VietACT Intern Blog

2010-10-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

IMPACT

Too much time has gone by since I posted. Truthfully, when I arrived back on U.S. soil, I wrote a very long post that never got finished between my feverish applying for jobs and transient living style, aka somewhat being homeless. In many ways, my life has mirrored the survivors of trafficking. I understood more, as an unemployed American, the feeling of hopelessness, depression and desperation that my trafficked Vietnamese brothers and sisters face than I did as a volunteer at the shelter. As each month rolled by and I got no responses from this stale economy, I considered certain lines of work I would never have considered had I not been so desperate. While I didn't submit to engaging in any of them, I certainly see how easy it is to prey upon vulnerable people.

I don't come from a family where my parents or siblings will put money in my bank account even in emergency times. The only person who takes care of me is me. The day came where I didn't know how I was going to eat the next month. That's a scary debilitating feeling. It's a complete feeling of failure when you can't find a job to save your life, and you've put as much time and energy into school as I have. I did the only thing I could. I applied for food stamps. Imagine what it must feel like if you had a masters degree and a decently running car, but you're waiting in line between a mother with 3 crying children and a man in traditional Burmese attire with one leg (who clearly recently arrived to the states)...all because you're homeless and unemployed. As I stood in line for 4 hours, I questioned how my choices in life led me to the same place as everyone else in line. And not that I saw myself as better than those people, but just as someone with more opportunity to change my situation, yet unable to do so when my own government was doing nothing to create sustainable jobs. Every trafficked man and woman I talked to had said the same thing, there were no jobs in their country. After I received my emergency food stamp card, I sat by the perfectly cut grass outside the Health and Human Services building, reveling in the irony of similar circumstances between me and the survivors, yet now understanding the deep impact that our public assistance programs can make on the lives of truly needy individuals. People too easily condemn our government, but in 1975 when my family of refugees landed in Arkansas without food and then in 2010 when I was in need, the social service programs created back in Roosevelt's day allowed me (and my family) to survive. In Vietnam and many countries around the world, if you don't have money for food you starve. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

My caseworker was the kindest man who collected my information between little rivulets of tears running down my face. His kindness and my feeling of being swathed in failure created little unstoppable fountains in my eyes. I kept thinking how 3 months ago I had his job. I was helping others. This exacerbated the crying. Needless to say, he cheered me up and gave me hope to get through the day. He has a kind letter of thanks on it's way to him in the mail.

Things have started to look up in my life. The food stamps saw me through until I was able to find suitable work. When my own family member, knowing I was unemployed, turned me out on the street, a compassionate friend helped to house me in her living room. She and her family assisted me spiritually through their kindness and generosity. My days of driving in between San Diego and LA looking for work have ended. I have a good job counseling teens at a group home and last week, after months of not having a place to call home, I moved into my own place. It's a small room in a shared apartment, but hey, we all have to start somewhere. Never, at 26 (almost 27) did I see my life turning out this way. It's still a good life, just a little different than what I expected. Working with trafficked folks gave me the strength to get through a very dark time in my life -- the past 6 months. Everyday I look for things to celebrate, because life is a precious experience. The most impactful thing about Taiwan wasn't the big stuff like the trafficking stories of human degradation. It was the "little things" I learned about hope, kindness, and resilience that changed my life. Turns out those things aren't so little after all.

Please read on for an excerpt I wrote my friend after reading her thesis. Hope Pavich, an amazingly talented researcher and dedicated human rights advocate, worked side-by-side with me in Taiwan. Consider it an epilogue of sorts to my overseas experience:
Hope, as I continue to read this paper, I am brought back to our memories of TW in a different way. I actually cried about 5 pages in, because the weight of what we witnessed has had time to metabolize. When we were on the go, running from detention center to the shelter to grabbing boba in between a protest, it all flashed by so quickly. For 6 months that I’ve been back in the states, our experience has metastasized into a tumor in me of ugly truth about the world that I carry around, not bitterly but rather just fully aware, as I mull over my next opportunity to help fight slavery. Slavery in 2010. Maybe I let myself too easily be socialized to think of “slavery” as only a historically relevant term related to cotton picking and ancient times. History class has a way of depersonalizing the truth, eh? And yet, as I sit on my little futon and get ready to go to the gym, our little Taiwan seems surreal. How were we able to leave and go back to this – this life of normalcy – when even as I write there are millions of people, thousands of my own in fact, being treated like chattel. I find it amazing how people can so easily separate themselves from the ugly reality of those trafficked when our very lifestyle is fed by it. Well, my dear, I don’t know when I will as involved as we once were (for as long as we were!), but I am proud of everything we did. Especially, I am proud of your thesis, because you are helping to move this issue forward. Every action counts. I acknowledge every effort you made and continue to make, and I thank you for your kind and generous spirit that gives motivation, and inspiration to my life. I love you!

2010-03-14T19:19:00.000-07:00

Connections

There is a gentle breeze blowing through my office window today, warm and friendly, but somehow reminding me that I need to reconnect with this blog, especially as my days here wind down faster than I can blink. I was away in Vietnam for almost a month, celebrating Tet with my family and seeing the roots of the complex issues effecting migrant workers and brides in Taiwan. Vietnam was Vietnam. There were great things about that trip and there were awful things. That's life. I'll be using this blog more to prepare for my re-entry to the states, so I hope that you come with me on the last leg of my long trip.

18 days. That's all I have left before a variety of things happen. For certain, I will be an emotional mess upon my return. I already feel the horrible gnawing pains of loss in my stomach, and as each day speeds by the ironic question of, "how will I manage my life WITHOUT the chaotic frenzy that is Taiwan?" creeps into my heart. The other certainty is that I have changed. Figuring out how I fit the new me into an old space (in the states), a context that has stayed somewhat the same frightens me. Of course friends, family, and life back home has changed some, but the change has been more on my end as a default of this type of intensive work/life environment.

I'm at conflict. Part of me wants to take steps to prepare for the horrible feeling of loss looming at the end of this journey. Another part of me wants to just live as fully as possible and deal with whatever pain comes however intense at the time it shows up. I tested out the first path by trying to pack half my clothes in a suitcase the other night -- close up shop. Then I took down half my students' artwork in my office. When I got to the photo wall of me and various residents who have changed my life forever I couldn't do it. I couldn't pack them up. Instead, I started balling. Never in my life did I believe that acts of kindness from others could bring my life such joy. Of course I've given them bits of knowledge, my professional skills, my energy and time, but it doesn't compare to what I've received by witnessing their struggles and watching their minds open up in my classes. I've had the unique opportunity to bear witness as they repair their lives. I've helped them hope and believe that a better life is possible even though things may look bleak. They've made me believe that my message is true. Together, we've created meaningfulness where it didn't exist before.

At times in Taiwan, I've felt helpless, like evil was winning in the eternal battle between good and evil. Little by little, I conclude that I was wrong. The scales are always tipping; power is a fluid entity and at any time we can tip power our way through concerted efforts. As long as I am doing my best in the present moment to fight for justice, progress and a brighter future is possible in the most dire of situations.

The current break-up plan I'm deploying is the one-day-at-a-time plan. It's a combination strategy of closing up some things, like packing up my office gradually, but also not focusing so much on "the end". The end is going to come. That fact is certain, so it doesn't do me any good to keep thinking about it. A close friend helped me out with this message: if you keep focusing on the day you leave, there won't be any room for you to enjoy the time you have left. What's the VietACT intern in Taiwan up to at present? She's living her best life, trying to make each moment count, and enjoying life's joy and pain.

2010-02-03T07:09:00.000-08:00

One-Legged, Blind-Folded Gymnastics

That's how my life feels sometimes, but in a good way. It's obvious to me that I need either a publicist or an assistant to help keep my readers looped into the super cool projects I've got my hands in at the VMWBO office. Freshly showered with icy water during TW's chilly winter month of February, I received a message from the universe that I would not be sent a publicist or a flying pony. I've decided to handle one disappointment at a time. Thus, I write.

Of course the art classes are still going. My Survivor-Students have torn down artist obstacles and are creating masterpieces worthy of being framed and mounted.

The support groups have been developed further and tweaked to fit the unique needs of this population. For the men, we're now discussing emotions through interactive exercises involving art, games, and overall creative out-of-the-box thinking. This change happened after a few failed sessions of traditional sitting around in a circle to talk about feelings. The change in the men has been significant and they are able to utilize the some of the new skills they are exposed to. The women are practicing healing through community and self-empowerment. We work on such things as self-soothing techniques, leadership skills, and practice self-respect and self-value, yet from a culturally appropriate approach.

I've wrapped up the last of my counseling cases in preparation for my journey to the motherland of Vietnam for Tet, wherein, I will return to the shelter one month and then head for the states.

NEW STUFF: The donations from the Human Trafficking Awareness Event (HTAN) a couple months back have supplied over 45 Survivors with materials to knit scarves. Only 3 women knew how to knit in my class. They not only taught 43 women how to knit, but they also developed leadership and managerial skills, which included a method for lending out knitting supplies. I estimate there are still enough materials for 20-25 more people to knit scarves. You were able to help keep over 70 people warm this winter! It was quite a site to see 20 women huddled in a tight space, knitting with one another, cracking jokes, arguing, and discussing fashion -- women who only one week earlier were milling about or crying while discussing their court cases and disappointments.

The donations also went to a different kind of healing, nair-apy. Pretty corny, but hey, it's past my bedtime. Nail therapy: different settings call for different ways of healing. I used a portion of the HTAN donations to buy nail supplies. 1) It gives the women another craft and skillset. 2) They can be with me in my office doing their nails and experience care, respect, relief, and fun without having to sit nervously face-to-face to discuss at length their counseling needs. 3) They take pride in their paint job. 4 of my clients worked for 2 years in a Taiwanese nursing home 7 days a week, 16 hrs a day of hard labor with wages withheld and were never allowed outside. Those women deserve at least a manicure.

With Tet on the horizon, I've been asked to teach a dance routine for the big celebration in the Vietnamese migrant worker community. Naturally, I chose Michael Jackson's PYT, Pretty Young Thing. Eight brave young folks have journeyed with me this week through the scary initiation of first time dance classes and must be wondering how they got volunteered for dance camp. Try dancing to a song that's not only in a language foreign to you, but fast, and being asked to do moves that are 100% unfamiliar, such as the shoulder and upper back shimmy. They were actually frightened the first time they saw me 'shake it' for them. We've since moved past the fear and into looking like a dance group. I'll be in Vietnam when they astound the masses with their smooth moves, but I'm proud of them and believe they will surprise themselves with how much fun they will have. Sunday is glove day. I'm going to bestow a single mitt, fingertip free to each dancer. Michael may just have whew-hoo-ed in his grave. Each dancer can now say clearly, "I want to love you, PYT pretty young thing!" Their love, their relentless energy is a beautiful thing to behold. I'm lucky to be a part of it.

* Artists used their names to make abstract designs. Creativity is much more embraced in the states, because this was a super difficult day in art class, but they got it eventually!

2009-12-12T07:25:00.000-08:00

Start a Love Trend

After 4 months of washing my clothes by hand, I cracked and went to the laundromat today. When I first arrived, the shelter was housing about 34 residents. Now there are 46, if not close to 50. I really enjoy hand-washing, but there's limited space to dry.

I also have less time to hand-wash. Cha Cuong (Father Cuong) is visiting the states for two months. This man does so much for the shelter. I am in awe of how much time and thought he puts into the messages we send to the survivors. We love him and miss him dearly and wish him safe travels. The shelter has 10 classes a week, morning and afternoon sessions. Cha Cuong teaches about 3/4 of the classes. I'm helping to cover some of his slots plus the ones I teach already. In total I teach Computers, Art (not to be confused with arts and crafts), Dance (hip hop and salsa), facilitate 2 support groups, and teach two English classes, a beginner and more advanced. I'm learning a lot about lesson planning, how to communicate effectively, what topics survivors of human trafficking find boring, and how to make boring things more exciting.

