Journey to FreedomTHE BOAT SET AWAY SILENTLY INTO THE SPOOKY DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT AT THE END OF OCTOBER 1989 IN THE HOPE OF REACHING THE GULF OF THAILAND. ON BOARD THERE ARE OVER HUNDRED VIETNAMITANS OF ALL AGES, SOME DESPIRITED, BUT ABOVE ALL HAPPY AND FULL OF HOPE OF REACHING THE PROMISED LAND. THIS INTENSE FLIGHT LEAVES THEM VULNERABLE AND THE CHALLENGES THEY ENCOUNTER ARE ENORMOUS; HOWEVER HE SHOWS HIS IRON WILL AGAINST THE CORRUPT PRACTICES OF COMMUNISM. THE MORNING COMES TO START A BEAUTIFUL DAY. THE SKY IS CLEAR AND SUNNY. THE BOAT NUTS SLIGHTLY UNDER THE WAVES AND CONTINUES TO RUN AT FULL SPEED. PEOPLE KNOW SO WELL RIGHT NOW THAT THERE IS NO GOING BACK. EITHER THEY WILL MAKE IT OR THEY WILL DIE SOMEWHERE IN THE IMMENSE AND RUTHLESS SEA. THE FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY AND THE UNKNOWN hovers IN THEIR MIND. ARE THEY GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? WILL THEY SURVIVE? WILL THEY BE HIT BY THE STORM OR WILL THEY FACE THE CRUEL AND WILD PIRATES OF THAILAND? WHERE WILL THEY END UP...? ON THE THIRD DAY, DARK CLOUDS OVERHEADS AND STRONG WINDS BEGIN TO BLOW HEAVYLY AGAINST THE SMALL WOODEN BOAT. THE CALM OCEAN ALWAYS BECAME VIOLENT WITH FEROCIOUS WAVES BRINGING THEIR BOAT OFF COURSE. THERE IS NO VIEW OF LAND, NOTHING BUT THE ROAMING SKY, SHAKERING WINDS, AND FAST, QUICK HEARTBEATS. PEOPLE ASK FOR HELP. THEY SOON RUN OUT OF FOOD, RAW FISH HAS BECOME THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF NUTRITION, BUT THAT IS EVEN RARE. YOU CAN ESPECIALLY HEAR THE CHILDREN CRYING FOR FOOD WHILE THEIR PARENTS SIT UNMISSED. THESE INNOCENT AND APPRENTICE BOYS DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM AND WHY THEY WERE PUT ON THE BOAT TO NEVER SEE THEIR HOME AGAIN. PERHAPS THE GUARANTEE... middle of the paper... TOWARDS A HAPPY AND FREE LIFE. ONE YEAR AFTER THE MANY DEATHS AT THE HANDS OF THOSE SEA PIRATES, KIEM, HIS FAMILY AND OTHER BROTHERS BEGAN THEIR JOURNEY. SIX YEARS LATER, THEIR DREAM COMES TRUE WHEN THEY FINALLY ARRIVED IN AMERICA IN SEPTEMBER 1995. IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD TO EXPERIENCE THE EFFERVESCENT TASTE OF SEVEN-UP, THE DELICIOUS FLAVOR OF MCDONALDS' FRENCH CHIPS AND THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE SO CALLED DEMOCRACY THEIR COUNTRY DOES NOT OWN IT. HOLDING A HAMBURGER IN KIEMS' HAND REMINDS HER OF HER BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO WANTED IT SO MUCH THEY RISKED THEIR LIFE FOR AMERICA. THAT HAMBURGER IS ONLY WORTH A FEW DOLLARS, BUT IT IS PRICELESS TO HER, BECAUSE THE PRICE PAID BY HER FAMILY IS INCREDIBLE. SHE FEELS VERY LUCKY TO BE THE ONE WHO FINALLY HAS THE HAMBURGER IN HIS HAND AFTER MANY YEARS OF DESIRE AND SUFFERING.