At Last, Mr. Benny Ong!

PFAC HAS CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVES ON LIFE.

How did your experience teaching in the refugee camp change you as a human being?

Benny: Let me tell you a little bit about how I got started into teaching in the refugee camp. Well, I was nineteen years old, a young, college student finishing my Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce when a Catholic nun by the name of Sister Tomasa Rivera O.P approached me if I wanted to work as a volunteer English teacher in the camp, which I didn’t know even existed. I was astonished and somewhat hesitant at first because I had never taught anyone in my life, let alone English, but because it was also a part of our college requirement to do outreach programs prior to graduation, I took up the challenge and the rest is history. Immediately after that, I learned to love the teaching profession.

Benny: I worked in the camp for twelve long years. Every day was a great opportunity for me to learn and grow. I met a lot of refugee children who were very fresh from their ordeal and sufferings brought about by their agonizing experience crossing the sea and the pain of separations from their families. I had to deal with a lot of emotional distress, resistance, and language and cultural barriers. I’m proud to say that these challenges made me stronger. They also brought enormous changes in my perspectives and views of what life had to offer. These experiences had taught me to be more compassionate, patient, thoughtful, generous, resilient, and loving. As a result of these empowering experiences, it led me to live a better and more prepared life. I felt blessed and privileged after that.

What were some of the challenges that you had encountered while teaching the Vietnamese refugee children?

Benny: I wasn’t trained as a teacher. Consequently, I found it hard to live up to the expectations of my superiors and colleagues. But as a highly dedicated person, I really worked hard to improve my teaching strategies by attending workshops, teacher trainings, and mini conferences on a regular basis. One of the biggest challenges that I encountered as a teacher was the ability to transform my students into a better person character wise. However, because of my profound commitment to what I was doing, I succeeded in inspiring them to be confident, peace-loving, and hard-working people.

What do the Vietnamese refugees think about your service in PFAC, Palawan. Do they appreciate it? How do you know?

Benny: I believe I did a magnificent job in my service to the Vietnamese people during that time. Modesty aside, I think I was loved and respected not only because of being a teacher but more so of trying to reach out and be one of them. I laughed with them, I cried with them, and celebrated life with them. Many of my students are still in contact with me today. At one time, I was invited as a special guest in Melbourne, Australia for the first ever Grand Reunion of Vietnamese Refugees from Palawan. On that momentous occasion, I was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Palawan Vietnamese Refugee Community of Melbourne. On top of this, I’ve visited Vietnam many times courtesy of my beloved former students.

How do you maintain your communications with your former students and co-workers?

Benny: The social media such as Facebook, Messenger, and Viber have played a great role in helping me maintain my communications with my former students and co-workers and I am truly grateful. These amazing platforms have helped bring us closer together and reconnect with one another. Almost every year, since 2009, there have been groups of Vietnamese from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe who visit Palawan. I always make sure that I’m able to welcome them in Palawan and arrange tours for them whenever I can.

You have a great personality and your students and many co-workers adore you. What is your secret to being you?

Benny: Oh my God! That's very difficult to answer. I guess it is innate in me to be thoughtful, sweet, compassionate, friendly, funny and affectionate. I treat everyone equally and help many of them to reunite with their friends in my own capacity. One of the things that I love to do is to make it a point to greet all my FB friends and students “Happy Birthday” whenever they are celebrating. I make sure that I don’t miss anybody by constantly checking my Facebook in the morning to see who are celebrating their natal days. Besides, it is interesting and kind of funny that many of my Vietnamese students around the world like to address me as "Ong Noi" as their term of endearment for me. I never really mind even if it means "grandfather". In fact, I find it sweet, caring, and respectful.

What do you advise your students to do to make sure that they can live a successful life?

Benny: Follow your dreams! If you have the opportunity to further your studies, pursue it. I strongly believe that education is the main tool in achieving your goals and success in life. Don't forget to pray in any way you can. If life gets tougher and you have nobody to turn to, remember that there is “Somebody up there” who will help you ease your pain. Don't let success run into your head. Help others if you can. And finally, be respectful and kind because in kindness, you will never go wrong!

 If you could turn back the hands of time, would you decide to work as volunteer teacher again and in the same country? Why?

Benny: Definitely! Why? My work as a teacher for the Vietnamese refugees has brought me immense happiness in life. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I met my loving wife in the camp (She was my co-teacher.)  I enjoyed so much the camaraderie of my fellow teachers who are all so kind and supportive of me even until now, and most of all, I have all the love and respect of my beloved Vietnamese students around the world.  I am blessed... I am loved!