Tomorrow there's a big protest. Should be 1000 people gathered at the Council of Labor Affairs to protest the domestic workers not being included in laws that mandate a day of rest every week. Currently, domestic workers and caregivers are expected to work 7 days a week, which is why we call it SLAVERY. They are treated like machines and regardless if they get sick, they are forced to keep working.

I appreciate humor more than ever at the VMWBO. I tutor two young men English. Each has lost a hand, and finding a job in Vietnam will be much easier if they can speak basic English. I try to make the lessons relevant so they're easier to remember. For a week I had taught Minh, "I have a girlfriend. Her name is Hang. She is beautiful. She likes the color yellow." During Hope's English class, which I do interpretation for, Hope pointed to a young girl and asked, "Who is this?" Everyone replied, "She is Hang." Then another voice shouted quite clearly, "She is my girlfriend. She is beautiful!" Without a doubt it was Minh, bolder and badder than ever. I was quite proud, and the other 45 students had a good long laugh.

Conclusion: I love my life. I love teaching. I love sharing my life and the time and space it's in with the survivors. I even love doing laundry. Perspective is a beautiful thing. To everyone else at the shelter, that girl is Hang. To Minh, she is his sunshine. And we all could use a little more of that.

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.
*Photo: Cha Cuong and myself at his birthday party! Party on down, Cha!

2009-11-30T03:48:00.000-08:00

What You Say and How You Say It

One of my biggest challenges in Taiwan has been discovering how to work effectively with service providers in the NGO world. Strong personalities are drawn to this type of work, so at times I find myself at odds with those who have the same goals as I do -- protecting and fighting for human rights.

Many social workers, case workers, administrative staff and the people who manage the aforementioned people fight so hard for clients that sometimes I think it leads to them fighting with the people who are on the same side of the fence with them. It becomes one big fight for power and control that results in service providers who are tired and unhappy.

Lately, I've been caught up in this vicious cycle; I'm not a fan. It makes this type of work that is already hard even harder. I have to remind myself why I came to the VMWBO in the first place. I have to remember that communication friction, while it slows people down, reminds me how human we are -- how flexible or rigid we can become depending on our environment. Being human is a good thing. I firmly believe life would be meaningless without these trip-ups, these social hiccups.

Knowing how to speak a language, Mandarin, Vietnamese, English, is not even half of the communication battle. Just because you speak another language well, doesn't always result in a understanding between people. Effective communication is hard! Somedays, when there is a discrepancy on how to get an objective accomplished, I struggle to manage the strong personalities in this line of work, including my own. Service providers need their problems listened to and compassion extended to them as much as the residents of VMWBO. We are bridge-builders, are we not?

While my skills are not being used the way I'd like and I have to get breathing room more often than normal, I remember I'm in Taiwan. I consider this a lesson learned. And there's always 'running it off 'on my nightly exercise head-clearing trots.

2009-11-27T22:18:00.000-08:00

Depression: A Common Mental Health Issue Among Survivors of Human Trafficking

Link to the video I made for the Human Trafficking Awareness Event in San Diego. It's the first time I used my mac, so it's not the most riveting footage, especially because I can't show the shelter and people here due to safety issues. Little secret, but because I felt uncomfortable talking to myself on the computer I talked to a stuffed animal as my inanimate interviewer. :)

The topic of the vid is a summary of mental health concerns for survivors of human trafficking.

2009-11-15T21:15:00.001-08:00

Hey Everyone,

This is Anthony (Vinh) Nguyen, VietACT's 2007 Intern and current Coordinator for our International Internship Program. Thank you for reading our VietACT Intern Blog and supporting Calix in her efforts in combating human trafficking at the VMWBO in Taoyuan, Taiwan.

I just wanted to extend an invitation to those in the San Diego area about an upcoming anti-human trafficking event taking place this Saturday. The event is entitled "Human Trafficking Awareness Night", a "Call to Action" type event, collaboratively hosted by the Vietnamese American Youth Alliance of San Diego (http://www.vayasd.org/), the Vietnamese Student Association of UCSD (http://vsasd.org/), and the Vietnamese Student Association of SDSU (http://www.vsa-sdsu.org/).

The event will be held on the campus of UCSD (Multi-Purpose Room) on Saturday November 21, 2009 (door opens at 6:00 PM with the event starting at 6:30 PM until 8:30 PM). The first hour will feature speakers from VietACT (http://www.vietact.org/) and BSCC (www.bsccoalition.org/) along with performances by Viet Mai (Spoken Words) and Trinity (monologue). The second hour will feature various "Action Stations" where audiences can make greeting cards to the victims/survivors of human trafficking, take a photo for VietACT's "Not For Sale" Campaign, write a letter to Congress to support legislation against human trafficking, and MUCH more.

Bring a roll of Yarn or any Knitting tools you have for the cause. Calix will be using the yarn/knitting tools to start a new "Knitting Workshop" so that the people at the shelter can make something warm to wear for the winter season ahead. Your donation is deeply appreciated. Hoping to see everyone at the event. Thanks! And keep reading the blog everyone! Thanks Calix for your inspiring updates!

Saturday November 21: VAYA/UCSD-VSA/VSA-SDSU presents "Human Trafficking Awareness Night" @ Multi-Purpose Room / UCSD (UC San Diego 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, CA 92093). (6:30 PM - 8:30 PM, Doors Open @ 6:00 PM). Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/#/event.php?eid=167965752877&index=1.

2009-11-11T17:14:00.000-08:00

Scrambled Eggs

Dear Readers,

I have been in the Philippine Islands (PI) the last week, feeding my soul and taking a break from the intensity in Taiwan. It is important to practice and model the ideas of balance, self-care, and humane work practices that we promote to folks living at the VMWBO shelter. These are basic human rights every person deserves. Survivors of human trafficking are used to working to the point of exhaustion and receiving short 5-10 minute eating breaks, where they suck down the tiny meals they are given. Digestive issues and kidney stones are common phyisical complications. Therefore, as a shelter resident/worker, I still honor my rest time. Survivors observe me working very hard, but also witness me applying boundaries and limits to my work habits. I take intentional breaks, excercise, and make time to relax and just 'be' with folks. Good work performance is married to a happy, wholesome lifestyle. It is a human right to be happy and content.

My co-worker, Hope, and I have been jarred by over 15 cases of possible HTing in the PI while walking along the sandy white beaches. White men who look to be in their 40s courting very youthful looking girls. In my disgust I have spoken both incredulously and loudly while passing them such phrases as "are you serious?!?" and "what's that old man doing with a 17 yr old?" I didn't want to get banned from the beach, but I could not be silent. Those men should feel shame for exploiting Filipinas struggling to survive poverty. These men serve a critical role in the perpetuation of modern-day slavery; they provide a demand for which a supply is then created.

I spotted this man in the water with a Filipina who looked to be about 15 or 16.

Noticing me photographing him, he hid his face like a coward.

***************

H1N1 has been in the detention centers for 2 weeks. We can't go in due to exposure and safety regulations. Hope and I were disappointed, because the 1-2 hours the 130 men and women spend with us each week is the only time they get to leave their cells for recreation. This is the only time they get to be treated with humanity and dignity all week. We have prepared another hip hop dance routine to teach them, but it will have to wait. There will be joy in the DCs again soon.

***************

I have been offering one-on-one counseling and support services for sexual abuse cases survivors experiencing depression, PTSD, dysthymia, and substance abuse. Additionally, I facilitate two support groups, which every resident at the shelter is invited to attend. They are separated by gender to provide culturally-appropriate safe spaces for people to discuss topics they are currently facing. Support is gained by practicing self-care techniques such as deep breathing and meditation. Also, playing games like emotional charades helps them develop 'emotional vocabularies' to express themselves when processing their stories of traumas.

It is thrilling to be witness to the communities of support that the women and men are learning to create for themselves. Discussions in support groups opens their worlds up to other ways of living. It assists them in accessing internal revenues of resources, meanwhile giving me the opportunity to praise and honor them for their perseverance. Most of them have never received positive reinforcement, an unfortunate stereotype of VNese culture. The women especially make negative remarks about their bodies, their intellect and their worth. Of course, my goal is not to impose a Western way of thinking on them. I use ideas that I believe to be effective for people who are experiencing turmoil combined with sensitive understanding of VNese cultural norms. Combining these two crucial elements, I am able to offer healing however big or small in their lives. Thus, ideas of mental health and emotional healing/coping are able to transcend Vietnamese and Taiwanese cultures. This work is extremely trying at times in a context where the survivors all have to manage living together.

In future posts, I will be sharing my thoughts on confidentiality standards, power dynamics, gender-specific mental health concerns, physio-emotional problems, and transnational complications within the context of the VMWBO. Although mental health/healing has had to be teased out, creativity and flexibility are helping to shape it's unique presence at the shelter. We are consistently learning, peeling back the layers of an onion. I remain hopeful.

Refreshed and Inspired,
Calix

2009-10-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

Forever Young

Last week, a boy age 21 showed up to the shelter. He struck me immediately. He is thin and wiry but on the taller side. He has a stunted mustache that gives him character. His eyes light up with curiosity when you talk to him. Any stranger could tell that this kid brings happiness to others with his energetic smile because on a face that young, those smile creases mean he's been eating up life.

Waiting for my Vietnamese lesson with Cha, I came over to him to welcome him. I admit, I was curious about him, because I've been conditioned to identify the new folks as the fearful looking ones who look at me like I'm another life form because I open my mouth and English flows out. We had a brisk but meaningful 10 minute conversation as I welcomed him to the shelter. There was something about him that I couldn't quite put my finger on, but I took an instant liking to him.

A couple hours later in the darkness enveloping our shelter, I walked out to the asphalt area to take in some evening air to think about my long, tiring, fulfilling day. After a few minutes, a cell phone light went off a few feet next to me and I realized I hadn't seen Hung, the young man, chilling out next to me. He smiled his infectious smile and handed me a can of Mr. Coffee and a pack of cigarettes from 7-eleven. In the darkness, as he handed me these items, I realized two thing. One, his hand was injured, missing 4 fingers. The large swollen area on his palm was from a skin graft. The doctor was luckily able to use skin from Hung's thigh to cover the area where a faulty machine had obliterated his hand. I hadn't noticed the injury earlier, because his shining personality had made it hard to notice anything else. The other epiphany which had stumped me earlier was that Hung reminded me of my own 21 year old brother, his demeanor, his smile, his zest for life...but mostly, his big heart. For the first time in Taiwan, I truly, deeply missed home -- the home that isn't a place, rather, the home that's made special by the people who fill your heart with laughter and fuzzy memories. I missed my family.and felt the distance of the oceans between us.

I asked Hung why he was giving me those items and he replied that one, I looked tired, and two, I could probably use a cigarette, a whole pack. In my mind I kept hearing, "But I just met you and you shouldn't be spending money on me." Instead, I insisted he should use the items for himself. He was adamant, "Don't worry about it. Money is money. One day you have it, the next day you don't. I see how much you help people here and I want to do something nice for you."

It was decided. It would have been crushing for him had I not accepted his gesture. I opened the Mr. Coffee and took in a generous gift from a boy I had known for only two hours, but I insisted that we smoke the pack together over the next week. He might have seen me tearing up, and I'm ok with that. We're all - here and overseas - suffering in some way. Feeling is part of the human condition, right? For some it's emotional. For this boy it's also physical, yet, in the midst of the chaos of my day this young man stepped into my life to remind me that the fountain of goodness, the well of caring in humans is inextinguishable. For that evening we were a couple of folks sharing our stories that brought us to Taiwan, missing our families, by the faint light of two cigarettes.

*Hung is a fictional name to protect confidentiality.
*Permission was given by man in photo for me to post it.
*Neither this writer nor VietACT endorse the use of cigarettes.

