越南
四十年后，
难民了
学生对她说
国土
michele coffill的故事
康妮的照片由阿曼达皮茨
即使四十年后, Connie 见鬼’s face showed a lot of emotions and her voice cracked at times as she retold the story of the day in 1979 when she and her family fled their home in 越南.
她15岁. 见鬼, 他最近从大峡谷的高级包容和公平事务官的职位上退休了, 说那天她和妹妹一起从学校回到家. 一起走路上下学对范姐妹来说是一种仪式. 一到家，她父亲就宣布全家要出去吃饭. 他们挤进车里开车. 他们开了很长很长时间，见鬼说.
“Finally, we arrived at a fisherman’s village and we were told to get on the boat,”她说。. “我们付钱给这个渔夫，让他把我们带出越南. 大约有120人挤在这艘50英尺长的船上.
“10天来，我们乘坐这艘渔民的船去了印度尼西亚.”
越南战争于1975年结束，但政治动荡, a failing economy and raging wars in Cambodia and China forced a refugee crisis in that country that would grow to more than 2.500万人.
“我不知道那天我的家人正在逃离越南. 我父母后来告诉我，我们必须保守这个秘密, 否则, 如果被人发现，我们可能会受到迫害,见鬼说.
40多年后，见鬼才回到越南. 她有机会与父母和亲戚一起旅行. 她没有参加祖父母的葬礼. “我一直心怀愧疚, these feelings of betrayal for fleeing my country and leaving my friends and relatives behind,见鬼说.
她直到找到目标才回来.
去年6月, 见鬼和Scott Stabler, 历史学教授, 带领10名同学参加就职典礼, 以教师为主导的赴越南留学项目. 这次为期两周的旅行在九个城市停留, 北起河内，南至胡志明市.
“我不想以游客的身份回去. 在越南，有些人把我和其他像我这样的人称为‘外国人’。. “But leading a cohort of students on this global experiential learning program gave me a purpose, 一个非常有意义的目的.”
康妮和她的父亲在越南的农历新年.
康妮和她的父亲在越南的农历新年.
The Phams in 1970: Tham and Lien with children (left to right) Hung, Connie, Chuc and Loc.
The Phams in 1970: Tham and Lien with children (left to right) Hung, Connie, Chuc and Loc.
《博天堂官方》前往越南
Students who participated in the program began two classes before traveling to 越南. 见鬼教授越南历史, culture and people class; Stabler led students through a history of the 越南 War.
“It was crazy to think that the students we traveled with were older than the average age of a 越南 War soldier, 也就是19,Stabler说.
西莉亚McClure-Sikkema, 大急流城的大三学生, said they were thrilled to be among the first students to participate in a faculty-led program to 越南, 部分原因是他们有亲戚住在老挝和越南.
“因为我的家庭，我了解了东南亚不同的文化,McClure-Sikkema说. “我知道战争很可怕，但我只有美国人的视角. Being there was a big eye-opener because I was getting the experience of the 越南ese people.”
作为一个社会工作专业的学生, McClure-Sikkema said they immediately noticed the emphasis the 越南ese placed on family.
“餐馆里的人会叫我‘小妹妹’,而不是“夫人”,我认为这是非常以人为本的. 这对我来说意义重大，”他们说.
“我们谈论创造
对…的归属感
我们在大峡谷的学生.
早在2022年，我就想过
我自己，‘我们属于哪里?’”
康妮见鬼,
纳入退休长者
和股权管理人员
西密歇根州:“生存”
那艘载有120人的渔船驶向了印度尼西亚. 见鬼 recalled terrible thunderstorms at sea that would “make this open-air boat seem like a roller coaster.”
这些旅行者被带到一个难民营等待一位美国赞助人. 五个月后，圣. Pius X Catholic Church in Grandville welcomed 见鬼 and her family and set them up in a house in that West Michigan city.
作为不会说英语的新难民, 见鬼把和姐姐一起去美国学校的行为称为“生存”.”
“I was in the 10th grade at Grandville High School and communicating primarily through the school’s French teacher,”她说。.
