The Strangest, Weirdest and Luckiest Refugee 5/۞۞۞۞ Emma Musca has read an extraordinary true story of a well-known comedian. Anh Do’s amazing memoir The Happiest Refugee is about his early life in Vietnam, his journey to Australia and his amazing international success. ave you ever wanted to know what it’s like to be a refugee? Well take a glimpse into Anh Do’s life. Anh remembers when he was growing up as a child in Vietnam, the war had just ended in 1976. Anh remembers that his grandfather was in this army and two of his uncles where in a re-education camp for three years. As a child Anh and his family where very poor. Anh’s father was very caring and he would always make sure everyone in the family was fed. Anhs mother was very …show more content…
This was his first experience in a democratic country. English was a foreign language for him and it was the most difficult obstacle to overcome. Until Anh’s family learnt to speak fluent English and became familiar with the Australian culture, life was very difficult. For Anh and his brother it was very hard at school where they were laughed at and teased by the other children. One incident Anh mentions in his memoirs is the most embarrassing time at school when the teacher tells the class that Anh’s younger brother had nits. Anh then had to be excused from the class to check his hair. He left the class with embarrassment. Anh was very energetic throughout his childhood helping his mum make clothes, selling newspapers and embracing his hobby of breeding fish. Anh was very understanding to his mum and tried to help her as much as he could. For example helping her out selling newspapers backfired because he still required his mum’s help to drop off the newspapers. The Happiest Refugee is a true story of Anh Do’s refugee experience. Educationally this is important for young people to understand the enormous difficulties faced by refugees coming to a new country. It is also an impressive story of Anh Do’s personal success and his achievements. Reading this memoir informs the reader of his educational achievements and his success as a comedian. Therefore I would recommend this book to all young
Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their countries in order to escape war, persecution, and natural disaster. Most refugees are ordinary people coming from ordinary places. One of these ordinary people, Kim Hà from South Vietnam, was created as a fictional character for the novel Inside Out & Back Again, written by Thanhha Lai, who modeled it after her own life as a refugee. Lai, just like her character Hà, was forced to flee her home during the Vietnam War, and ended up in the United States, in the state of Alabama. While Hà is a fictional character, Lai gives her certain characteristics so readers of her novel will realize the struggles refugees have to face, and the ways they must recover from them.
It has been proven that Beah is a former child soldier, and because of this has acquired first hand experience of the civil war in Sierra Leone. From this experience Beah has lived with brutal memories--memories he revisits in his memoir. In The Australian, writer Peter Wilson cites Beah in his article, ‘Beah’s
Like many migrants, he has been through many difficult experiences on his journey to a new life in Australia. In his bibliography "The Happiest Refugee", he describes his schooling and educational experiences and his transition from Vietnam, to a new life in Australia. On page 96 of the bibliography, Anh Do talks about his parent’s beliefs and commitments to giving him and his younger brother Khoa a
Australia is the only country to have a system of mandatory detention where every single parent, man, woman, child who arrives here without a valid visa or illegal visa must undergo immigration detention immediately. The issue with the refugee treatment and mandatory detention in Australia is that their minds are so vulnerable and stressed after leaving their country. Detention can harm asylum seekers and refugees because they are indefinite meaning the government can detain people for the course of their life which has severe effects on a person’s emotions and wellbeing. Studies have shown that refugees who have come from a warfare filled country have and increased chance to undergo depression, self-harm and even attempt suicide when under a type of imprisonment such as immigration detention.
His son, Amir, has always been greedy because he has never learned to appreciate things. Instead, he expects them. As Amir grows older, he desires more attention from his father. For example, Amir loves to read and write, but his father wishes he had an interest in something more masculine. He sabotages Hassan, a servant,
Born to Bengali parents in July 1967,in London and with her family’s move to Rhode Island, Jhumpa Lahiri began life in the U.S.A. She grew up in the background of traditional Bengali culture. From childhood, she often accompanied her back to India-particularly to Calcutta (now known as Kolkata).. She observes that her parents retain a sense of emotional exile and she herself grew up with conflicting expectations. In her work, Lahiri, is a second-generation immigrant, reflects on the Indian diaspora and creates a narrative that reveals the inconsistency of the concept of identity and cultural difference in the space of diapora.