2009-10-21T05:14:00.000-07:00

Made by Hand with Love

Dear Readers,

I apologize sincerely that it has been 21 days since my last post. The month started off with a program that staff and myself labored heavily on for Tet Trung Thu (Full Moon Autumn Festival, a Vietnamese holiday focused on children). There are many Vietnamese brides -- VNese women who marry TWese men usually to escape poverty or make money through the marriage and send the money to their needy families back in VN. In short, these women have sold themselves into some form of slavery or bondage in hopes for a better life. The prep involved two weeks of intensive planning, labor to make the many intricate star lanterns, and adhesive, lots and lots of adhesive. I just remember having sticky fingers, chasing down glue in the office, taping this, sticking something to that for days. I cannot emphasize enough that over 50 lanterns were made by hand with nothing more than poles of bamboo fresh out the ground, butcher knives, wire, and cellophane. One has to ask, with such clever, creative, industrious people, how severe living conditions must be in Vietnam that they are unable to survive and instead become entrenched in a system of compelled work overseas?

Over all, it was a hugely successful program and the first of its kind at the shelter. The TWese government, recognizing all the amazing work we do at the VWMBO, helped fund the program. It was a pleasure to help on a project that hopefully is helping the VNese brides retain some of their culture for their children and assist in community building among VNese in TW.

After working 8 days straight, I took a well deserved mini-break with my co-worker in Thailand, which is another reason you haven't heard from me for a bit. The very day we got back, we prepped for the next day's work in the detention center. Split between my activities in the DC and the VMWBO office, I haven't had time to sit and process, to write. I talked it over with myself and made a plan for carving out time to chronicle what has been going down over here. Much has happened. Thanks for sticking with me. I'll be in touch soon.

A mini preview: Thai adventures, teaching hip hop routines in the detention center, case of 5 women receiving big media attention at the shelter, typhoons, 12 new beds at the shelter, therapeutic discoveries, and unexpected goodbyes.

2009-10-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Eye Contact

A very kind man with a deformed hand at the shelter showed me a 5 minute video from inside the very factory where his hand was mangled in a metal working machine. The real live version in comparison with dramatization videos on human trafficking is, unfortunately, bleaker and more sobering. These women and men in this factory work in near dark conditions, save the dull glow of a light bulb at the station they are at as they make computer parts for shipments sent to the U.S., Hong Kong, the U.K. This man makes parts for inside air conditioners and other household appliances. The parts in this factory are mass produced on old machines, many of which are malfunctioning or broken, but the work must be done. And done around the clock to make a profit. This man was working 16 hours a day and due to exhaustion, failed remove his hand quickly enough to avoid it being processed by the machine. After the video, I looked at pictures of his hand. It looked as if a bomb has exploded inside of his hand. The doctors were able to graft skin from his thigh onto the missing section to join pieces of his remaining hand. His photo documentary of the entire process was startling. I forced myself to look at the graphic images because as I struggle to understand the ugliness of human nature, I need to stand face to face with it. This poem emerged from my two intact hands as I type...pensive, lost in thought.

Warfare
One day, there will be compassion in spaces
filled with the hollow sound of machines
grinding
to a steady rhythm of weary soldiers.

Weaponless soldiers armed only with an undeniable sense of duty.

One day, there will be laughter rolling through tall grasses,
off the back of water buffalo,
when families long separated are reunited.
Chopsticks clinking gently against rice bowls, of people together again.

No richer, maybe even sicker, but together again.

That day is not today.

Today my heart thuds heavily, but steadily...fiercely.
Today I am haunted by lost limbs, listless stares, weak smiles.
Today I have to chase Joy
Hound it like a wild dog
Bite into it to capture my prey, this Joy.
Fake it into being.
Today I simply have to believe.
Make Believe.

because On Some Days, belief seems like
a silly fairytale within a work of nonfiction.
On Some Days, Joy is a fleeting, wounded soldier in a field of wavering shadows.

*Photo by Steve McCurry

2009-09-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

Bản đồ Việt Nam
Maps of Vietnam

Click to view Slideshow with Captions

http://picasaweb.google.com/calixvubui/VMWBOArtClass4Maps?feat=directlink

2009-09-28T04:19:00.000-07:00

Awash in a Sea of OceansClick below to view Survivors' Watery Masterpieces

http://picasaweb.google.com/calixvubui/VMWBOArtClass1Oceans?feat=directlink

Use the Slideshow tool for best view

2009-09-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

Creators of an Alternate Universe

Watching survivors create works of art that are solely theirs is a joy beyond words. The most unlikely individuals have emerged as genius artists. During art class about 10 of the 40 people here quietly get into the zone and before I know it I'm staring at an intricate dragon, a tree with delicate carvings and detail, a colorful animated monkey, a blooming flower breathing life and color onto a blank paper, a vibrant map of Vietnam. It's unbelievable to me that folks walk around with these images in their heads, this ability in their hands. How is it that they have been deemed by employers here as only good for hard manual labor or servitude? No, these folks are Creativity Warriors...graphic designers, artists, architects, computer engineers, geographers, writers, cartographers, creators.

Fate, destiny make such seemingly random choices for how our lives pan out.

I hope my excitement, enthusiasm, and pure joy is felt by my students through my yelps of surprise, ooing, aahing, and facial gestures mixed with the 3 descriptive Vietnamese phrases I know: extremely beautiful, very good, this is excellent and interesting.

Painting done by a man who is blind in one eye due to an accident that lacerated him clear across his hairline and wounded one of his legs severely. He says that because the bones in his calf didn't heal properly, when it rains outside he feels intense pain in that leg.

2009-09-21T18:26:00.001-07:00

ART GALLERY UPDATE

Photos of shelter folks' art have been stacking up.
I promise myself that I will have them up at least by the end of the month.
Where does the time go?

* Survivor's painting of a pond with fish and lotus.

2009-09-20T00:10:00.000-07:00

We Make a Way

What I love most about TW is the time I spend with the survivors at the shelter. Everyday I have many unique, beautiful, and inspiring moments with them. For most, I don't know the particulars of their stories. They are the keepers and owners of their stories, and if and when they want to share them with me they can. Decision-making and exercising choice are learned behaviors. What do we do? We spend time together. It's simple, yet infinitely meaningful. We cook together; do nails; they teach me about various plants and herbs; I show them how to dance to Lil Wayne. I find it unbelievably random how the various experiences I've had in the past 25 years collide with their worlds in the most meant-to-be ways.

For example, I was fortunate enough to have piano lessons in my childhood. I haven't played in years, but one of the survivors pulled me aside the other night. She is learning how to play. As I flipped through the sheet music, I was in disbelief that the Beatles song Oh Bla Di Oh Bla Da caught my eye. It was simple enough that I taught her how to play it. A few weeks ago, I had downloaded this very song to my computer. We listened to it so she could know how it should sound. Here she was with very little English, and me, with little Vietnamese, both belting out "Desmond has a barrow in the market place, Sally is a singer in the band!" Words cannot describe the joy within that moment of my life. Life is so random.

Last night, I went with two male survivors to A-Mart, a mini-mall/grocery store of sorts. One man lost his entire right leg in a factory that processed pig meat, the other lost the lower part of his leg in a factory producing steel and metalworks. Durian, the most magical tasting, pungent smelling fruit on the planet, is their favorite, so the three of us chilled outside the store eating one. It was work to devour this thing. It had so many packets of fruit inside it. I might actually be part durian now. The man without a leg has been in TW 7 years now. He has a wife and daughter in TW too, who visit him on the weekends at the shelter. He bought a bag of limes to give her this weekend when she visits. All these years, so much struggle and they still have romance. This man is a good man.

One of the female survivors approached me recently and said (in Vietnamese): "I want to help you with your Vietnamese. I remember what it was like to come to TW and know no Chinese. My employer yelled at us and none of us workers knew what he was saying. It was a frightening and confusing time. Later, I found I could ask other workers who knew Chinese to teach me a few things and little by little I finally know a lot of Chinese. Now I want to help you because I know how hard it is to be in that situation. Don't worry. We will help each other. Just come find me whenever you don't understand something." If this woman only knew how she changed my life in those 3 minutes. Where there appears to be no way, we find a way. We make a way.

It's no secret that my Vietnamese language fluency is limited. It's usually the first thing I say to any Vietnamese person I meet at home and abroad. For the first couple weeks I struggled and I continue to struggle, but with a little creativity and a desire to connect anything is possible. That's what language is, a tool to communicate and connect. There are plenty of people who speak the same language and fail to understand one another. Life here is teaching me how to communicate with people beyond any spoken language. I am full of gratitude.

*Photo: Sunset at beach in Danshuei, TW

2009-09-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

Stinky Tofu

Every morning I walk from the women's shelter facility to work. On the beginning of my walk the buildings are tall pretty apartment buildings and convenience stores. In a bit, I take the back way into a long alley of gravel where semi-fenced off to my right, there are tall wild grasses. The beginnings of the smell of something rotting starts at that point. For about 5 minutes I travel this way, until I reach the mounds of trash, the remains of a demolition project that just never got cleaned up. Rusty chains, yellow asbestos looking stuff, shattered wood, and of course, people's discarded bottle over here...food remains over there, all lie waiting to be discovered by a trash truck.

At this juncture, the trash meets a putrid, waste-laden sewage creek from which the stench of rotting plant and animal matter cling to the humid air, filling one's lungs to the point of pure disgust. The photo does the smell no justice. A rocky cement paved ledge about 1-1.5 feet wide lies next to the creek. I remember the first time a survivor showed me how to get to work. A large bag over my shoulder I had thought, "This is a joke right?" Thankfully, this part of the walk, the offensive creek and cement ledge is only all of 1 min or so and every so many feet the path decreases to half the size and I cling to the posts jutting out to prevent falling in the creek with the tiny fish eating pond sludge.

When I reach the end of this, I have to hop the creek by a gnarly tree. Someone put down two weak slabs of plywood-looking-feeling concrete for a makeshift bridge. I keep wondering when and if this will give one day under my weight, sending me into the creek I fear and loathe. The creek is on the backside of the office, so once I pass the 4 ft crossing I'm on solid land and at my place of work.

Every day I'm reminded how mixed up life is, how precarious things really are. The sludge creek leads to a place of refuge, the VMWBO office, where Tan has lived for over one month because the stress of working 13 hrs a day in a tile factory, 6 days a week, lifting heavy construction materials overwhelmed him. One day he got into a fight with another worker, a physical fight. His employer refused to pay him and then fired him. Tan came to Taiwan for several reasons. Of course one of them was to send money back home, but he also, at age 22, saw TW as a ticket out of the depressing conditions in VN and his dysfunctional family. For him, an older son in the family, it is his responsibility to help the family survive. His parents grow food on a small plot of land in front of their tenement in a rural part of north VN. He suffers a large scar that turned into a keloid on his upper arm because a machine cut out a large chunk of his arm. Two years ago Tan paid $8000 to some man who showed up in his village one day talking about a country with work and money. He didn't even know where Taiwan was. I'm astounded by the number of traffickers, often the same cultural background as those they traffic, selling their own. What does it mean when we sell our own?

Tan doesn't know how he will find work to pay off the rest of his debt. I think hard about the fact that in the U.S. he and his family might have had other choices. I think about all the American college students who are getting an education for their debt, while Tan is being human trafficked for his.

The sludge creek reminds me that outside the walls of the shelter, VNese are treated like 3rd class citizens. It stinks. It stinks stronger than any decomposing matter. But the creek also reminds me of the balance between the dark and the light, because in the midst of the human rights violations committed in TW, there are people like the shelter staff and caring folks in the states who are doing their part to fight for basic decency and justice. I guess it's like Stinky Tofu, a Taiwanese delight. Darkness and light, stinky and delicious, do dances around each other. I can't lie though, that creek smells like shit.

*Names have been changed to protect anonymity.
**Photo: 2 works of art made by women in the detention center. On the left, a more optimistic view. On the right, a depiction of a detainee's self-portrait of her sadness. Buon means sad VNese. The woman on the right mentioned repeatedly how ugly her drawing was. I told her I thought it was very, very special. She has been in the DC for 5 months.

