John: Thanks for talking to us, Mr Tran Dinh.

Bal: You were originally a refugee here a long time ago, is that right?

Mr Tran Dinh: Yes. In 1979 I came, from Vietnam. [map]

Megan: Is it okay to talk about it?

Mr Tran Dinh: Yes, now it’s fine.. For long time I wouldn’t speak, but now…. okay.

Megan: Why was it that you were a refugee?

Mr Tran Dinh: There was a war in my country, which was split in two. My half was supported by the Americans and we lost. I was businessman, and also my family, although Vietnamese, were originally from China.

Megan: Right…..

Mr Tran Dinh: The new government did not like businessmen, thought they were too much like Americans, so our business was taken away. Some local people also did not like us because we were Chinese.

Megan: So what did you do when the business was taken away?

Mr Tran Dinh: There were stories that we would be taken away to labour camps in the countryside, to be ‘re-educated’ they called it. We thought we would die there. We escaped on a boat.

Bal: You had a boat?

Mr Tran Dinh: No. We gave all our money to a man with a boat. It was terrifying. He took money from lots of people and the boat was so crowded water was coming in. We were all so desperate to get away we hoped for the best. Many boats sunk and everyone was drowned. That happened to our son… with his family. They called us boat people.

Bal: So…

Mr Tran Dinh: Yes, they were all drowned. Some passing ships picked up people from the boats. Others sailed away. International law says the country that owns the ship is responsible for refugees, so after a long stay in Hong Kong (which was British then), we were flown to Britain.

Megan: Why a long delay?

Mr Tran Dinh: They threatened to send us back to Vietnam.

John: Then what happened?

Mr Tran Dinh: We were settled around Britain, in old council flats, and given English lessons. After a while some of us moved to be nearer other Vietnamese people, for company and to be able to talk about old times together. We got jobs, we started new lives.

John: Have you ever been back? Is it safe now?

Mr Tran Dinh: It’s probably safe, don’t know. I wouldn’t go back, many sad memories. My home is here now. We had a new daughter after we came here. She is at Cambridge university. Did you know that Vietnamese children are getting better marks at school than any others? They are the best in school. Did you know that?

Megan: No.

Mr Tran Dinh: We are working hard in this country.

Bal: Do you know how many Vietnamese people came here, back then?

Mr Tran Dinh: Yes of course. It was about 24,000. The newspapers made a lot of fuss, saying there was no room, but think about it, it’s only half a football stadium……