer Search, like the wind, pushed the clouds out of the way and let me see the river. With the sun glaring, I could see my reflection for the first time. And it was stronger and more beautiful than I ever imagined.
I hope I can be like a reflection for all students. Everyone is stronger and more beautiful than they ever imagined. Everyone has a beautiful song to sing out. KEEP SINGING IT!
Thank you,
Hue-Tam Tran