2009-09-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

Two Unrelated Items

I am struck by the amount of migrant workers in Taiwan. Perhaps that's a naiive discovery, but a discovery nonetheless. Though the VMWBO office (Vietnamese Migrant Workers and Brides Office) serves Vietnamese, I am horribly aware of the Thai, Indonesian and Filipino workers facing similar human trafficking issues. In fact, at the International Human Trafficking Conference I attended, I came away feeling that Indonesians have less resources to address this social problem. I've noticed many Filipino detainees in the detention centers too. I wonder how much of Taiwan's economy is fueled by darker-skinned Asians. I'm probably going to get in trouble with that statement. Oh well, it's the truth. Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders have always ranked lower on the Asian scale of privilege. Just like Latinos in North America, the Asian continent has it's own hierarchy of people groups.

On a lighter note, I lost my Invisalign retainers again. I have a lifetime reputation for losing things. We all must be good at something and my talent is losing stuff. I somehow managed to put them in a napkin on a table in the common room. I discreetly asked one person and in about 30 seconds, about 8 shelter residents were involved in the search. It was pretty embarassing, especially because I already managed to lose my phone's SIM card and a few other items over only 3 weeks. Thus, though there's not many things the shelter folks can say in English, they know the phrase "I lose things a lot." And yes, we dug through the trash and found them. Definitely blog-worthy.

2009-09-12T00:25:00.000-07:00

Freedom in Contained Spaces

The detention center project has started after much coordination and negotiation with police officials and the NIA (National Immigration Agency). Yilan has two DCs, one for men and the other for women about a mile away. Our plan is to run a 2 hour recreational program at each facility every Friday. Our actual time allowed varies on whatever the guards dictate for that day. It was rough going on Friday, but with sweat pouring down our faces, Hope, Dave, Mina, Cha Chinh and I proceeded, first with the female detainees, and then later drove to do the same at the center with males. Because detainees, victims of human trafficking, are cooped up all day, many with dire circumstances, the recreational program is meant to give them some time where they get to focus on something relaxing and fun. Time where they are not treated like criminals.

The women's facility was more prison-looking that the men's, a very visible and noticeable difference our team noted. Shrouded in barbed-wire, from the outside, the place looks ominous with the feeling of an extreme-security prison. Guards here don't smile and we had to watch our every move because in the blink of an eye our recreational program could get shut-down. We brought styrofoam hearts and barrel-shaped objects for the women to decorate. Unfortunately, the guards would not let us give the women sequins, beads and other fun decorations we had brought for them to glue onto the objects. The guards fear suicide attempts and warned that any small object can be consumed to commit suicide. In all, there were 41 women.

I noticed many women drew pictures of themselves depicting their sadness and depression on the objects. Some drew pictures of loved ones back in Vietnam, and a significant amount just stared listlessly at other women drawing. When I tried to help these particular women think of something to draw, they were either too shy or too depressed to engage in conversation that was productive. Many women would comment that their drawings were ugly and even after I told them I thought each drawing was special, my statements weren't well believed. We ended the hour with a relaxation exercise that I led. A majority actually did the deep breathing, but many stared at me with curious eyes as I had them stretch their necks and connect with the feelings in their bodies. They need time to get used to our presence and understand what we're they're to do.

I find myself sitting with the uncomfortable feeling of helplessness for the cultural differences among these women versus women in America. I am sitting with the discomfort of not-knowing how to insert my foreign ideas that these women's lives are worth more than slave labor. This is definitely a life lesson in patience, persistence, and creativity. What does it mean for these women to be caged up when it is they who traveled overseas to make money to send home to their families in Vietnam?

About two hours later we arrived at the male facility and set up painting/drawing areas for them. We asked them to draw something about themselves. About 1/3 of the 38 men did not want to participate and sat idly watching others draw. I moved from cluster to cluster, making small-talk and positive comments about their work. I'm sad to say I was terribly uncomfortable by the suggestive looks I got from the men, many of whom asked for my age and whether I was single. Furthermore, if I wanted a boyfriend. Some made offers. To be fair, these men have had no contact with women in the DCs. Prior to detainment, they labor 11+ hours a day, 6 days a week, in factories making stones, tiles, car parts, etc that are both used in Taiwan and exported to countries like America. Others are fishermen. In the small villages and communities they are from in Vietnam, women are for making babies and raising children. I try to remember these facts when I feel my skin crawl from their flirtatious comments and focus on the work and the sweat pouring down my face in the stuffy auditorium.

About 90% of the men did not take my breathing relaxation exercise seriously. Many just watched me with very observant, peering eyes. It didn't help that the guard offered to interpret my words into Chinese (since many of the men understand a fair amount of Chinese). I discovered his understanding of my English was pretty limited, though I used basic, rudimentary verbage. Dave, the American psychiatrist studying Chinese, also tried to chime in which made the entire thing messy. All in all, our team learned at lot for how to modify the program for next week.

Three thoughts linger. There will always be people who are desperate for a better life. Consequently, there will always be people in the world ready to exploit others to fulfill a need for cheap labor. What can I do to ease the suffering of those who are subject to these situations? I hope that the hours that our team spends with the detainees over the coming months serve as contrasting moments of freedom in a life that has not been fair to them. Because, surely, life is never fair.

2009-09-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

There are 4 detention centers in Taiwan. The NIA, National Immigration Agency, detains foreigners at these locations who need proof of paperwork or are suspected of breaking the law. Because of the poor conditions of trafficked people in the DCs (detention center), we've started a recreational program at the Yilan DC.

Our team consists of My-Nga, the program coordinator, Hope, a master's student with social justice background from the U.S., Dave, a psychiatrist from the U.S., Cha Hung, and myself. Last week, we became aware of a Vietnamese case at one of the DCs. A woman had tried to commit suicide by biting a piece of her tongue off. She was non-communicative, so Mina, Dave and I went to the shelter she was at to offer her some assistance.

As we walked into her room, the odor of her infected mouth became obvious. She had been suffering for over a week with her oral wound untreated and used a towel to cover it. The only nutrition she had consumed for a week was milk. She was only able to vaguely mumble that taking medicine hurt. Some of her answers didn't match our questions, a typical occurrence in trauma victims. She was refusing treatment because she thought the medicine was a trick, that people were coming to kill her. After a very tender and tedious conversation, she was able to say that 5 men had tied her down and raped her in the DC. She was shaking and began to sob. My intuition told me that, clearly, something very vile must have happened to this woman.

She had been an undocumented worker in TW for over 5 years. She had no history of prior mental illness and after 1 week at the DC, she had become disoriented, dissociative, and suicidal. A week prior, NIA had tried to repatriate her to Vietnam twice, but each time, she would refuse to board the plane at immigration, since she felt that people in TW were out to kill her. She stated that if she went home to Vietnam, she'd be trafficked against her will to China where things would be worse.

It was unclear what parts of her conversation with us were accurate. There is a chance some of her thoughts were delusions, but even so, she was experiencing them as reality. Dave offered to medically treat her wound, and again she refused treatment. Our team wanted the NIA to hold off on repatriation until she was able to receive adequate medical care in TW, but instead, she was taken to the airport where this time she boarded the plane to Vietnam. My mind was reeling after that case. In this work, there are always limitations to how we are able to help. We are frequently reminded of this fact.

2009-09-07T08:29:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends, Supporters, and Newcomers,

I went back and read some of the previous interns blogs and realized that I didn't formally introduce myself. There was the long entry a few posts prior detailing my professional life. I figure it's just as important for you to know my personal side as well, so that you can understand a bit better my stay here in Taiwan (TW).

First and foremost, I care deeply about the basic human rights of others, the rights that allow us to live with peace in our minds, souls and bodies. Though suffering and loneliness are an intrinsic part of being human, I also believe that it is as core a human need to develop relationships with others to address this pain, to build community, to socialize, to partner with others and experience joy. A lifetime whizzes by in a flash. Before we know it, we become the very people we used to look up to. We grow up. We age.

So I ask the question: In the short time that I am here on earth, what meaning do I want to make of this life? At 25 years old I don't have the answers, but a wise friend once told me, it's not about the answers; it's about the question itself. The importance lies in the question. And so I ask you: In the short time that you are here on earth, what meaning do you want to make of this life?

Fast-forward to the present in Taoyuan, TW, to a shelter full of Vietnamese migrant workers who have been trafficked to work in factories, offer sex to brutal men, sometimes to be the sex plaything of all the men in one family, or be caregivers in people's homes. Many of these workers enter TW with a debt of around $7000. The conditions in VN are so deplorable, so dire that people would sell themselves, their daughters and their sons in the hopes that they can make money overseas as a migrant worker and have a better life. $7000 for a better life, a life that is a fairytale and hardly ever attained.

Do I think that my being in TW is going to stop human trafficking? Honestly, no. Where there is a demand for cheap labor and sex trade, a supply will be offered to meet the need. It's economics 101. But I'm not going to stay idle because I don't have a magic wand to solve this global problem. I'm here in TW because the mistreatment of other people is a local problem. Over here, it's the human rights of Vietnamese getting trampled on, but who is to say whether those rights might be yours or mine at some not-so-distant future.

Yes, I'm a therapist. I have a degree that says I spent a lot of time and money to learn about how people heal and fumble through relationships. Here at the shelter, it's not about my degree or my work experience. It's about me simply being with the folks here. Please understand, education and experience matter to an extent, but the biggest impact I have here is with my presence and the fact that I offer my time and share myself with others who are have been dealt a rough hand in life. I let them know that I choose to be here with them. I want to be here with them. I value developing a relationship with them. These facts allow me to be part of their community to where I can offer some healing through my presence.

They have an chance to experience a positive interaction with another human. That doesn't take a fancy degree or lots of money. It takes intentionality. Intentionality can propel a feeling of empathy and humanity into a place of action however big or small. Whoever you are, wherever you are, I wish you the best in your choice-making as you, much like folks here, struggle to make meaning of your life. I hope you join me in my journey through the next 5 months. May you find this blog informative...tangible...inspiring.

~ Calix

P.S. The people here call me Xuan, a word related to the season of Spring. I will be using both.

2009-08-30T23:28:00.000-07:00

Hello to everyone from inside Taiwan,

My apologies that it has been several days since I have been able to write. I have been so busy with things over here. Late evening of Wednesday, August 26, I arrived at the Taoyuan airport in Taiwan. I was greeted by two young folks living at the shelter and Cha Cuong, one of the priests here. Then I was taken to the shelter, my new home, where I settled in and adjusted to the sweltering heat.

The next day, two very friendly shelter people showed me how to get to the office. I was drenched in sweat by the time we arrived and greeted by smiles of the shelter folks hanging out in the hammocks outside the office area. No sooner had I said hello to the staff and given a short tour of the office, Cha Cuong instructed me to accompany a case worker to Sansia detention center about 40 minutes from the office.

Sansia detention center was as ominous on the inside as it was on the outside, a light blue stucco sheathed in trails of blackened mold. The guards were friendly enough, but as soon as we reached the male floor a knot grew in my stomach. (Women are on one floor, men on the other). The air was stiff and stale with an underlying stench of many meals eaten in confined quarters causing a clinging odor in the air. With only a 6 x 4 foot area for visitors to conduct business, the case worker began speaking to the men through the reinforced steel metal bars. That day, there were 60 male victims of human trafficking at Sansia. There were no cells, just a big open room with bare-bones style bunk beds linked together so that it made one massive bunk bed/sitting spot and a clear area for sitting n the floor to play cards or pass the time.

