tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post5995750052496368767..comments2024-03-25T11:05:45.742-04:00Comments on The Embroiderer's Story: LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM - A Movie to SeeThistle Threadshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15902743321404395332noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-33064045800387396142014-12-26T13:20:21.322-05:002014-12-26T13:20:21.322-05:00As I told you in my e-mails, I just found your blo...As I told you in my e-mails, I just found your blog and took part in the two giveaways. I thought of looking a bit more into your blog(thinking it isn't nice to just drop in, take part in a giveaway and leave!) and stopped in this blogpost! Stunned, shocked!What a dramatic touching story! I am Greek, coming from Constantinople, thrown away by the Turks. A long story. But I know how it is to be a Greek in Turkey and a Turk in Greece, if you understand what I mean. Also I am a teacher of English and for my little pupils English is their third language after Albanian and Greek,they are children of "legal' or "illegal" immigrants. Some teachers wouldn't like teaching in this school. I love it! Thanks for the chance to tell you all this!AriadnefromGreece!Ariadnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04758280304985620260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-63832083967093125622014-10-03T12:44:03.946-04:002014-10-03T12:44:03.946-04:00Thank you so much for sharing your family immigran...Thank you so much for sharing your family immigrant story. Like you I also ask immigrants to share their immigration story. My father's nursing home aid was an immigrant from Africa. She had NOT ONE living relative on this planet. Her entire family was murdered in civil war! Can you imagine life with NO family? Yet she had the most profound faith of anyone I had ever met. Regarding the 'learn English' issue. I really get tired of hearing 'them' railing about the lack of immigrant English skills. It is very difficult for people to learn a second language as an adults, but I'd bet that their children would be happy to translate for you - I heard 4 year olds do it! Before the advent of radio and TV it took much longer for immigrants to learn English. My mother as a 4th generation American (it could be longer but we don't know because the Great Chicago Fire destroyed all prior family records) went to a German speaking Lutheran church and school as a child. My grandparents spoke English with a strong German accent. My generation if the first to speak English with no accent - unless you count Minnesotan as an accent - uff da! Ya sure ya betcha! Lela<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-59232880476092142402014-09-29T23:52:52.961-04:002014-09-29T23:52:52.961-04:00My father served as a mechanic in Vietnam in the U...My father served as a mechanic in Vietnam in the USAF, and I was adopted as an infant when he was stationed in Taiwan. We were living in Texas when he came home from Vietnam, I must have been 4-5 years of age. I will watch the PBS documentary. As a first generation immigrant / US Citizen in 7th grade, I think you have communicated the sacrifices of immigrant families better then any person I have ever met. I didn't live in an immigrant family, but I do know of the sacrifices in these families. Tricia, you should be the person talking policy in Washington DC. The next person who is critical of immigrants in casual conversation to me, I'm sending them to your blog. I have had a wonderful life in the US, and it is because of the opportunities, and hard work that we can make a living for ourselves in this great country. I also do not have an accent; and your husband's interest in speech, makes me wonder if the enunciation of English, is what holds people back.... TamraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-55384934454711195022014-09-25T10:42:02.930-04:002014-09-25T10:42:02.930-04:00Thank you so much for sharing this story. This wa...Thank you so much for sharing this story. This was 'my' generation serving in Vietnam at this time and so little is remembered of what the men on the ground did try to do to help. Good to see the whole story being told. It is a chapter in our history we need to never forget. <br /><br />A generation or so later, I get to see, enjoy, and support, the many nationalities of our Biochemistry grad students here where I work. Very hard working bunch of kids :). -CatherineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-85091593089484765942014-09-23T12:15:28.187-04:002014-09-23T12:15:28.187-04:00Thank you, Tricia, for your moving, powerful, and ...Thank you, Tricia, for your moving, powerful, and fascinating post. It's an inspiration and I'll be thinking about it for a long time. I really can't afford to take your Cabinet of Curiosity class but signed up anyway, realizing what an extraordinary and rare opportunity it was in so many ways. Now I see that it is one result of decades of intense experiences and struggles, varied interests, and an outlook on life that has not only helped you and your family survive, but to thrive. I feel fortunate being able to benefit from one part of your story. You are a treasure.<br />SuzanneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-49124052178801870102014-09-23T12:12:30.181-04:002014-09-23T12:12:30.181-04:00My son in law is Native American, and all the immi...My son in law is Native American, and all the immigrants to this country treat his family with the utmost disrespect. It's absolutely amazing how these people forget that THEY were the illegal immigrants, and I would love to see them attempt to learn Navajo as adults. We all need to be more respectful of others-you never know what difficulties they have overcome in their lives.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-26596536589502372312014-09-22T17:12:11.966-04:002014-09-22T17:12:11.966-04:00Your family's story is similar to my family...Your family's story is similar to my family's ,though my father arrived here in 1920 and my mother's parents around 1900. My parents would not talk about their struggles to make it here.My father once mentioned sleeping in the NY subways as he couldn't afford a place to live and I know he went through at least 3 businesses before he had one that clicked.They never talked about life in the old country.I wish that they had. A piece of my story is missing and they are all gone now.<br />I have great respect and empathy for those who took the great challenge to leave their families and life as they knew it to come to an unknown land to try to do better.<br />Linda<br />LindaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-64183162710812661772014-09-22T15:05:57.565-04:002014-09-22T15:05:57.565-04:00I am so in awe of your families courage and persev...I am so in awe of your families courage and perseverance!<br />It's not just the Immigrants "they" piss on it's the Children of native descent and the children of colored and mixed race couples too. "they" have no Idea what it is to pull yourself up the hard way. through poverty ( my mother was a single waitress, daughter of a halfbreed native. my children are mixed race"oreos") racism and all the "opportunities" "they" tout as being there for them above amuricans (as though we aren't) is laughable. yes the opportunities are th ere but you have to work your ass off for them they are not handed out like candy on Halloween. My face maybe white but my heritage is anything but. Those who sit back and expect a hand out are the same people running the country into the ground and they are more likely to be privileged white men than any one else. not that they are all like this but the great majority that are running their mouths are and they have no Idea what it is like to struggle fail, struggle more and fail again. they have no empathy and no imagination. I feel sorry for them as they will ultimately loose everything and have no idea how it happened, nor the skills to deal with the failure when it happensMomma Bearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03215840942640904965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-67986058212393624122014-09-22T13:09:04.953-04:002014-09-22T13:09:04.953-04:00What a wonderful post. I am a first generation Ch...What a wonderful post. I am a first generation Chinese American. My parents and my mother's family escaped the Communists after WWII. I've hear many many stories of what they went through to escape. Even then immigrating into the country was practically impossible for people like my family. I admire you and your husband and his family -- and am grateful that there were Americans in Vietnam who followed their consciences. Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03646028248366805686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-68557477676830228922014-09-22T12:33:54.100-04:002014-09-22T12:33:54.100-04:00I love it when someone is passionate about a certa...I love it when someone is passionate about a certain topic and family is more than a mere topic. Your passion for your family shows through in each and every sentence. Blessings to you and your family. Continue to be full of 'grits'. <br />gwenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426331239878441437.post-11520509476166512382014-09-22T12:04:40.898-04:002014-09-22T12:04:40.898-04:00wow, there are no words. Thanks for this post and ...wow, there are no words. Thanks for this post and Bless your familyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13512061288761236898noreply@blogger.com