Hoang Thai's Journey

"What do you remember about living there? What, what were some of your favorite things or what were some challenges?"

What is the interviewer's purpose in asking this question early in the interview?

• To test the interviewee's knowledge of the place.

• To determine if the interviewee had any challenges living there.
• To gauge the interviewee's emotional connection to the place.
• To gather information about the interviewee's experience and perspective on living in a particular place.

What were some of Hoang Thai's favorite activities in Vietnam?

• Climbing coconut trees and swimming in the ocean

• Playing soccer and riding bicycles

• Hiking in the mountains and skiing

• Reading books and painting

Why did Hoang Thai's family decide to leave Vietnam?

• They wanted to explore other countries

• They lost all freedom after the Communist takeover

• They were looking for better job opportunities

• They wanted to start a new business

What can we infer is Thai's feelings about his home under the Communists?

• Thai feels hopeful and optimistic about his home under the Communists.
• Thai feels hopeless and wants to leave his home under the Communists.
• Thai feels indifferent and unaffected by his home under the Communists.
• Thai feels content and satisfied with his home under the Communists.

Why do you believe Thai didn't surrender to the Coast Guard?

• He didn't want to go to jail and worried he may never be able to escape again.

• He didn't trust the Coast Guard and thought they would want money.

• He wanted to test his survival skills to see if he could live in the forest.

• The person he was with refused to let him go.

How is Mr. Thai's experience of escaping Vietnam similar to Ha's from IOBA? Write your answer in a complete sentence.

Which best describes part of the theme (lesson) we can see in the last two paragraphs?

• Survival and perseverance

• Betrayal and deceit.
• Love and happiness

• Fear and desperation.

What was the most difficult part for Hoang Thai about adjusting to life in the United States?

• Learning the language and adapting to a new lifestyle

• Finding a job and earning money

• Making new friends and fitting in

• Navigating the transportation system

Mr. Thai [00:13:16] I, yeah, I, and I would work extremely hard during the hot summer month and would go to school to earn enough money to survive and feed myself. 

Alexa [00:13:36] Where did you find strength in these difficult times? 

Mr. Thai [00:13:41] What kept me going was the possibility that I could create a successful future myself. Kept me motivate to continue fighting even through the, through is was extremely hard.

What theme do you think we can infer from this section?

• Hope always wins when you have money and family.

• Hard work is everything to Mr. Thai.

• Resilience is difficult when you are in a new country.

• Perseverance is key to overcoming difficulties

Whose experience in fleeing Vietnam do you feel was tougher? Ha's or Thai's? Make sure to explain your answer using one of the conjunctions: Because / But / So.