tracing my history
Posted on 17 July 2008
There are two places in my heart that I vow to someday visit. Those two places are Thailand and Laos. Many people said that I am crazy for wanting to visit those two places but I have my own reasoning, and that’s all it matters to me.
Many of my friends are a bit too modernized and had forgotten their roots and where they came from and their history and some just simply don’t care, as for me, I keep those two countries close to my heart, and one day to retrace those roots. Both Thailand and Laos played a major part in my life, therefore, I vow to step foot on the soil of Laos and Thailand some day.
I was born along the Mekong River of Laos and I someday want to retrace that little part of my life that I had left behind. My parents had said, I was born there, about a year or so after my birth, my parents had secretly crossed the Mekong River to Thailand, there in the forest of Laos, I had almost lost my little life. I remember my parents telling me the story of how I almost died, but luckily, out of the three babies who were poisoned by opium, I was the suvivor. I am sure the two families who lost their babies that unfaithful night will never forget that moment when their child was taken away from this world. Unfortunately, I was too young to remember a thing.
After my parents fought for my life on land, they once again had to battle another fight on water to get me, my older brother and my uncle across the Mekong River safely. Once crossed the Mekong River, we stayed in a nearby refugee camp in Thailand after we were brought to safety. There I spent at least two years there and once again I was too young to remember a thing.
There in Laos where both my grandparents on my dad’s side were lay to rest and my grandmother on my mom’s side also was lay to rest. I’ve never met them before, thus visiting them at their little new “home” will I be able to fulfill my wish of someday seeing them.
From what I’ve seen in pictures and videos, Laos is a country full of great mystery, full of untouched beauty that had remained the same for hundreds of years. The beauty of those rice fields, the high peek mountains, the untouched Hmong villages, the amazing jungle and many beautiful natural beauty.
I’ve heard of stories of how beautiful it is in Laos. I’ve heard of stories that there is no place like Laos. Everything about that country has not been spoil, except from the Vietnam war, thus had ruin few parts of Laos, but besides the few, many parts of Laos had still remain untouched and as beautiful as it was many centuries ago.
To me Laos and Thailand are like a deep dream that I know I have been there before, I know I’ve step foot on the mystical land, but could never pinpoint where and when. I was there as a baby, not remembering a thing, thus, to me, Laos and Thailand are like dreams that I could not reach to, at least not as of yet.
3 responses to tracing my history
” I remember my parents telling me the story of how I almost died, but luckily, out of the three babies who were poisoned by opium, I was the suvivor. I am sure the two families who lost their babies that unfaithful night will never forget that moment when their child was taken away from this world.”
Dude. Poisoned by opium? Details.Details! That sounds so interesting.
I heard story where they’d give this to the little ones so that they wouldn’t cry at night because they don’t want the enemy to hear. We didn’t have such a hard time crossing because we live in Meung Kao, we just walk across to the Thai border, but I always have a hard time hearing story such as this, I think we all have the emotional scar of the war, regardless of our race, we all go through similar situations but it just that some were worse than others, you’re very fortunate.
I also want to go back to Laos, I grew up in Thailand, but somehow I want to visit Laos more, might be because I was born there.
Hi,
After reading your post, I’m really touched by your sincerity and I can relate to what you’re feeling. I was born in Laos but a few months later my family, like many Hmong families at that time, had to escape to Thailand (Ban Vinai), where I grew up for the first 5 or 6 years of my life; then my family came to the States.
I think it must have been a war syndrome or something because for the longest time I felt like there’s still another place for my family to go to. I don’t know why I felt like that when I was growing up.
I have heard horrible stories from relatives and friends about our Hmong people’s journey from Laos to Thailand. My heart breaks for them just thinking about it. I have so many friends (about 2/3 of them) who never had a chance to know their fathers because they had died in the war.
Like you, I want to go back to Thailand and Laos someday to trace my root in some respect.
I’m sure in a couple of years, your dream will become reality. Wishing you much success in all your endeavors.
P.S. The pix are so full of natural beauty and serenity! Love them! Thanks.