Vietnamese men crowded at the bars to speak with the case worker, as she began handing out forms with basic information in order to open their cases. A Filipina case worker was there too doing the same as us, but it was clear that there were other languages needed to assist these victims. Inside, I felt a mixture of anger, wonder, and compassion for these men. Most of them did not look well with sallow skin and a look of vacancy in their eyes. Many of them asked questions to the case worker about me, because I did not say much and they had not seen me before. Mind you, I had been in Taiwan less than a day at this point so I was doing my best with what little preparation I had. When the men were told I was American, their curiosity increased exponentially, yet there was also an awkward palpable energy. I am still unsure if this feeling was due to gender differences, cultural differences, or just the sobering fact that these men and myself are both Vietnamese...yet they are not afforded the same human rights freedoms I experience daily. We visited the women's floor briefly, but due to how much time we had to spend on the men's floor, we were not able to interact with them for very long.

Again, I say I felt anger, wonder, and compassion. And I was left with more questions than answers. It angered me that people were expected to live like this and labeled as suspected criminals, when most of these people were actually victims of a crime. I was curious to know what happened to these men trapped behind metal bars, and I felt for them as any human would feel at the mistreatment of a fellow human. I wish that the descriptions here were dramatizations of the things I have experienced so far, but unfortunately this is not the case.

After Sansia, I was taken to two different meetings regarding human trafficking and human rights work. Flying by the seat of my pants here. Since then I've taught art classes, taught some English, and practiced Vietnamese. From the bottles of red, yellow, blue and white that were donated, I was able to produce these colors for the survivors doing art here. Pretty cool stuff! Everyone here was amazed by the amount of art supplies donated by people in America.

One of my biggest challenges here is going to be my evolving Vietnamese language skills. Most shelter victims are perplexed that I was not taught by my parents in America. There also is a great deal of Mandarin spoken daily. I am working hard to pick up Vietnamese quickly. Most of the victims here are Nguoi Bac (from northern Vietnam) so learning gets tricky for me at times. I am keeping a positive attitude about it and just doing my best.

I've ridden all three public transportation systems: MRT, Train, and Bus. Taipei is 2 hours away using public transit and the other two Americans here, Dave and Hope, have a place there. I explored Taipei this weekend knowing only how to say "thank you" and "hello" in Mandarin. Adventures galore. I am sad to say that the 5000 yr old egg tastes pretty accurate to me. Anyway, the three of us will be starting the recreational program in the detention centers on Thursday. We bought barrel and heart-shaped Styrofoam for the detainees to decorate. Stay tuned to see how this goes. Though we're not allowed to photograph in the detention centers, I will for sure write about it! I don't know how much of a difference I can make here, but I have many hopes and am optimistic.

2009-08-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU

VietACT and I, personally,
would like to thank those who generously donated supplies/funds to the survivors at the shelter. Today is my first art class with them and I am so excited to tell them that the materials they are using were from kind people in the States, who have learned about the injustices happening in this area of the world.

Our sincere thanks goes out to the following people and groups:
QUI TRAN
ANDREW PHAN
DOAN K NGUYEN
HAI CHAN TRAN
TRANNHAI THI NGUYEN
LUC V NGUYEN
HEIDI CHAN
KIM-TRANG DANG
VAYA - Vietnamese American Youth Alliance
UVSA - Union of Vietnamese American Youth Associations
JOHNNY BARNER
LINDSAY COYNE
MONICA CEDENO
TRI NGUYEN
SOFIA GARCIA
NIKKI LAM
PHOENIX VU-BUI
MICCAELA BAIRD-ROSECRANS
THYDAN HUYNH
LYNESSA ESTIVA
JESSE MILLS
GRACE JUN
MATRIX VU-BUI
MICHAEL NGUYEN
JEANETTE NEELEY
PATTY HEFFERNAN
AMY CHANG
THU TONG
JUNE NGUYEN
MAI VI NGUYEN

I transported 100 lbs of supplies on my flight,

and the other 100 lbs will be coming to Taiwan in September thanks to another generous volunteer. I could not be doing this work without your support.

Justice for all,
Calix

2009-08-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

My sincere thanks to everyone who helped make the 200+ pounds of art supplies possible! It's incredible what people can accomplish together. A list of these kind folks will be published on the blog in the next coming days. Right now, I'm about to take off for the airport and will land in Taipei, Taiwan at 10pm TW time. I'm somewhere in between nervous, excited, and motivated. See you soon from the Eastern Pacific...

2009-08-17T00:16:00.000-07:00

ART SUPPLIES DRIVE

VietACT thanks the following people who have donated thus far:
Qui Tran, Miccaela Baird-Rosecrans, Lynessa Estiva, Jesse Mills, Grace Jun, Phoenix Vu-Bui, Tri Nguyen, Kim-Trang Dang, Amy Chang, Johnny Barner, Lindsay Coyne, Sonia Serna, Sofia Garcia, Monica Cedeno, Michael Nguyen, Andrew Phan, Heidi Chan, Vinh Nguyen, Nikki Lam, UVSA-Union of Vietnamese Student Associations, Thydan Huynh, Jeanette Neeley

Hello VietACT Members, Supporters, and Friends,

ONLY 3 MORE DAYS before I depart with art supplies to Taiwan!!!

The biggest help we need right now are for paint and paintbrushes!

Drop-off location for Donations / Checks / Cash:

VAYA General Body Meeting
THIS Sunday 8/23
@ 11:00am
5348 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92115

Please contact me directly at calixvubui@gmail.com
or (858) 736-4773 with questions/concerns.

We sincerely thank you for your support of
VietACT's work to stop human trafficking!
We couldn't do all that we do without you.
Warmly, Calix :)

Paint Brushes (100-150)

Water-based Paint (32 oz bottles H2O-based ONLY)
Origami Paper from Michaels (it's perfectly square paper)

Scissors (10 or more...ADULT size not kids size)

2009-07-18T19:38:00.000-07:00

“Art makes the invisible visible.”

- Paul Klee

Hello VietACT Supporters and Friends,

When I was asked to think of what class I could teach in the shelter with survivors of human trafficking, ART immediately came to mind. Visual art, music, dance -- stimulate areas our brains and, more importantly, provide a way for the mind, body and spirit to connect. For people who have been traumatized and had their human rights violated, ART can serve as both a healing medium and a way to create positive experiences in a situation where injustices abound. ART can be personal. It can be political. But most of all, it can be powerful.

And what better way to create ART that is powerful than through our own community? Thus, VietACT is going to have an Art Drive for the shelter survivors in Taiwan. It's a way for you all to connect to the cause through actual donations of art supplies. Stay tuned for an official announcement on the Art Drive and other ways to be involved with the movement to stop human trafficking.

With Hope,
Calix

2009-06-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

Calix L. Vu-Bui has been selected as VietACT 2009 Intern

Calix completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego in 2005. This year, she received her Master of Science in Counseling degree from San Diego State University. Her interests in refugee, immigrant and exploited peoples stem from her family’s personal experiences in the U.S. as survivors of the Vietnam War.

Calix started out as a therapist at both the SDSU Center for Community Counseling and an inner city school through the Price Entities School Project (PESP). These were transformative experiences where her interest in grassroots, community-based social services grew. Currently, Calix actively engages with underserved/underrepresented communities through the Cultural Access and Resource Enhancement (CARE) program. To increase Asian Pacific Islander (API) mental health access for youth and their families, Calix serves as an outreach specialist and family support partner at CARE. True to her roots as an organizer, she co-founded the Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander Network (AAPIN) for Community Research Foundation (CRF), CARE’s overseeing agency, to enhance the services CRF provides to APIs in San Diego County.
Committed to serving the Vietnamese community, Calix is the Community Relations Coordinator for the Vietnamese-American Youth Alliance (VAYA) and hopes to helps organize their first Asian Youth Conference.

Inspired by a friend, Calix became aware of VietACT, which she saw as an opportunity to continue her interests in social justice, human rights advocacy, and mental health work in traumatized and immigrant groups. She joins VietACT as an intern interested in using her passion and education to advance the rights of exploited Vietnamese trafficked into Taiwan and to create healing experiences for these resilient survivors. In her spare time Calix likes to surf, dance and write non-fiction pieces.

2009-06-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Dear VietACT Members and Supporters,

Thank you to ALL that applied to this year's VietACT International Internship Program. As with previous years, we had more qualified applicants than space allotted and regret that we were unable to send more talented interns to Taiwan. After a thorough review of all the application materials and answers gathered during many tele-interviews, VietACT would like to congratulate and recognize Calix Vu-Bui as our Official 2009 VietACT Intern. Please refer to Calix's biography (in another post) for more information about her community organizing background and her experience in the mental health and social service field.

When asked about her thoughts in being selected for the internship, Calix stated, "I'm really excited to be given an opportunity where I can utilize my education to participate in a project that combines humanitarian effort with social advocacy. I'm also interested in the global aspect of human trafficking, an issue that is on-going and pervasive. On a sociopolitical and human rights level, my background and interests in social justice and community healing work are greatly aligned with VietACT’s mission. One can create policy and advocacy on this matter, but in the end, human trafficking effects the core of its survivors’ mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. It is the intrinsic right of every human to be of sound, functional mental and emotional health. For me, it is an honor to be selected to work on this issue."

Calix will be departing for Taiwan in early September 2009 and will stay there for five months until February 2010. She will participate in the start up of a new detention center project that will utilize therapy under the guise of a "recreational program". In response to her upcoming projects and assignments as the new intern, Calix stated "I anticipate a rich and salient experience, an opportunity for me to be impacted by the survivors’ resiliency as we learn from one another through mutual understanding and solidarity. I predict that the survivors will give more to me than I can ever give to them."

We at VietACT welcome Calix into our family with open arms and wish her the best in all the opportunities that lie ahead of her.

For more information about our International Internship Program in general, please visit our official web site at http://www.vietact.org/. Calix will soon be updating her initial thoughts on our "VietACT Intern Blog" at http://vietactintern.blogspot.com/, so be sure to give the blog a visit. A reminder to everyone that while there is a need for assistance at the shelter in Taiwan and other countries abroad, we must not neglect the fact that there is also MUCH work to be done HERE in our very own local community. If you would like to be more involved with VietACT and our mission, please contact us for information on some of our domestic opportunities and campaigns. If you have any further questions or concerns about VietACT or our International Internship Program, please let me know.

On behalf of VietACT's Board of Directors and Volunteer Staff, thank you for your continual support.

Anthony T. Nguyen
International Internship Program Coordinator
Vietnamese Alliance to Combat Trafficking (VietACT)
internship@VietACT.org

2009-03-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

Dear VietACT Members, Supporters, and those Interested:

A reminder that in furthering our purpose and mission, VietACT (Vietnamese Alliance to Combat Trafficking) is currently accepting applications for our 2009 International Internship Program (IIP).

The application deadline has been extended until Saturday Night (11:59 PM PST) April 25, 2009. If you are majoring in Law, Psychology, Public/Mental Health, Social Work, Social Sciences (in general), or Public Policy (etc) - you are HIGHLY encouraged to apply.

Click here for a link to download the VietACT 2009 IIP Packet
(includes Intro letter, Application Form, FAQ, etc)
http://v117h.fileave.com/VietACT%202009%20IIP%20Packet.doc

Click here for a link to download the VietACT 2009 IIP Application Form (Form ONLY)http://v117h.fileave.com/VietACT%202009%20IIP%20Application.doc

Click here for a link to download the VietACT 2009 IIP Flyer
http://v117h.fileave.com/VietACT%202009%20IIP%20Flyer.jpg

If the above link(s) do(es) NOT work and you would like an application, please feel free to contact us for one: internship@vietact.org

Please help VietACT spread the word about this opportunity by forwarding this email to those you know that might be interested. Thank you.

2009-02-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

In furthering our purpose and mission, VietACT (Vietnamese Alliance to Combat Trafficking) is currently accepting applications for our 2009 International Internship Program (IIP).

