Anh Nguyen Austen

Yeah, in a way, I think it was very protective those first six years for me.

And some children that I've interviewed that are also refugees that resettled here in Australia have talked about some of the idyllic childhood and perceptions even when they're in the refugee camps.

No, you didn't get anything.

So I think my mom said that by the time I was born was when she got the first letter that told her that her parents were in America and that they were safe.

So that was, you know, 1976 and they would have left in 75.

My grandmother was again resettled, the whole family, you know, there were nine other children.

And they settle in a place called Versailles, which is outside of New Orleans.

But she just started getting on with life.

She put on a yoke.

She made this Vietnamese ham yaw.

And she put it into the yoke and sold it at the church.

And then she eventually, you know, built a whole factory to make this ham.

And that money created the start of money for all her children and their businesses.

Yes, I was very fond of the penny.

But my favourite thing is this doll, a blonde blue-eyed doll that I was very attached to and I would carry it everywhere.

It's in every picture with me.

I remember distinctly this cameraman coming to take a picture to send to my grandparents to show them and the doll is there.

And then there's my sister and she was like the new living doll when she was born.

So that was really exciting as well.

No, I didn't even know this until much later that my father had attempted several escapes in different combinations with, you know, his own brothers.