她的父母在怀俄明州的一个社区中心学习英语. 不久，见鬼的父亲在Steelcase公司找到了一份工作. 在维修部.
“对我们所有人来说，这真的是一个生存的时刻. But going to college and obtaining a degree was an expectation and a goal established for all of us; my parents believed education presented opportunities for social and economic mobility,”她说。. “After school, I would help my mom with my four younger siblings until they went to bed. 对我来说，家庭作业意味着查阅英越词典. 我通常会在十一点前完成.m.”
Connie和Julia 见鬼于2022年访问了越南. 图为康妮叔叔家的祭坛, where they paid respect to Connie’s grandparents by praying and lighting incense.
Connie和Julia 见鬼于2022年访问了越南. 图为康妮叔叔家的祭坛, where they paid respect to Connie’s grandparents by praying and lighting incense.
故事事
在西密歇根, there are more 越南ese immigrants and people of 越南ese descent than any other Asian country. 见鬼说，这是她想帮助开发这个项目的部分原因. “这是我们的社区. We must equip our students with the cultural competency and knowledge to live and work with people from diverse backgrounds,”她说。.
2023年的旅行计划始于前一年的一次实地考察. 见鬼 and Stabler scouted cities and landmarks to ensure the inaugural trip would be safe, 学生负担得起，也可以使用. 他们也开始在他们将要教的课程上合作. 对见鬼来说，这意味着一个以叙事方法为基础的教学大纲.
“我选的书是一本短篇小说集. Narrative research allows for the study of the richness of individual experiences in the context of their historical and cultural background,”她说。.
见鬼将叙事研究与反叙事结合起来, a method she said offers space for people whose experiences and perspectives are often delegitimized to tell their story and to challenge ongoing stereotypes.
西莉亚McClure-Sikkema said they returned home from 越南 with a global perspective that will propel them forward as they finish a social work degree and move into the workforce.
They credited 见鬼 for her tour guide’s insight and for leading the class on 越南ese culture.
“我现在确实对这个国家有了更好的了解. 战后, it was decimated but the country built itself back up using a strengths-based approach,McClure-Sikkema说. “我在人们身上看到了某种程度的脆弱.”
McClure-Sikkema noticed a lot of 越南ese flags flying from homes and businesses during their trip. What was not so tangible, they said, was the noticeable level of pride people had in their country.
“我们谈论的是为我们在大峡谷的学生创造一种归属感. 回到2022年，我对自己说，‘我们属于哪里?’”
康妮·邓，退休的高级包容和公平官员
西密歇根州:“生存”
那艘载有120人的渔船驶向了印度尼西亚. 见鬼 recalled terrible thunderstorms at sea that would “make this open-air boat seem like a roller coaster.”
这些旅行者被带到一个难民营等待一位美国赞助人. 五个月后，圣. Pius X Catholic Church in Grandville welcomed 见鬼 and her family and set them up in a house in that West Michigan city.
作为不会说英语的新难民, 见鬼把和姐姐一起去美国学校的行为称为“生存”.”
“I was in the 10th grade at Grandville High School and communicating primarily through the school’s French teacher,”她说。.
她的父母在怀俄明州的一个社区中心学习英语. 不久，见鬼的父亲在Steelcase公司找到了一份工作. 在维修部.
“对我们所有人来说，这真的是一个生存的时刻. But going to college and obtaining a degree was an expectation and a goal established for all of us; my parents believed education presented opportunities for social and economic mobility,”她说。. “After school, I would help my mom with my four younger siblings until they went to bed. 对我来说，家庭作业意味着查阅英越词典. 我通常会在十一点前完成.m.”
Connie和Julia 见鬼于2022年访问了越南. 图为康妮叔叔家的祭坛, where they paid respect to Connie’s grandparents by praying and lighting incense.
Connie和Julia 见鬼于2022年访问了越南. 图为康妮叔叔家的祭坛, where they paid respect to Connie’s grandparents by praying and lighting incense.
