Sunshine Coast Hinterland Times

UYEN (pron. Win) met her husband Trevor four years ago on a country bus near Saigon. She has a broad smile when she tells this story, because one of the most enjoyable ways of learning English in Vietnam is to sing English pop songs.

Sitting on the bus with her two cousins, Uyen noticed an Australian man in front of her so, with a little encouragement from her cousins, she started singing a Lionel Ritchie song.

“I sat behind him on the bus and I sang the song, ‘Hello, is it me you’re looking for’, says Uyen with a laugh. “He turned around and said no!”

Trevor picks up the story. “The bus dropped us off in the middle of Saigon and I didn’t really know where I was. Uyen and her two cousins offered to show me to my hotel. I invited Uyen, husband Trevor and their son Bill at their Nambour home.

Uyen Le-McGaw left Vietnam only two years ago speaking little English but bringing a lot of determination to her new home in Nambour. Uyen recently graduated with a Certificate 3 in child care and is well on the way to completing a child care diploma. them in for a coffee and that’s really how we met.” At that time, Uyen was working in her family’s import export office. Her aunt and uncle grow plants for herbal medicine and export container loads to Japan and Europe.

Trevor served a tour of duty in the Australian Army’s medical corp in Vietnam during 1969, and when he left the army he retained his love of Asia. He has travelled widely, running a variety of businesses including import export and a hotel on a beach. When he met Uyen, Trevor was a part time tour guide and running a rabbit farm in Vietnam to help low income families improve their lives.

Uyen graduates with the first of her child care qualifications from TAFE Sunshine Coast.

Two years ago Trevor and Uyen were married in a spectacular ceremony in Saigon and then another one on a boat at Mooloolaba last year. Uyen was very keen to come to Australia to study and improve her English so the couple returned and settled in Nambour. For Uyen there were a number of challenges, not the least of which was writing and speaking English. However, Trevor says she has worked very hard to succeed.

“She has been doing a Certificate 3, a diploma and an advanced diploma in child care all at the same time and she spends many extra hours on assignments.

“To complete my homework books”, says Uyen, “I have my dictionary by my side. I write a paragraph and then I ask my husband to check my grammar. It is easy for Australians but for me it is very difficult. If I don’t understand something I ask my college and they are very helpful.”

While studying and working at a kindergarten Uyen has also worked as a volunteer at the Nambour hospital and local primary school. She had no experience of children before walking in the door, but she has discovered a natural touch with children. Now, Trevor and Uyen have their own son, having adopted 7 year-old Bill from Saigon about a year ago.

“Bill could only say hello when he arrived in Australia, but now you can’t stop him talking,” says Trevor with a laugh. “He is mixing in very well at school and is playing excellent AFL football.”

Like many Vietnamese migrants Uyen’s family background is full of danger, repression and loss. Her father supported the South Vietnamese regime and was in the army during the war. He was killed in 1975 when the Communists invaded the south.

“I don’t have any pictures of my father,” says Uyen sadly. “All our documents were burnt so that the family would not be implicated.”

Uyen’s mother and her two brothers lost all their possessions and she and Uyen tried to escape on a boat, but they were caught by the police. She spent five months in jail in the late1970s.

“So I was a jailbird”, says Uyen with a laugh. “But when I was in Vietnam after the war, we didn’t talk about our story or the war.”

When you ask about the future for Uyen, Trevor and Bill their quick reply is to travel through Asia. Once she gets the practical experience of child care and her English improves, Uyen would like to continue in the child care business, and she is looking forward to becoming an Australian citizen next year.

“Sometimes I feel homesick,” says Uyen thoughtfully. “But I love this country. The environment is good and the government takes care of the people in Australia and there are many opportunities.”