VietACT (Vietnamese Alliance to Combat Trafficking) welcomes a limited number of interns to work on behalf of VietACT in Taiwan (Taoyuan, Taiwan) throughout the summer (though preferably longer if possible). Students and professionals of various disciplines are encouraged to apply, particularly law, social work, psychology, public health, and general social science. Interns will work at TaiwanACT's Vietnamese Migrant Workers and Brides Office (VMWBO) and will participate in research, case studies, case work, writing projects, teaching and advocacy. Potential interns are encouraged to find funding through their universities and/or private funding. VietACT will make arrangements for basic room and board. Interns will make their own arrangements for traveling. (A small stipend may be available depending on funding availability).

More Information can be found at our Official Site at http://www.VietACT.org

Join us on our Xanga Blogrings, Myspace, and Facebook Group Account (Keyword: VietACT).

Click here for a link to download the VietACT 2009 IIP Packet
(includes Intro letter, Application Form, FAQ, etc)
http://V117H.fileave.com/VietACT 2009 IIP Packet.doc

Click here for a link to download the VietACT 2009 IIP Application Form (Form ONLY)http://V117H.fileave.com/VietACT 2009 IIP Application.doc

Click here for a link to download the VietACT 2009 IIP Flyer
http://V117H.fileave.com/VietACT 2009 IIP Flyer.jpg

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us: internship@vietact.org

Please help VietACT spread the word about this opportunity by forwarding this information to those you know that might be interested. Thank you.

2008-11-17T21:25:00.000-08:00

It's my last week in Taiwan, and words can't describe what I'm feeling at the moment. On the one hand, I'm frantically trying to finish a report I'm writing for the office, and at the same time, I want to spend as much time as I can with everyone here. I am not ready to leave--I've become so attached to this place, to all the great people I've met.

I could never have prepared myself for this experience. I can honestly say that it has been life-altering. It has opened my eyes to the gross injustices of this world, and at the same time has reassured me that people who are truly committed to human rights and human dignity have a great capacity to make the world a better place. I can only hope that I can follow in the footsteps of these individuals--true defenders of social justice-- those whom I've been lucky enough to work with over the past few months. And, I cannot express my deepest gratitude and love for my brothers and sisters at the shelter. They have made me feel like I am family. It hasn't quite sunk in that I will be leaving them soon, and I'm trying not to think about it.

It seems that working to combat human trafficking is an endless fight. This doesn't mean we should give up, but hopefully it will encourage us to fight back with an even greater strength and ferocity.

2008-10-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

We recently had a new person come to the shelter who had his had completely severed in an accident at work. Things are very complicated for him right now as this accident occurred while he was "illegally" employed. I put that term in quotes because in many of the cases where laborers work oustide of their contracts, they are only doing so to escape abusive and exploitative conditions, or because their contracts were not met in the first place. This individual now has no way of paying his medical expenses as he had no insurance under that employer.

When the police discovered his situation, they were immediately ready to repatriate him and they were going to do this without investigating the facts of the accident and attempting to get him compensation of any kind. It seems that to the law enforcement authorities here, laborers are a real burden and any kind of help or service they provide to migrant workers is meant as a favor to them. In the time between his initial surgery and time under police custody, he was supposed to take great care of his hand and his bandages needed to be replaced every eight hours. The police completely ignored this fact and his hand was left without proper care for two days. It then became severely infected, and now it seems that parts of tissue will have to be removed and it isn't a guarantee that he will have any use of that hand in the future. If the police even cared to take him to the hospital this situation would not have occurred.

When the police eventually took him to our office, they had every intention of just leaving him here so that they wouldn't have to take responsibility for him. They didn't want to trouble themselves with the case. But as our office found out the unethical and negligent abuse by the police, we are now fighting with them to investigate the case. It's all very complicated, but the people at the office are doing everything in their power to see that this individual is given the basic rights of medical care and an investigation into the specifics of the accident. The police had no intention of carrying out these things, and this is just another example of the unfair and unethical treatment of migrant workers in Taiwan.

2008-09-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

I am learning so much everyday--it's overwhelming, but in a good way. And it's the type of learning that I could never hope to get from a book, or from a lecture by one of my fabulous professors at UCSB. It's a more personal education, I would say. Talking to my brothers and sisters at the shelter has allowed me to get up-close and personal with what it is to be human, to struggle, to love, to sacrifice. I constantly feel like I want to write down everything they are saying, but that would be quite impossible. There are so many great stories, personal journeys, instances of defeat and triumph; I don't know what else to say, but that this is the best learning experience I have ever had, and, it's not over yet. I was telling a friend how being here, working in a shelter for victims of trafficking and labor exploitation and other types of inhumane treatment, affords many opportunities for existential crises. I guess what I'm trying to say is that listening to the life experiences of the people here, I constantly wonder why I am where I am in life. Why am I living in beautiful and sunny Santa Barbara completing my graduate education when my roommate could only dream of completing high school? Suddenly all the things that I worry and stress out about seem so unimportant. Really, why is life so random and unfair?

2008-09-16T20:17:00.001-07:00

Hello VietACT supporters!

This is Vanessa, VietACT Intern - Summer 2006. I want to applaud Caroline for the great work she is doing for the human trafficking survivors in Taiwan as well as the great writing and updates she is providing for VietACT locally here in the States and worldwide. For those California-based VietACT supporters, please see the following note from Van Le at VietACT:

Senator Lou Correa's Office, The Women's Transitional Living Center and VietACT are hosting an Evening of Awareness for Human Trafficking.

The event will take place on October 2nd at 6pm-8pm at the Westminster Rose Center.

The program will include a documentary film, testimonials from 3 human trafficking survivors, a discussion panel..and hopefully other VietACT talents such as Spoken word or singing...

Please contact vanle@vietact.org if you are interested in volunteering for the event! We'll see you there!

Peace, love and freedom

Vanessa

2008-09-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hello! Apologies for the lack of updates. I just returned from a visa-run to Thailand--it was quite beautiful by the way. I'm now back in the office and it feels busier than ever. Anyway, I neglected to post this before, but here are some of my notes on the Public Hearing on Workers' Rights in Taipei in early July:

11 July 2008

There was a public hearing with Taiwanese legislators, labor organizations, scholars, activists, etc., at the parliament building in Taipei. The topic of the day would be the issue of home-care workers’ rights especially in terms of time off. Currently foreign migrant laborers in home-care have no legal protections. There were several organizations present, including the Taiwanese International Workers Association (TIWA) and the Migrant Workers Alliance. From our organization, those present were Cha Hung, Chi Loan, Chen-Chen and some ladies from the shelter. There was a pamphlet given out concerning the protection for workers’ rights and interests and a comparative analysis between labor practices in Taiwan and other Asian countries/regions such as Hong Kong. I was very lucky to have Chen-Chen there for a portion of the hearing to translate for me. It was an open forum for discussion about any and all issues concerning the rights of these workers.

What is currently happening in Taiwan is that there is a substantial amount of elderly people relative to young people in the country. Of concern also is the disabled population. Families are thus increasingly becoming reliant on foreign laborers, especially women to fulfill the role of care-taker. Most of the time, workers are required to work on an average of 9.5-13 hours/day with no days off because these individuals need this type of constant care. The issue of protecting these workers have been talked about in the same way for the past several years without any real gains on changing policy. The strong sentiment present that day called for state intervention as the best and only solution in solving these problems. These workers are merely asking for basic legal protections and the right to time off. There are approximately 160,000 total foreign home care workers (“modern-day slaves”) in Taiwan.

Cha Hung also spoke at the hearing. He notes that brokerage companies suck money out of workers and that they have no basic freedoms. Their papers and legal documentation are confiscated by their brokers. Taiwan is mostly seen as a modern democracy, but its track record in the human rights department leaves much to be desired. He told the story of a woman who killed her employer and then tried to kill herself because the situation was so bad. This woman was not covered under any labor laws.

There is also the issue of local domestic workers. They cannot find jobs and blame this on foreign workers.

Long working hours have been an issue for quite a while. What kept being emphasized by those opposed to new legislation was that home-care workers/employers have different needs and thus cannot be ruled under the same laws and regulations as other types of jobs. With issues of labor regulation/exploitation, ENFORCEMENT is a big issue. Many of the times, workers are made to do things that they simply did not sign up for. A particularly salient question is: How do we go about monitoring these unjust practices?

It was nice seeing the great solidarity among the workers and proponents of social justice gathered in a forum to voice their rights and concerns, although it was unclear what kind of headway in terms of potential policy change was made that day.

2008-08-26T00:44:00.000-07:00

"Running away evokes the era of slavery; You leave your job, but you run away only when enslaved," (Haddad in "A Modern-Day Slave Trade: Sri Lankan Workers in Lebanon.")

A few weeks ago, we had two ladies come into the office after hours at around 10:00 pm. They were only able to come at this time because they worked 15-hour shifts and this was the only open slot in their schedules. I was able to sit in on their meeting with Cha Hung where they told him that they worked in a convalescent home and were put in charge of the fifty people on their floor. This being the case, there was ALWAYS something to do, and they barely had time to breathe. Their employer also forced them to administer injections to the patients, procedures of which can only be done by medical professionals (this is another legal infringement in itself and a whole other story).

The women desperately wanted to find a new job because this one was clearly exploitative. They also mentioned that their supervisor was extremely verbally abusive and they could no longer tolerate working under such miserable conditions. Luckily they were able to video record the working condtions on their cell phones and so we have clear evidence of the labor exploitation that they had to endure. As they were telling their stories, I could hardly believe that anyone could put up with such treatment. I am realizing more and more that these people who have come here to work and make an honest living are some of the most strong-willed and courageous people I have ever encountered. They sacrifice so much and are pushed to the breaking point.

Again, this is but one of the MANY cases that is being handled at the VMWBO. And as much as the office is doing, we have to think of the people who have not been lucky enough receive help and guidance. It is only the tip of the iceberg in battling modern-day slavery.

2008-08-21T01:21:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the lack of visuals in previous posts, so here you go--a smattering of photos which will hopefully give you a tiny glimpse of life at the VMWBO:

Also, I am technologically inept so instead of having the captions right above the photos I will describe them here: 1. Students hard at work, 2. Making "ruoc" (shredded and dried pork), 3. Bbq to welcome Cha Cuong back from the States, 3. & 4. The men made a beautiful bamboo cot which sits in our patio

2008-08-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

Four of our brothers left last week because they were able to find new jobs. It was a happy day for them, but also bittersweet as we shared some good times and talks and now I probably will never see them again. As they were getting ready to leave with their backpacks and roll-away luggage, the rest of us stood to bid them goodbye with hugs, handshakes, and high-fives. I wish them the very best--it's the least they deserve.

Last Tuesday, one of our case workers had to go to a police station to translate for four men (boys, really) because they were confined by their employer and now were being detained . When we got there, they were essentially being held in prison although they had done nothing wrong. I saw no reason for that kind of treatment. To be fair, before these men had worked at their current employer, they had "escaped" from their previous employer because their contract was not met. This is considered illegal under Taiwanese law, but at the same time it is against the law to not fulfill a binding contract. I'm no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure this is illegal. If I paid inordinate amounts of money to a broker, then later became exploited and abused, I would also leave that situation. I can't blame these people for doing what they did. They were defrauded. Anyway, one of the police officers spoke some English and he actually asked me what I thought of human rights in Taiwan. A very general question, but I gave him a candid answer based on the people I've spoken with and my experiences thus far. Obviously I was being put on the spot, but I thought I gave a very civil, yet honest answer. He agreed with me that the broker system needed to be fixed. It was an interesting conversation. Also I must say that people took their time around that office. We didn't get home until 5am. A long night, indeed, but I learned a lot.

Classes are fun. We started dance classes with the Cha-cha-cha. I have two left feet myself so I watched a bunch of YouTube videos. We sure worked up a sweat and had lots of laughs. So far in English classes, we've gone over general introductions, numbers, talking about family, colors, days, months, and birthdays, etc. I try to incorporate games whenever I can and always have treats as incentive to participate. Candy always helps! Everyone is pretty great at being open to learning. We also have six new computers at the shelter now and I am currently trying to link them to the internet--I wish I was more IT savvy.