故事事
在西密歇根, there are more 越南ese immigrants and people of 越南ese descent than any other Asian country. 见鬼说，这是她想帮助开发这个项目的部分原因. “这是我们的社区. We must equip our students with the cultural competency and knowledge to live and work with people from diverse backgrounds,”她说。.
2023年的旅行计划始于前一年的一次实地考察. 见鬼 and Stabler scouted cities and landmarks to ensure the inaugural trip would be safe, 学生负担得起，也可以使用. 他们也开始在他们将要教的课程上合作. 对见鬼来说，这意味着一个以叙事方法为基础的教学大纲.
“我选的书是一本短篇小说集. Narrative research allows for the study of the richness of individual experiences in the context of their historical and cultural background,”她说。.
见鬼将叙事研究与反叙事结合起来, a method she said offers space for people whose experiences and perspectives are often delegitimized to tell their story and to challenge ongoing stereotypes.
西莉亚McClure-Sikkema said they returned home from 越南 with a global perspective that will propel them forward as they finish a social work degree and move into the workforce.
They credited 见鬼 for her tour guide’s insight and for leading the class on 越南ese culture.
“我现在确实对这个国家有了更好的了解. 战后, it was decimated but the country built itself back up using a strengths-based approach,McClure-Sikkema说. “我在人们身上看到了某种程度的脆弱.”
McClure-Sikkema noticed a lot of 越南ese flags flying from homes and businesses during their trip. What was not so tangible, they said, was the noticeable level of pride people had in their country.
越南留学之旅
这次为期两周的访问在越南各地停留, 北起河内，南至胡志明市.
越南留学之旅
这次为期两周的访问在越南各地停留, 北起河内，南至胡志明市.
“我们属于哪里??’
见鬼 earned a bachelor of business administration degree from Western Michigan University, a master of public administration degree from Grand Valley and a doctorate in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University.
她的兄弟姐妹们现在分散在密歇根州和德克萨斯州，他们也同样多才多艺. Among their combined professions are two engineers, a teacher and an intensive care nurse.
“我们所有人都很努力，我们都很成功. We strived hard to pursue the goal that our parents established for us,”她说。.
她的父母过去常常照看见鬼的孩子, 亚历克斯和朱莉娅, 当他们年轻的时候，见鬼去了格兰德山谷工作, 最初在人力资源部工作. It was Tham and Lien Pham who taught their grandchildren 越南ese words and phrases, 还有这个国家的传统.
Julia 见鬼, now 26, traveled with her mother to 越南 during the 2022 site visit. The stories Julia had heard her entire life unfolded before her eyes, Connie 见鬼 said.
“我带朱莉娅去了我祖父母出生和埋葬的村庄. 他们去世后，我没有机会让他们安息. 我们站在爷爷奶奶的祭坛前，点上香，祈祷.
“那种感觉无法用语言来形容，”见鬼说.
Connie 见鬼的父亲Tham Pham于2017年去世. 见鬼 and her brother, Hung Pham, started a scholarship at Grand Valley to honor him. The Pham Dinh Tham Memorial Endowed Scholarship assists 越南ese students with the cost of their education. 她的母亲现在83岁了.
“我一直心怀愧疚, these feelings of betrayal for fleeing my country and leaving my friends and relatives behind.”
康妮·邓，退休的高级包容和公平官员
“Taking my daughter to her motherland brought to life the stories she has heard and read,见鬼说. “I am a refugee because of the war but I never thought Julia was impacted by the war until I watched her in 越南.
“我们谈论的是为我们在大峡谷的学生创造一种归属感. 回到2022年，我对自己说，‘我们属于哪里?’”
留学旅行前, 在2022年与Stabler进行实地考察之前, 见鬼读了一遍又一遍博天堂官方网页越南人的故事, both to plan for the upcoming class and to better understand the people who rebuilt their country after the war. 这些准备工作让邓对飞机着陆后的情况有了信心.
“我很感激能在2022年回去. 它帮助我理清了那些压抑的情绪，”她说. “我们访问的每个网站都与教室有联系, 我们与全国各地的读书人建立了联系, 从北到中到南.
“I was also able to reconcile feelings of guilt and betrayal and make peace with myself.”
