My father then walked my uncles out of the camp, right through the front gate. My extended family pooled all their money, called in favours with friends and relatives and sold everything they had—every possession—just to buy a boat.
Getting your hands on a boat was an extremely risky business. They were only available on the black market and anyone caught trying to buy one could be jailed or killed. Back on our boat one of the pirates grabbed hold of the smallest child.
A tiny slice of gold fell out. The pirate picked up the metal and wantonly dangled the baby over the side of the boat, threatening to throw the infant in. As their boat veered away, one of the pirates did something strange. He was a young kid according to my uncles, no more than eighteen years old, and had been less aggressive throughout the whole encounter.
Suddenly and for no apparent reason he threw us a gallon of water. That second pirate attack saved our lives. If you got sick, you could go to the doctor for free. Maybe he knew it was always going to be a long shot. There is no need to fear failure.
I also loved it when Dad taught me things. I felt so privileged to be learning the secrets only a chosen few would ever know. The school had two mottos. Uncle Three passed out and woke up on a beach in Malaysia. After searching desperately for other survivors he found Uncle Nine alive. Eventually they found the dead bodies of uncles Five and Seven. If he lays a finger on Mum, I will kill him , I said to myself. I took the largest kitchen knife I could find and stuck it under my bed.
I was thirteen and at least as heavy as my dad, if not as tall. I figured I might stand a chance if I had a weapon. Lucky for me I had my good mate Phil Keenan. When it was English, for example, he would lend me his books for my period and I would return them to him in time for his class. This concern totally overtook my life; it was all-encompassing and supremely annoying. I was feeling pretty dejected after my first attempt at being an employee but I still wanted to somehow make money and help out Mum.
The solution came in the form of a large male Siamese fighting fish. I turned to sneak another look. She was chatting to a girl, and then she turned in my direction again and smiled. I was smitten. And I loved it. So many times in my life I think my naivety about what you supposedly could and couldn't do helped me make big leaps that others might think were over the top. I ran out the back and sure enough, our sewing machines had been stolen during the night.
I was angry, but Mum was absolutely shattered. She had saved up for years, and still owed money on those machines. The next month was desperately hard. My mum is an incredibly positive person but when those bastards took away the machines, they took away the opportunity for her to finally give her kids a better life. She tried to hide her pain but we could see it. You play out the whole thing over and over again with different scenarios: a joyful reunion full of happy tears; an angry reunion where you knock him out.
I realised I still very much loved this laughing, beautiful, terribly flawed man. Then I moved on to footy jokes, farming jokes and kiwi jokes.
Slowly, slowly, I won them over. The old guys finally realised that if they closed their eyes, this Vietnamese kid was actually just an Aussie comedian up there talking about his working-class childhood.
So Dad and Uncle One split up the boat money between the two of them, and Uncle One went with the men, while Dad waited. An hour later. An hour and a half later.
There were a bunch of speeches and then the prime minister stepped up to the microphone. Jesus Christ! My brother just won Young Australian of the Year. We handed them the big cheque and Daniel gave me a hug, his tears wetting my ear and my neck. I look across the water and am mesmerised by the beauty of this magnificent setting. My parents set off on a boat trip many years ago to provide their children and grandchildren a better life.
And here we are, thanks to them, enjoying this perfect day. In that moment I know I am happy. I look up to the blue sky and give thanks. The Happiest Refugee. Plot Summary. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does.
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I love that no matter what happened the Do family found the brighter side. There's not An honest account that I couldn't put down. There's not really much I can say except that I enjoyed this so much more than I expected to. I like that the humour is effortless and not contrived - it's just him telling his story in his own words. I'm familiar with Anh Do as an Australian comedian but not much beyond so it was really interesting to read about how he got where he is and the attitude with which he and his family have faced all of life's hardships.
What genuine, caring people. Loved it, really loved it. I'd highly recommend this whether you're familiar with the author or not - it's just such a great story of triumph in the face of adversity and it's told in a light-hearted way that will have you rooting for everyone all at once. View all 8 comments. Jul 04, Brenda rated it really liked it Shelves: memoir , borrowed-from-library , own-read , non-fiction , biography.
Anh Do and his family escaped war-torn Vietnam in a rickety boat, one that had far too many people on it, and the journey was extremely dangerous. As refugees in Australia, life was an extreme and constant struggle. From working late into the night sewing, seve Anh Do and his family escaped war-torn Vietnam in a rickety boat, one that had far too many people on it, and the journey was extremely dangerous. From working late into the night sewing, seven days a week, to finding any small job they could, they proved they could and would survive.
Ahn's Dad's philosophy in life was There are only two times. Now and too late. Ahn, his younger brother, Khoa and little sister, Tram felt happy in their childhood, with their loving extended family always around them. Then suddenly, when Ahn was only 13, their father left home, after becoming a heavy drinker, and it was just their Mum who had to struggle to support the family.
A wonderful memoir, moving and amusing, and totally inspiring. Highly recommended. Dec 15, B Schrodinger rated it really liked it Shelves: australia , biography-autobiography. Anh is pretty famous in Australia, He is an anecdotal comedian that is widely popular and well-respected. Anh was born in South Vietnam in the 's and so his parents were caught up in the final stages of the civil war. The boo starts with their escape from Vietnam by boat with the aim of reaching Malaysia. This was a very risky escap Anh is pretty famous in Australia, He is an anecdotal comedian that is widely popular and well-respected.
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The book is framed by two boat journeys. This first journey is full of threats, including storms and pirates , which the family barely survives. The boat journey that ends the book, however, is very different from the one that begins it. This is a leisurely trip that Anh takes with his wife, three children, and mother through Bobbin Head National Park in Australia, his adoptive home.
The sense of gratitude and contentment that Anh feels on this journey through the beautiful Australian scenery points to the potential rewards of migration. By this point in his life, Anh is a successful celebrity in Australia; he leads a secure, happy life with his family, including the mother who had protected him on the perilous boat voyage out of Vietnam. His entire family came close to losing their lives on the sea as they escaped from war-torn Vietnam in an.
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