My Journey to America – The Year of the Earth Monkey

My adventure began when I was born in Saigon (Hồ Chí Minh City) on May 05, 1968, the year of the Earth-Monkey.  The monkey is in the ninth position in the Chinese Zodiac sign. It is believed that monkeys are lucky, clever, mentally quick, resourceful, and mischievous. (Chinese Astrology: Exploring The Eastern Zodiac, by Shelly Wu, ©2005, Career Press Inc.)  I believe the lucky sign of a monkey fits me very well. I am a very lucky person in many ways throughout my whole life starting from the day I was born.
An average Vietnamese household did not have telephones or televisions in 1968.  Telegrams, letters, and/or word of mouth were the common form of communication. It was common that only a few homes in the neighborhood would have a television. Main TV programs were aired between 6 pm and 9 pm. All the neighborhood children would hang out at a house with a TV in the evening. Today, telephones and televisions are still not common appliances in all households. However, they are more available and affordable for the average Vietnamese.