The following piece is broken up into two columns. Part One is Jessica’s story written by me and Part Two is “My Great Escape,” the harrowing story of Jessica’s family’s escape from Vietnam in 1983 through her eyes. It was my freshman year of college, and I was sitting in a huge lecture hall on the University of Iowa campus when I was approached by a girl with a big smile. She said hello and introduced herself as Jessica Le. She asked if I was Vietnamese, and I told her yes. We chatted a bit about ourselves and our classes. I was struck by her beauty. She had black hair that was slightly curled at the ends, and she wore gorgeous crimson lipstick. Her face lit up when she spoke. Her self-confidence was overwhelming. She interacted with people with such ease. I remember thinking how I wished I could be just like her. At that time in my life, I was struggling with my identity. I wasn’t sure who I was. I didn’t understand what it meant to be Asian American, but it seemed like Jessica had it all figured out.
It was good to read this story! I'm glad you met Jessica, and were able to tell us how her family got settled in Iowa. Churches and sponsors play such an important role.
It was good to read this story! I'm glad you met Jessica, and were able to tell us how her family got settled in Iowa. Churches and sponsors play such an important role.
Thanks for sharing this story.
Thank you for this. A lovely story that looks at both the joys and the difficulties of her journey.