Finding the light of the future in a foreign land

“Here We Are” (The Gioi Publishing House, 2024) is a true memoir with a captivating narrative about the experiences in an important part of a Vietnamese family's life in a foreign land.

The work "We are here" (original title is We are here) by author Nguyen Cat Thao - a writer, lawyer, senior training expert.

Coming from a poor working-class family that migrated from Vietnam to Australia, author Cat Thao Nguyen grew up with external turmoil and constant internal anxiety.

She was bullied when she became an obvious target with her “hairy legs, acne, homemade clothes, discounted shoes, and reputation as a studious person.”

The family went through many economic upheavals, had to sell their house and move to someone else's house, sometimes even withdrew $5 from their bank account to have money to eat...

Or even her birthplace, ethnicity and nationality, Cat Thao could not distinguish those concepts for a long time.

She has suffered countless identity and existential crises in a foreign land, when she finds herself inheriting only the "silence that leads to helplessness" of her parents.

Because her father admitted: “In this country, I have a mouth to eat, not a mouth to talk…” Or the time the landlord scolded them for not paying the rent on time. She had to translate those criticisms into Vietnamese, while deeply feeling the painful silence of her family.

From “silence to helplessness” also leads to “disconnection” within the family. Cat Thao’s pen boldly depicts portraits of life in a foreign land - they unintentionally torment each other, despite their close relationship.

In “Here we are”, Cat Thao repeatedly recounts the moment of disconnection in her family, through the constant expectations from her parents: when she achieved 99% in the Math exam, her father asked: “Why not 100%?” When she came second in Vietnamese, the same question was asked: “Why not come first?”…

The memoir "Here We Are" depicts the challenging and arduous journey of migration to build a new life in the "land of dreams" - which turned out to be a foreign land full of adversity.

The “here we go” moment was: “In this country, I have a mouth to eat, not to talk. You are my voice.” That day marked a turning point in my life: I saw my future.

And author Cat Thao Nguyen has found her voice and identity, she has risen to become a writer, lawyer, and senior trainer. In addition, she is a member of the Australian NGO delegation to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, a member of the Australian Government Advisory Council in Vietnam, and a co-founder of the Australia-Vietnam Young Leaders Forum.

Having had the opportunity to interact with the poor and the Prime Minister , Cat Thao understands that everyone has their own concerns. She devotes all her passion and enthusiasm to helping people realize the intersection between life purpose and sustainable living, as a way to help them somewhat ease their suffering.

Before taking shape, the work “Den noi roi” (original title We are here) was shared in the Sydney Morning Herald, it took 7 years for author Cat Thao Nguyen to “relive the memories” and write this passionate book. And after the book was published in 2015 in Australia, the author and the work were nominated as finalists for the New South Wales Literary Award.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/tim-anh-sang-tuong-lai-noi-dat-khach-3156315.html