Year Five News

Cuc Lam

On Monday the 29th of April, Cuc Lam kindly came to FWPS and told year 5 her immigration story. 

Living in the middle of the Vietnam civil war between the north and south, she was terrified and was apprehensive about her future, so she decided to escape with her husband. 

To get out of Vietnam, Cuc had to dress up as a fisherman and purchase a small boat. Otherwise, it would look like she was escaping which was against the law.

Using her small boat, she sailed to a bigger vessel which would take her to Malaysia. In Malaysia, she sold her wedding ring, and purchased a red suitcase for her belongings which she later donated to the Australian Immigration Museum. 

During her time in Malaysia, she stayed in a refugee camp, and eventually got the opportunity to go to a better place. Her options were: France, but she didn’t know the language, US, but it was too violent, and Canada, which was too cold, so that just left Australia. 

48 years later she is the Mayor of Maribyrnong and enjoys her life greatly in Australia.

by Logan Viravouth and Zoe Mitchell-Crow