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Tet- A Vietnamese New Year
Ha touches her big toe on the floorto make sure her brother doesn't do it first so she can prove to everyone else that if a girl touches the floor with her big toe first it can bring good luck too. -
Period: to
One year in Ha's life
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Watch Over Us
Uncle Son returns and tells Ha and her family that there is a boat waiting for them by the port to get out o Vietnam so they can survive. They can tell anyone about this becaue the ship is only for navy families only. So since Uncle Son and Ha's father was in the same class together they can go on the sips even though Ha's dad is missing in action. -
Left Behind
This part is about how people in Ha's family leave things behind to take more important things with them, even though some of the things are important that they want to take with them, they have to take the things that will help them survive most. In this part of the story there is a big emotional part in their home that they cannot leave with evidence of father's life that might hurt him. -
Choice
Ha must choose one pair of pants, pair of shorts, three pairs of underware, two shirts, sandals, toothbrush and paste, soap, ten palms of rice grains, three clumps of cooked rice, one choice. " I choose my doll, once lent to my neighbor who left it outside, where mice bit her left cheek and right thumb". Ha says that she loves the doll more for her scars.This shows a change in personality in Ha, She shows a growth in maturity. She didn't have to choose the doll she could've chose something else. -
In The Dark
Ha and her family are trying to find a place on the ship to sleep for the night. Meanwhile you can see flares and bombs going off in the distance getting closer and closer, while they're going farther and farther. At this moment they can consider themselves refuges. -
Saigon Is Gone
The commander of the ship orders everyone below deck,even though he took the safe route,he's just being safe.They hear this helicopter hovering above them.They soon say,The Communists are coming,The Communists are coming.The man from the helicopter lowers himself down onto the ship.Thats when they relize that the man was not a communist that he was a mann thats on there side.He soon says that Saigon Is Gone.The man says that the communists put there flag on top of the presidential palace. -
Floating
This new part of the story is about how the boat is silent and dark while the boat creeps along the river slowly and steady and softley. This is to ensure no one catches them trying to escape Vietnam. -
Part II (At Sea)
- August 8th, 1975
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The Moon
During the day the dock belongs to the men and children. At nightfall women make there way up. They bathe and take a breather since they have been in that stuffy room for so long. -
Choose
This partof the story is about choosing what country you would like to live in now. Mother was uncertain of what country she was going to pick until someone wispered in her ear and said, "Choose America, more oppurtunities there especially for a family with boys ready to work". Mother wispers back..."My sons must first go to college". " If they're smart America will give them scholarships. Mother chooses. -
Alabama
Ha and her family gets sponsored to go to live in Alabama. -
Our Cowboy
Ha and her families sponser looks just like a cowboy, "Just like an amerian should'. -
Part III (Alabama)
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American Chicken
Ha is describing the feeling and texture and the way the chicken looks and how it came out. The chicken is way different then the chicken back home in Vietnam. The chicken in nVietnam is much more fresh. -
Sadder Laugh (School)
Ha's first day of starting at a new school in America (Alabama). -
Neighbors
The family meets a kind new neighbor named Mrs. Washington who Ha calls, MiSSSisss Washington who Ha befriends. -
Part IV (From now on)
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1976: Year of the Dragon
This Tết
there's no I Ching Teller of Fate,
So Mother predicts our year. Our lives
will twist and twist,
intermingling the old and the new
until it doesn't matter which is which. I truly learn to fly-kick, not to kick anyone so much as to fly.
