I also remember that Andy said that they only had a little to eat and they had to share among 28 people. Also, they got very lucky to get to that island.

-Angeline Tran

Andy Nolan's Grandpa told us that people were taking over vietnam. So if people tried to leave Vietnam they would bring them to jail. HE told us that they went on a big boat and went to sea and their was about 28 people on that boat, 20 of them being family and 8 of them being neighbours, went they went to sea they almost died, during the trip they spotted a pirate ship but they did not hurt them but gave them food. They finally landed on a small island and they were very nice, they stayed for a couple of days and went to America.

Few things that I think is important was when Andy mention about his childhood moments when he was catching crickets. And him being stranded on the boat for 10 days with no food or water. Andy thought they were about to die because of hunger and dehydration, but they then found a island with people and was kind enough to help them out and give them a place to sleep. If that island didn't have any people they could of loss their hope again. I was shocked that they made to the island with people with maybe 28 people and had no food or water and was also in the sea for 10 days.

Minh was talking about how he had a lot of money on him and when he got token they took all of it. He was also saying how he cursed at the officers for 9 days but they quit on the first day. They were cursing them because only people who are older than 20 can leave but he doesn't want to leave his kids here.

In my opinion, it stood out to me how Andy had to go through all those rough obstacles including having to share a small amount of rice and a small supply of rain water to somehow manage to survive on the boat. Because Andy's family and the other people on the boat had to find a way to get more food to survive, they luckily came across a pirate ship giving them food and water, but the food and water only lasted the boat a small amount of time since there was 28 people on it. Soon, another ship came, but it was a cargo ship this time, so they couldn't really come close or else their boat would flip over. The cargo ship tried to give Andy's boat some water, but let's just say that the attempt didn't really work out. I found this fact interesting because it showed me how Andy was so desired to go to the U.S.A to survive and escape the war and to give him and his family freedom and justice and how he was so brave to take any risks to help his family and the other people on the boat.

Something about Minh that stood out to me was when he had to hide in the mountains to hide from the soldiers. The soldiers were looking for Vietnamese people to shoot, so because Minh didn't want to reveal himself he hid the cave and had his food brought to him while he was in the cave.

Something that stood out to me in Andy's interview was when Malaysia convinced him that they wanted to help them, but instead, in the morning they pointed a gun at the people in the boat and told them to go away. But soon after the boat found the small Indonesian island where the indonesian people were being kind and providing the Vietnamese people's needs before shipping them to the main island of Indonesia.

It also resonated with me when Andy and Minh were talking about gratitude. Andy mentioned how because we have freedom and live in a non-communist country, we should be grateful. Where as Minh talked about how we should be grateful for our parents because many leave once they become an adult.

On the other hand, Andy had to sit on a crowded boat for 10 days. They nearly starved to death and many who sailed in that boat were sick.

he explained that he has experienced a lot of difficult events but the ones he shared were when he lived in the mountains. he had to hide from soldiers that arrived from France, his family sent him to mountain to his his identity. He had to pass an exam and during the exam he had to dodge bullets. Minh had many responsibilities, at the time he had 8 children. With the situation that was happening he was really scared he was gonna lose one of his children. he forced to file a divorce, he went through so much.

(Lorelai's & Nolan's Grandpa )

know this andy's story, when escaping from Vietnam he was sailing a boat with about 20 people. with no water , and especially no food. but luckily they found a island, they was a clan and they were so generous to give them food, water, and clothes. Paula explained her part of the story and it was so sad because the whole boat ride she was severly sick. she had more than 50 % of death, with the lack of food and water.

In addition, Andy and Minh spoke to us on how we should be grateful for what we have. This is especially important because we all know that we are lucky to be born in this generation. We can gain education so easily, we have modern technology, etc. This was the most important thing in the interview to me. I feel really grateful to be in this generation, and so should other students in Murdy too.

Along with those thoughts, the fact that Andy, Paula, and other people survived on a boat for 10 days with no resources was incredible to me. Their determination was inspiring to me. I deeply enjoyed their time at our school.