From Australia to PFAC Palawan

A SHORT TALK WITH HO THI KIM XUAN

ANDREW:  Good to finally see you on Facebook, Kim Xuan. My daughter Sarah loved the beautiful koala bear that you gave as a gift.  I hope to see you again in the years to come.  If you have the time, please visit our PFAC Palawan Blog and read some interviews I did during the recently concluded PFAC Palawan Grand Reunion.  Here's the link to the blog.
http://pfacasylum.blogspot.com/

KIM XUAN:  Hi, Andy.  I am glad to hear that you're well and that your daughter loved the koala bear.  It's just a small gift, but it definitely came from our hearts and thought.  I've seen the PFAC Palawan official  blog and read some of the postings/entries.  I have lots of friends on Facebook and they told me about the PFAC Palawan Blog.

ANDREW:  Terrific!  Have you seen the interviews I did with the PFAC Palawan reunion participants?  I interviewed Marissa, Nam, and Tristan from Germany.

KIM XUAN:  Oh yes.  It's very nice of you to do all these interviews.  I enjoyed reading them. I didn't know Tristan and Marissa prior to the reunion.  They seem like marvelous people.

ANDREW:  I tutored Tristan English when he was in the camp. He and I were very close.

KIM XUAN:   I remembered you taught me English.  Your brother Sammy was my teacher too.  Well, before I was promoted to your class.

ANDREW:  Of course, I know you were my student, and my fav. You were an honor student in my class.  I was your last teacher in PFAC before you immigrated to Melbourne, Australia.

KIM XUAN:   I remembered.  I came to your place and said goodbye to both of you and Sammy.  The only thing I couldn't believe is that both of you are still very youthful.  I thought you would've been older by now.

ANDREW:  Well, thanks.  In my case, I stay positive, smile, laugh, eat healthy, work out and maintain an energetic social life.  All those years, prior to our reunion in Palawan this year,  I had been wondering how you had been.

KIM XUAN:  I'm not a Facebook fan.  As a result, I'm very disconnected to PFAC.

ANDREW:  Being away from my family, I just feel that I have to be on Facebook to maintain my connection with everyone of them

KIM XUAN:  Make sense to me.  Well, I had to work so hard as soon as I arrived in Sydney.  Three days after I landed, I went to high school.

ANDREW:  You did an awesome job achieving your goals.  You are the epitome of what is possible for immigrants if they work hard, stay focused and believe in themselves.  I'm exceedingly proud of you.

KIM XUAN:  Thank you, but honestly speaking, I wanted to become a doctor, but for some reason, I couldn't pursue it.  I got offered dentistry at Sydney University as well, but somehow I was scared of this job so I chose commerce and science, another way to become an actuary, but it wasn't my interest so I ended up with banking.

ANDREW:  You did a fantastic job with your chosen career. You are an HTC-PFAC baby... our pride.

KIM XUAN:  Thank you.

ANDREW:  My advice is that you do whatever makes you happy. In life, happiness is not defined by how much money you make or how popular you can be. Self contentment and inner peace always play a great role in being happy. Well, I have to go.  I'm teaching in an hour and need to get ready.  It was great talking with you, Kim Xuan. Hugs.

KIM XUAN:  Me, too bye!

Hello PFAC!

Palawan is once again a place that I will cherish for the remaining of my life.  Hopefully I will have another opportunity to return sooner than 30 years later.  I have compiled some photos and sent them to the benefactors in Australia for their support with Bancao Bancao Elementary School. Here they are.  Cheers

Kim Ho

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