Also, sorry for the lack of pictures...they will be up soon!

2008-08-06T01:51:00.000-07:00

Doing research and speaking with people who are directly dealing with the issue of human trafficking in Taiwan has been saddening, yet thoroughly interesting. In Taiwan especially, the issue of trafficking is strongly tied to issues of labor exploitation, specifically in regards to the broker system. It is a systematic yet complex web that involves the exploitation of the economically marginalized, deceit, and abuse. These brokers (both Vietnamese and Taiwanese) charge obscenely large fees to laborers who are already financially disadvantaged, and then subsequently put them in sub-standard work environments which were not specified in the contracts. Also, these individuals end up being paid less than what the contracts specified, or not given enough work to do, which places them in an especially precarious situation as they all have lingering debts to pay. Many times, laborers do not work in one single place but are transported (read: trafficked) to multiple work sites depending on where labor is needed.

So far, through talking with many people here, it is the debt (and the interest which continually accruing) which is particularly worrisome and a great source of psychological stress for these individuals. People here at the shelter are obviously not making an income while they are here, and everyday they think about the money they could be and should be making. The whole situation makes me extremely sad for my fellow brothers and sisters, and it makes me extremely angry at humanity. I consider myself a relatively optimistic and hopeful person, but when people knowingly deceive and exploit others, I can't help but be frustrated and cynical. How can a human being treat another human being in such a manner? That is the question of the day, and perhaps, many days to follow.

2008-08-01T00:39:00.000-07:00

My days have been very full (and fulfilling). Planning for classes, teaching, visiting the detention centers, and weekly meetings with Cha Hung have comprised the weekly routine for me. However, every day is different and exciting. Currently, I am starting a research project (it is definitely in its infant stages) that will utilize a database we have on victims, along with interviews and narratives from individuals in our own shelter to come up with a report that will gauge/challenge the Taiwanese government in its engagement with aspects of prevention, protection, and prosecution as they relate to human trafficking. Although the VMWBO is a non-profit organization seeking to help these individuals at the grassroots level, anything we can do to possibly affect change at the policy level would be a crucial step forward in eradicating this heinous human rights abuse. And even if we were only able to shed some more light on the issue and make more people aware, we will have made progress. I must say, research projects are hard, especially when there are so many angles from which we can tackle the issue, but I'm sure we wouldn't be dealing with this problem if there was an easy solution.

On a lighter note, I tried stinky tofu (Taiwan's national snack food) for the first time with one of my sisters here at the shelter. Frankly, I don't care too much for the flavor (although I did have three pieces)...maybe it will grow on me. However, I do fear that I've become a boba addict and I should stop now before the problem gets out of hand. It's just so satisfying at the end of a hot day (and it's so cheap--1USD for a huge cup!). Last week, I went four times, every time with different people.

I feel very fortunate to have made these new friends. I am learning so much from them (and I can only hope they are learning from me as well). And although a main component of this internship is for me to get to know the victims and retell their stories so as to spread awareness, when I talk to them, we don't always talk about their problems as pertaining to the issue of trafficking (thank God), but we talk about sports, their childhoods, their families, their hobbies, their hopes. I guess what I am trying to say is that these people are not just names in file folders or living specimens that I get to observe and interact with, but they are human beings and also my friends and I will have to say that this is what is most important.

Dance classes have been postponed until next week because of scheduling conflicts. Now, who remembers the Macarena?

2008-07-27T23:14:00.000-07:00

The office is a bit quiet today as there is a massive storm throughout the country and thus the government has issued a day-off for (all?) workers. Currently, the wind gusts and rain are furious and the news says that it will continue for the next two days or so. This is all very new to me. On the bright side, it is a little cooler now (but still sticky).

Last week I went to the Sansia Detention Center with Cha Hung. We rode up the elevator to where the detainees were staying and I was genuinely shocked to find that these people were behind metal bars--treated as if they were criminals. I was not expecting this at all, but this is precisely how the government is treating these individuals because they have no legal documentation, or escaped from their employers (I don't blame them). These people are victims of deceit, abuse, and exploitation, and yet they are further being victimized by the system.

I was able to talk to some of the victims individually and one woman cried to me about how she has kidney problems and it is very painful for her to even get out of bed, eat, etc., but she is not being properly treated for her condition. I tried to fight back tears as she told me her story about she was over-worked by her employer and basically did not get any time off. She was treated horribly--for example, she explained that she was only given the left-overs of what the family had already eaten, and most of the time they were just fish bones or other things that were inedible. She was not even considered a human being to these people. At this point, I could no longer hold back my tears and I reached for her hand through the metal bars.

Another women I spoke to was telling me how she was cheated of her wages and was waiting to get the money that she deserved. She also expressed that she would rather stay in the detention center than go home (to Vietnam) empty-handed. She had accrued a huge amount of debt in order to get to Taiwan, and (through tears) told me there was no way for her to go back if she did not make the money to repay these loans. She tells me she misses her family immensely and it pains her that she can't go back home.

I remained silent on the car ride back to the office.

2008-07-21T23:11:00.000-07:00

A typhoon passed through Taoyuan last week--it was really rainy and windy, but very welcomed as a short reprieve to the heat. I also met the Turtle which apparently comes by every time it rains. I've actually met a whole host of animal friends this past week including beetles, frogs, and puppies. Last Friday, we also had a bbq to welcome Cha Cuong back from the US. It was great fun, the people here sure know how to cook! And the feasting was followed by none other than a volleyball tournament.

Yesterday, after lunch, I had some time to talk to one of the ladies here who I haven't really gotten to know yet. She told me about how her broker had confiscated her papers, lied to her, and made her do more work than she was supposed to do. Apparently, when this broker served as the interpreter between her and the employer, he just conveyed whatever he wanted to and did not communicate what the employer would say. We sat and talked for about half an hour before I had to get back to the office. I could see in her eyes and the way she told her story that she was trying to fight back tears, and I kept thinking how brave she was to have come here to give her family a better life--she noted that her son is now at university and is a computer whiz. She spoke very highly of him and you could tell that she was a proud mom. It's nice to know that her efforts and sacrifices are being put toward a better life for her children. She is hoping to learn more about computers also (actually most people here are very enthusiastic about them), so our weekly class on the basics is something they look forward to.

A recurring sentiment I've been hearing is the fact that although these women have been abused, mistreated, cheated, exploited, etc., they do not want to go back to Vietnam empty-handed. First of all, they have made so many sacrifices coming here--paying the fees, leaving their loved-ones etc., and to not have anything to show for it when they get home is just more than they can bear. So most of them hope to be able to switch employers and just find a decent job.

What is so frustrating and infuriating about these situations is that these brokers/employers prey on these people's vulnerabilities and take advantage of them because they cannot speak the language and do not know what their rights are. These brokers cannot legally confiscate papers for indefinite amounts of time. I can hardly imagine if I was in the same type of situation--coming to new country, not knowing the language, and just wanting to make an honest wage to feed my family at home. It is disheartening that these innocent people are being exploited in this manner. Cha Hung teaches a weekly class called luat lao dong (which roughly translates to 'labor laws') to inform people on their rights as workers. It is just one more way that these people are becoming increasingly empowered.

On the agenda tomorrow: a visit to a detention center with Cha Hung.

2008-07-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

We have a new young brother at our shelter now who is seriously ill. I don't know the full details, and even if I did, I would not be able to share them on this blog, but the situation is devastating to say the least. This individual is younger than I am, has been working in Taiwan for more than a year, and his brokers want to send him back to Vietnam even though he will have zero or no chance of getting treatment as he would not be able to afford it. We would like to take him to the doctor here in Taoyuan, but since his brokers have his papers and documentation, it will be a challenge to seek out the proper medical care. It is truly saddening, and I feel so helpless. It is instances like these--the actions of people like these heartless brokers that makes one slowly lose faith in humanity. But on the other hand, it is people like those in this office, and those fighters for social justice and peace around the world that are slowly tipping the balance.

Last night, at dinner, Cha Hung received a phone call on his cell phone from an individual who had been fired from her employer and then subsequently taken in by her broker and handcuffed for 4 days. She eventually was able to call Cha Hung, and he is now busy trying to mediate the situation. I believe the police are involved now, but who knows how this case will end up? At the end of the day, Cha Hung told me that he was tired, and this is a strong statement coming from him.

2008-07-13T02:09:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is already my third day in Taiwan; time flies when there is so much to do. I think I've gotten to know most everyone's names--I just hope I can remember them. I feel like I see a new person at the shelter everyday. I find it amazing that given the situations they are in, the majority of them are very cheerful and are eager to talk to me. I've gone on some excursions with a few of them by happenstance, and they were all delightful adventures. One day I went to Taipei with a sister to buy a cd, and yesterday I went with three people to check out laptop computers. They all seem to be very fun and eager to have a good time.

On Friday, Cha Hung, Chi Loan, Chen Chen, a few of the sisters at the shelter, and I attended a public hearing with Taiwanese legislators and other government officials concerning the lack of protections afforded to migrant laborers--specifically those engaged in home-care. It seems the government has been "all talk and no action" for the past several years on the issue, and this hearing was a forum for any and all to voice their frustrations with the current system. As the discussion was obviously in Mandarin, I am extremely grateful to Chen-Chen for being my personal interpreter...you are the best! There were also many labor-rights organizations present and it was a great sight to see the solidarity that was present that day. My notes are currently at home so I will post more on this topic in a subsequent entry.

I start officially teaching next week and am a bit nervous, but I think it will be fun. Getting to the shelter, I was actually surprised to find that there are about an equal amount of men and women here so I want to incorporate activities that are gender-neutral. I think dance lessons will be fun (the ladies had a blast with your lesson, Anthony!), and I'm eager for yoga (maybe when the weather is not so unbearable), and cooking lessons. I also look forward to nightly volleyball (although I am terrible), and just chilling on the couch. Just a side note: Cha Hung sure is a jack-of-all trades--he does acupuncture for family members nightly and also teaches them reflexology (which I am eager to learn!) Seriously, what can't he do?

Sorry if this entry was a bit convoluted, but I just wanted to get everything down before dinner. I also have to try and tackle this MS ACCESS problem we are having and am HIGHLY frustrated with it right now.

2008-07-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been a whirlwind of emotions, but I am Taiwan now, relatively settled and excited for the journey I am going to embark upon with the new friends I have met. Saying the flight here was long is a vast understatement, but once I got to the TPE I got a second wind. It was around 6:30 am when I landed and I could already feel the intense humidity. Spotted Cha Hung and we proceeded to drive back to the shelter. I was a little nervous about meeting him just because he is such a prominent individual, activist, fighter, superhero--the list goes on and on, but he was so warm and friendly that those feelings dissipated immediately.

Got to the shelter around 7, just in time for morning mass. I was there with a few of the women, and later sat down to breakfast of jam and bread with them. My Vietnamese was actually better than I anticipated (thank God) and it was a very pleasant experience. I then went to Cha Hung's office for a very informal 'orientation,'--he basically went over the nature of work at the office, what my responsibilities would be etc. Throughout our conversation, one thing in particular stood out to me, which is very simple, but still, I think, a very important thing to remember during my time here--that we are here to EMPOWER the victims, and not to shelter them. It will be my job to, in any way that I can, to instill a sense of confidence in these individuals, to let them realize that they can and should be fighters in these harsh circumstances they find themselves under. Cha Hung was concerned that I was tired and asked if I wanted to take the day off to rest, and I was tempted, but was very anxious to soak up as much of the culture of the office as I could on the first day.

I washed vegetables with some of the ladies, watched Taiwanese dramas, ate some delicious cooking, played volleyball...it was a very full and fulfilling day. Vanessa, Vinh, and Trinh, many of the victims talked about their experiences with you and went on about how great you all were and how appreciative they are about your time here--it just goes to show the great/difficult work we are engaged in, and that it is making a difference.

Now, my only complaint is the humidity...

