BIO

On September 27, 1969, in Vietnam, Viet Nguyen was born the youngest of 10 children. With his father working in the South Vietnamese military and his mother staying at home, the Fall of Saigon in 1975 marked a pivotal change in his life. His father was imprisoned for 10 years while his mother became a reseller, hustling in the streets of Saigon to make it by. Several years after the release of his father, the U.S government sponsored him and his family to move to Houston. The move to the United States gave him a second chance– but not one without immense change and struggle. On his first day in America, he started working as a busboy at a Vietnamese restaurant. He worked during the day and went to community college at night. When his job wasn’t working out, he took another job and took classes during the day while working at night instead. After jumping from one job to another, he found stability in working as a technician. He met his current wife, Hoa Le, and married a year later. The birth of his first child in 2005 forced him to quit school in order to pursue a full time career. They now live together in Houston with their two children. This interview covers the life of a Vietnamese immigrant in the wake of the Vietnam War. Viet Nguyen discusses the joys of his life, such as meeting his wife and starting a family, along with his sorrows– losing jobs and missing home.

INTERVIEW