Amazing Angels

I am moved by an article, my Mum sent me.  It is an article about the passing of one of the many courageous characters who made Vietnamese adoptees lives possible.

For most adoptees growing up, without their proper identity both cultural and family, have found life to be full of questions.  One of the big questions, is whether or not it was right for us to have been removed from Vietnam.  The answer seems rational enough.  The orphans fate, in the hands of the communists was uncertain and the western world were unprepared to stand by to wait and see.  From an emotional perspective, we miss all that could have been, our families and a cultural identity.  Some adoptees struggle with this question and others are more fatalistic, but whatever degree an adoptee copes, we can recognise that there were some amazing angels who had the strength to fight on our behalf.  My mother included.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/obituaries/viet-orphan-airlift-crusader-a-saint-20120819-24gb0.html

Thank you Elain Joyce Moir and thank you Mum

Self Taught

One of the main frustrations, I find as an adoptee, is having to learn about my Vietnamese culture as an outsider. 

Teaching myself to cook Vietnamese food via recipe books without my Vietnamese grandmother scolding me, for under seasoning the Pho,  leaves me with a sense of loss.  I do not normally dwell on irrational romantic imaginings, as it's quite possible my dear Vietnamese grandmother could have been a tyrant!   However, there has been a certain amount of frustration and self doubt about my ability to cook Vietnamese food, and it has crossed my mind that I feel somewhat a 'fake'.  I ask myself, is it really Vietnamese food if these dishes have not been handed down through my ancestors and whispered to me over a clay pot?

So, I can only shake off regret, self doubt and nostalgic daydreams and return to being pragmatic.  I rely on my palate, which I know to be a good one when sampling the delights of Vietnamese food. I therefore come to the practical conclusion that even though my ancestors did not share their secret recipes, they have shared their genes with me, therefore my palate.






Pho Bo - Beef Noodle Soup

Một, Hai, Ba!

One, Two, Three! (một, hai, ba)

Almost over three decades later and after having three of my own babies, I am now in the process of creating my second fundraising idea. 

In Vietnam there are many orphanages, they are set up by either the government, NGOS, volunteers from other countries, returning ex-servicemen and Vietnamese adoptees even.  Whoever is behind these orphanages they all have one goal in mind, and this is to provide a loving, caring and supportive environment for the orphaned or especially disabled children in Vietnam today.

My lifetime goal is to 'give back' or share some of the love and opportunities which have enabled me to live. I held a successful fundraising gig two years ago, by way of setting up a 'pop up' clothes store. I sold donated good quality second hand clothes. The funds raised were donated to Allambie Orphanage http://www.allambie.co.uk/.

The second fundraising idea is all about food.  Simple and delicious Vietnamese food.

Baby Thi

My life really began in 1975, when my adoptive Mother came to collect me from a Sydney based hospital, plucking me from a pile of malnourished, shaven headed and silent orphan babies.  She gave me love and life.

The orphaned babies had all been airlifted from Saigon in April 1975, as the end of the Vietnam War began.  We were part of a huge effort by the American, Australian and British governments to 'save' as many of the children orphaned by the war.  They named this Operation Babylift.

Most of the babies were without names or any type of official documentation.  I was known as 'Thi Phouc'.  Thi is Girl and Phouc is Blessings or Luck.