A SINCERE CHAT WITH DO MINH DAI

PFAC Palawan was My Foundation

ANDREW:  I'm sitting here with my former PFAC student Do Minh Dai.  We have just been reunited after 26 years. Dai, when did you arrive in the camp and when did you resettle in the United States?

DAI:  I arrived in PFAC in 1988 and left for the USA in 1990.

ANDREW:  What was your best memory of the refugee camp?

DAI:  I think my best memory was the movie night every Friday and Saturday nights.  I  enjoyed watching movies in front of the ocean.  I thought it was absolutely beautiful.  Also I met a lot of good friends there. Lots of unforgettable memories.  I kind-a-love everything about the camp.

ANDREW:  Name three international volunteers in the camp that you believe have made an enormous difference in your life.

DAI:  Obviously, you are one of them. Well, I'm not gonna name two other people because everyone of them, especially the teaching staff; all of those people have helped made a positive difference in my life.  I wouldn't be who I am today in America if I didn't have them as my foundation.  A lot of volunteers in the camp have all contributed in making my life much better. 

ANDREW:  When you were in the camp what was your normal routine?

DAI:   Woke up and hang out with friends, had a lot of fun, went to school five days a week, did some homework, and watched movies on Friday and Saturday nights.  Those were pretty much my routine.

ANDREW:  When you were in the camp did you make a lot of friends?  How did they treat you?

DAI:  I definitely made a lot of good friends.  Unfortunately, I am no longer in touch with a lot of them.  We were all there without our families, kind-a unique 'cause we had a lot of freedom for kids my age.  Well, I think, friends made the refugee camp more special.

ANDREW:  You said that before you were promoted to my class you were with Sammy Taylor.  Do you have any message to Teacher Sammy?

DAI:  Sure.  Teacher Sammy, thank you.  Thank you very much. I enjoyed every moment in the school.  I learned so much from you.  You have an excellent teaching technique.  Once again, thank you and a round of applause to you and the rest of the HTC--PFAC teachers.

ANDREW:  Do you have any message to your teacher Andrew Taylor and to your former classmates?

DAI:  Well, you know I'm grateful to you, sir.  You're the best.  Thank you for your dedication.  It's hard to describe it, but your way of teaching, your interactions with the students... I mean, we saw everything.  You were very passionate with what you were doing. Nowadays, it's really rare to find someone who truly enjoys their job the way you did serving the Vietnamese refugees and we are truly grateful.  So thank you, really.  And to my classmates.  I'm not sure if anyone of you still remembers me but if you do, please connect me up and I'd like to chat with you guys.

ANDREW:  Do you have any message to the Philippine government that gave the Vietnamese refugees a safe haven for more than two decades?

DAI:  Well, again.  Thank you very much.  I feel so fortunate to have a chance to associate with the Filipinos when I was in the camp.  I just love the Filipino people not just because they were helping the Vietnamese refugees.  I love the Filipino culture in general.  The people were very friendly... very simple. So again, thank you.  If I may repeat.  I think I'm really so fortunate to get to know the Philippines and so many Filipino people.

ANDREW:  You're a very successful person in my opinion.  If the camp were still in existence today, do you think you would return to the camp and work as a volunteer?  Why and why not?

DAI:  I would really love to, but to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't be able to because of the nature of the job I'm in right now.  However, I know for a fact that I would be able to lend a hand in a different way if the camp were still there.

ANDREW:  You've touched about this a little bit earlier but would you say that PFAC has given you foundation in order to be a better person in the United States?

DAI:  No question about it.  First, I learned English in the camp, which you know, facilitated my integration into the US.  PFAC definitely gave me a strong foundation not just academically but more importantly, I learned to be a better person.  I learned love, respect, sharing, friendship, camaraderie and hope.  I learned to look forward with so much courage and great optimism.  And because of all of these, I'm extremely grateful to the Philippines, the Filipinos and the international volunteers, especially the HTC-PFAC teachers.

ANDREW:  Well said, Dai.  Thank you for doing this interview.  You are the epitome of what is possible for immigrants when they believe in themselves and work very hard.   You're a PFAC Palawan son and we're extremely proud of you.  Any final thoughts?

DAI:  Thank you to all the teaching staff and to everyone that helped many, many thousands of Vietnamese refugees.  You've all contributed in making our integration into the United States and all over the world way much easier. Without your dedicated service, we wouldn't be doing what we are doing today.  To other former refugees, if you have a chance to help other people who need assistance, please do so. There's nothing more joyful than helping the less fortunate.

     Do Minh Dai

     Group 127 Mary Ship

     PFAC Palawan