Vietnamese Refugee Camp 1981

 

 

Tristan, from Palawan to Germany

Dr. Tristan Nguyen- PFAC Palawan Son

"I'd like to convey my deepest gratitude to all PFAC teachers and international volunteers. They are heroes of the modern world.  They deserve all our love and respect.  God bless all of them."

Andrew:  Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen!  I'm sitting here with Tristan Nguyen, who flew all the way to Palawan from Munich, Germany to take part in our amazing, wonderful, emotional 2015 PFAC Palawan Grand Reunion.  Tell us, Tristan... when exactly did you come to the refugee camp and when did you leave?

Tristan:  I arrived in PFAC Palawan in May 1985 and I stayed in the camp for a little over six months.

Andrew:  So you stayed here for over six months?  And where did you resettle?

Tristan:  Munich, Germany!

Andrew:  Munich!  Wow.  Munich is a beautiful city.  And so when you resettled in Germany what was your next step?

Tristan:  I went to a language school to learn German. 

Andrew:  Right.  When you look back to your time in the refugee camp, what do you remember most?

Tristan:  I remember the highly dedicated teachers who taught me English.  They were very kind to me.  I remember you Andrew, who used to come to our billet every Saturday to give us free English pronunciation and vocabulary lessons.  I remember the beautiful beach, the domestic airport and the tears from the eyes of my countrymen as they said good bye to friends and volunteers in the camp. I also remember the mini cinemas in the camp where we used to watch Vietnamese and American movies.

Andrew:  Oh yeah?  What exactly do you do in Germany?  What's your profession?

Tristan:  I'm a university professor for economics and finance.

Andrew:  That's amazing.  If the refugee camp were still open today, do you think you would go back and work as a volunteer?  Why and why not?

Tristan:  It's a really difficult question to answer.  Well, of course I would spend some months to help my compatriots. But sometimes I think it's really hard to come here because I have my private life in Germany. The reason why I really admire the former volunteer teachers and international volunteers for coming here to help the refugees is because it's not easy to do what they did for the refugees but they did it with all their hearts. 

Andrew:  You're absolutely right.  Please name three people who had touched your life during your stay in the camp?

Tristan:  I think I remember Jane, I think she was from Scotland.

Andrew:  Jane's from England.

Tristan:  Oh, she's from England?  Hmmm.  Well, the one thing I remember about Jane is her blond hair.  Yeah.  Jane has blond hair and I like blond hair.  The second one I remember is Boy. I don't really remember his real name but we just call him Boy.  I'm very happy that he is here with us.  And last but not least is Andy.  I remember he used to sing "Hello, is it me your looking for?"  At that time I didn't understand English very well.  And when he sang, "And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand time", I thought I heard "slip" instead of "lips".

Andrew :  That's hilarious.  Tristan, many Vietnamese have chosen to resettle in the United States, Canada, Australia, Switzerland or France.  Why did you decide to immigrate to Germany?

Tristan:  In my case it was not a choice; it was destiny.  My father was rescued by a German ship and was resettled in Germany many years before I came to the camp.  That's the reason why I came to Germany... to be reunited with my father.

Andrew:  Oh I see.  Do you have any regrets about going to Germany?

Tristan:  Oh I love Germany and I'm extremely proud to be a German citizen.  Germany is my country and I have no regrets.  Not at all. As I said, it was destiny.  In the beginning it was hard for me to learn the culture and language but five years after I came to Germany I got used to the German culture and society.   

Andrew:  Do you have any message to the former teachers and volunteers in the camp who gave up their precious times in order to help the Vietnamese refugees?

Tristan:  I'd like to convey my deepest gratitude to all of them. They are heroes of the modern world.  They deserve all our love and respect.  God bless all of them.

Andrew:  How do you feel being a part of this beautiful and touching PFAC Palawan Grand Reunion?

Tristan:  I'm extremely happy and at the same time very emotional to see all the people and some of the teachers again after so many years.

Andrew:  I know how you feel.  Okay, Tristan, thank you very much for sharing your heart with us.  Good luck to you.  Continue to shine.  You are an asset to the Philippines, to Vietnam, to Germany and to the world in general. I hope you can join us again in our future reunions.

Tristan:  You will definitely see me again. No doubt about it.

Tristan in PFAC Palawan in 1985 with his family and friends.  This picture was photographed by Andrew Taylor.

OOOOO