Ha is an example of the universal refugee experience because she goes through things that many other refugees go through, such as the feeling of being “inside out” and not belonging anywhere. Ha has to learn a new language and a whole new way of life, she has to give up many of her old traditions and ways of life like many refugees do. A universal refugee experience is something that is experienced by not all, but most refugees. Ha started out stubborn and forceful before they fled their home, "I decided to wake before dawn and tap my big toe on the tile floor first," (Lai 2). Ha is angry that only men 's feet bring good luck and she will not let that be the case for she wants to bring luck to her family.
Refugees are physically separated from their family and friends when they relocate to a host country. This lack of familial support among those in an ethnic community directly affects refugees’ emotional and physical health in a negative manner (Simich, Beiser,& Mawani, 2003). Poor or nonexistent support systems do not give refugees the outlet to cope with the involuntary changes that are forced upon their lives as a resettled refugee. An incapability to deal with such stressors is the specific cause as to why significant amounts of psychological distress are seen among Afghan refugees in America.
This comprehensive annotated bibliography discusses about the poor mental health of the refugees and asylum seekers under detention in developed countries. This sits within the “Social Work Practice in Mental Health” and “Social Work with Refugee Survivors of Torture and Trauma” categories of Social Work fields of practice (Alston and McKinnon, 2005) and uses sources from Australian publications on these issues. The sources cited suggest that due to the large number of refugees and asylum seekers, governments of developed countries have implemented policies to deter people from seeking asylum such as immigration detention policies, strict visa restrictions, rigorous border checks and the stopping of voyages of vessels suspected of carrying smuggled asylum seekers (Silove et al. 2000). The refugees and asylum seekers go through tremendous amount of mental suffering and the worst affected are small children and adolescents.
The novel “Inside Out and Back Again” describes the life of a family of refugees searching to find home. It describes the highs and the lows of day-to-day life for the family, perfectly describing the universal refugee experience. The universal refugee experience is an umbrella term used to describe the myriad of trials and tribulations refugees endure as they move to a foreign place. These are experiences that all or most refugees typically go through in their process of finding a new home. Ha’s journey is a perfect example of the universal refugee experience.
His parents were rarely mentioned. Their names, personalities, and many more important factors are left unknown to the reader or analyzer. If he were truly responsible or caring, he would be thankful for his
The Power of People: The Lasting Influence Rahim Khan has on Amir in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini It is often the individuals taken for granted that have the most impact in the lives of others. Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner explores the profound power that lies in the hands of influential figures, and the resulting impact that they can have in terms of shaping ones identity and actions. While personally lacking rich character development, Rahim Khan’s role in the novel is significant, not only in terms of influencing Amir’s life, but also as a tool of personification used to embody the overall themes that are exemplified.
Somali Refugees In American Since about the late 1900’s Somali Refugees have been coming to the United States in hope for a better lifestyle than they had at home with famine and war. Somali refugees are brought to the U.S. by different organizations that support families from other countries that have had a hard life styles and isn’t easy living in their home country. They arrive in the U.S. being new to the country and not having much understanding of the daily living and also feeling unsettled.
A feeling at home or comfort for a refugee can give them hope and a feeling of “back again” so that they can cherish the memories of their home and their cultures and traditions. One example of the feeling “back again” is from the book Inside Out and Back Again and Ha wants to bring something from Vietnam to America , “I tell her I’d like to plant flowers from Vietnam in her backyard. I tell her Tet is coming and luck starts over every new year.” (Lai 254)
“When I listened to the media reports about the increasing tension, anxiety, distress and fear at the refugee registration center, I was persuaded to stay at home and not to participate in this event. However I went there, and in contrary to what the media said, we met friendly, warm, open minded people, who have enjoyed our show and smiled when they met with us. We met loving parents, we met courageous children who huddled in our arms and hearts, and we met curious and clever boys and girls, just like the children in our primary schools, we met young men and women who are protective and caring.