2008-07-07T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hello! My name is Caroline Le and I will be interning in Taiwan on behalf of VietACT this summer and fall. I feel truly humbled and blessed to be given this opportunity, and after a year of studying about issues such as human rights, globalization, public policy, etc., I am extremely excited to actually have a "hands-on" experience working with an issue of human rights violations, particularly one that has been consistently overlooked by the mainstream media and even the most globally-conscious citizens of the world. I feel as though I have gained a lot from my studies this year at UCSB, but am positive that this experience in Taiwan will teach me things that I will never be able to learn from a book or from listening to a lecture.

I am particularly looking forward to being able to interact with victims of trafficking and hear their stories. It is obvious that human trafficking is one of the worst forms of human rights abuses and is something that must be urgently addressed. One of the mantras of VietACT as articulated by Edmund Burke is: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Ever since I was young, I've wanted to change the world, but figuring out how I wanted to go about doing this was the challenge. Increasingly I have found that it starts with a group of concerned citizens working at the grassroots level. While eradicating human trafficking is an enormous feat, making small steps toward change and improving the lives of these victims and alleviating their suffering (strides which TaiwanACT and VietACT have made), is evidence that it can be done.

After finishing my classes in mid-June, I had a week or so to relax a bit and spend quality time with family and friends, and given the experience that I am about to embark upon, I just felt extremely lucky to be where I am in terms of my life circumstances. Perhaps I will never be able to fully relate to someone who has been trafficked, or someone who had to leave their country and their loved ones to find a job, but if I can do anything to help them--make them laugh, teach them something new--then it will be all worthwhile. I remembering hearing a quote (I'm full of them, but can never remember the exact lines), something to the effect of: "The character of human kind is judged upon how it treats its most vulnerable and marginalized," and I couldn't agree more. Here's to the cause.

And now it's time to finish packing. Taiwan here I come!

2008-06-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

This is Vinh (Anthony), VietACT's Intern from Summer 2007. Wow, it's been a while since I wrote on this blog. I nearly forgot my password! >_<

As my predecessor, Vanessa Nguyen (VietACT's 2006 Intern), has done for me - I'd like to officially welcome and recognize Caroline Le as our 2008 Intern. Below is a brief bio on Caroline Le. She hopes to depart for Taiwan early July and plans to be in Taiwan for about three months or so (depending). Stay tune for upcoming entries by Caroline. Caroline - WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!

Caroline Le, VietACT 2008 Intern
Caroline is currently finishing her first year of graduate studies at The University of California, Santa Barbara in Global and International Studies. She graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in history and a minor in philosophy from UC Irvine. As part of her undergraduate experience, she was awarded a grant to conduct research on first and second generation Vietnamese immigrants. Her interest in immigration issues and human rights was, in large part, influenced by her own family’s experiences. She became interested in issues of human trafficking in early 2006, particularly through learning about the experiences of Vietnamese women in Taiwan. Her participation at an international conference on human trafficking further cemented her desire to learn more about and do something to curb these human rights abuses. When a friend introduced her to VietACT, she was determined to somehow get involved and contribute to the cause. Aside from human trafficking issues, her academic interests include refugee and women’s rights as well as sustainable economic development.

2007-09-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Trafficking of Migrant Laborers: The Onus on Source Governments*
*title taken from the 2007 TIP Report
Hi all. First off, apologies all around! It's Wed evening and my fist two weeks here in Taiwan have been hectic and filled with adventures!! Sincerest apologies all around for not updating in the first few days but I got caught up with work and traveling with Father Hung. I'll try to backtrack and fill you guys in. I'm not going to be able to update you guys every single day but I will try weekly since I'm on a regular schedule now. I promise this long, overdue update is well worth the time - so please please enjoy the read!

Sept 11 - Arrival after a long flight
I landed in Taiwan on September 11 at precisely 6am, randomly went to a carwash with Cha Hung, ate lots of oatmeal with the women at the shelter, and by 9am I was acclimated to the office. I had a wonderful pho lunch with all the women and men, and by 2pm, I was on my way out the door with Cha Hung and Cha Cuong to the Taoyuan Railway Station. We are taking an over-night trip to Su-ao in Yilan County as a stop-over before we visit the Yilan Detention Center. Here, we will meet with the local Catholic Priest, Cha Chin. He played host and took us to the Su-ao's fish habor, one of Taiwan's major ports. Su-ao is a cute, grubby, smelly little town with an amazing fish market at the end of the harbor. The town is particularly known for its availability of fresh seafood, especially yellowfin tuna, octopus, crabs, squids, hammerhead sharks just lying along the street.
Of particular interest: About three years ago, Su-ao and other ports along TW's coast was the site of massive exploitation of foreign fishermen. Many who sought well-paying fishing jobs (especially those from Mainland China, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Thailand) were subjected to beatings, food deprivation, on top of terrible working conditions. Recruited from poor communities, these men and sometimes-even children were exploited for up to four years. With their passports confiscated, physically and emotional abused, these men often times found it hard to escape as the boat served as a perfect prison and many were left without official passports or travel documents. Highly disposable, these men often died on the seas. Fortunately, three years, the Taiwanese government banned Vietnamese fishermen; but just in taking a brief tour of the harbor, I saw many Indonesians and Thai fishermen. It’s a bit daunting to think that they might also be exploited….

Sept. 12 - Yilan Detention Center
Taiwan's National Immigration Agency operates 5 Detention Centers in Yilan, Matsu, Hsinchu, Sansia, and Kinmen. The NIA is a fairly new development for TW's government; just last year, illegal migrant workers who were picked up by the authorities would be crammed into local police stations until they were repatriated back to their countries. Along with Fathers Chin, Cuong, and Hung, chi My-Nga, VMWBO's director of policy and planning, we went to visit the Yilan Detention Center in Luodong. The Director himself escorted us to the Yilan Detention Center; he has much to prove because of recent outbreaks from the detention center. Read more here! It's a really interesting string of events. About seven women escaped the center using only a smoldering iron! Being spoiled by American standards, I am still surprised by the lack of attention women receive upon official introductions. Taiwan, being socially more advanced than mainland China, is still primarily a patriarchal society and thus fairly often disregards women in an official setting.

First Impressions of the Yilan Det. Center
What a quick way to get my feet wet! In just my second day in Taiwan, I was able to get a first hand account of the conditions of the detention centers. When the police arrest illegal migrant workers, most will spend their time in these detention centers until they can be repatriated back to their home country. In the eyes of the Taiwanese governments the many who have left their employers (many due to abuse – explained below) are criminals. For those who came to Taiwan under a legal work permit, they find themselves working unreasonable hours, physically and physiologically abused by their employers, confined, withheld wages, have their passports and travel documents confiscated, or threatened with repatriation. These migrant workers are victims of exploitative practices. It is no wonder many flee their abusive environment to find a better working and living situation. Now illegal and undocumented, these migrant workers work petty jobs and are labeled as criminal groups by government officials. For the many who do bring their complaints to the brokers or employers, they are rebuffed and threatened of deportation back to their home countries.

The UN TIP (Trafficking In Persons) Protocol supports the victim-centered approach at the core of the international community's anti-trafficking efforts. To this end, there is a human rights principle that victims and survivors of trafficking, debt bondage, forced-labor, and slave-like practices be provided with services and be protected from further trauma. In just my first day of observation, I am saddened to say that the men and women are not receiving these services. It is still too early to make a definite statement about the conditions of the shelter but there obvious concerns. These detainees are treated like criminals, wearing prison garb, not allowed phone calls. Some are obvious victims of physical abuse, whether it is from their employer or further abuse from center's guards. The concern is whether or not the Taiwanese government is offering any services to address such issues or would they allow NGOs and other organizations to come in and assist victims of trafficking.

The women’s center has no women guards and it is scary to think that for those who have been sexually or psychologically abuse, they are further traumatized. The look on these women faces is unforgettable. Many of the women began to cry when Cha Hung described the work that the office does. It is hard to look out into the crowd and not see my mother or eldest sister, or perhaps my many, many aunts and cousins still in Viet Nam - many of whom wish to leave to find better jobs. Many of the men that we met also shed tears when we left. Wearing prison garb, looking thin, scarred, and scared, these men and women left a burning image.......

Also of concern are the Vietnamese brides. Those who come to marry local men (either for fake marriages to work or for real matches) often find themselves in abusive situations. Read more.
There are some in Yilan who fit this category.

While looking at improving the conditions in these centers, I hope to focus particularly on the reasons why these people were forced to leave their legal employers. Labor trafficking happens when there is a blatant abuse of contracts (longer working hours than stated, employer abuse, confinement, etc) and local laws as well as a cruel cycle of debt bondage placed on these workers. For those who had to borrow money or pay a “privilege fee” to work in Taiwan (this is illegal by international standards), they have to work to pay back their initial debt and through initial threats, physical abuse, etc they are forced into continued service. To protect migrant workers from labor exploitation, there has to be a bilateral effort between Vietnam and Taiwan. Source countries such as Vietnam must take the responsibility to protect its workers by demanding that labor agencies and brokers abroad are prosecuted.

Vietnam should support direct hiring services (instead of brokerages), and require rights of these workers be protected. The Taiwan government has to actively investigate employee’s complaints and use a victim-centered approach for the victims of labor trafficking in the detention centers. Of course, this is all talk from me. What is theoretical does not always translate to daily realities of what is happening here in Taiwan. In the next couple of months, VMWBO hopes to have widespread policy changes in the National Immigration Agency to further protect migrant workers and victims of human trafficking. What is reality are the cases of abused migrant workers and trafficked victims that seek shelter at Cha Hung’s office and other NGOs. And of course, I am only talking specifically of the Vietnamese people here in Taiwan. If I were to talk and observe the Filipinos, Thai, or Indonesian workers, no doubt that I will also find these same issues and concerns.

Sept. 17 - Coalition Meeting, the Holy See, and Wipha! Another exciting day as Typhoon Wipha makes its way towards the island. Cha Hung, Chi My-Nga and I go to a meeting with Hope Workers' Center, and TIWA to the Migrant Empowerment Network of Taiwan (MENT) coalition meeting. Gathered in a small office, this collation of labor rights’ groups and anti-trafficking NGOs works together to. I’ll be working with several people to address the conditions in the detention center…..

Sept. 18 - TYPHOON, day of rest! Being a true Texan, I was highly prepared and a little bit curious about my first ever typhoon ...what with tornadoes, hailing storms, and mass flooding a common incidence for me. With such urgency last night amongst the local, I was surprised to wake up to mild winds and rain. Schools and government buildings are closed, so my scheduled anti-trafficking meeting at the NIA is cancelled; no complaints here as I get my first day of rest……to take a look at case files.

*****************
Three weeks into my stay in Taiwan and already there are so many issues and topics to be addressed!! Of particular concern is the detainees in all the detention center. I’ll be focusing particularly on this issue, as well as the relationship between debt and forced labor in taiwan and of course, daily life at the shelter. I have much to learn from the men and women here.

Until next time! :-p Trinh Nguyen

2007-09-09T23:23:00.000-07:00

Greetings! My name is Nguyen Quoc Trinh and I am representing VietACT to TaiwanACT. I'll be in Taiwan from September through late December working in Father Hung's Vietnamese Migrant Workers and Brides Office.

Before I start any of my journaling and blogging, I want to give a HUGE thank you to the Dai Hoi family - Tammy, Lilly, Van, My-Nhung, Anh Bao, Tu Do, Viet, Vanessa, Vinh and especially Anh Phong who drove me to LAX..and any other OC people that I happened to leave out. You made my 5-day layover in California particularly memorable, educational, exciting, and overall an exceptionally great induction to the VietACT family.

To Becky Bavinger of the Emancipation Network - you've been my partner in arms; I've learned and experienced so much from you. Stay the course in India. And of course to my many global friends and family - you all who you are. I'll miss you so please keep in contact.

My introduction to human trafficking came rather serendipitously during my first trip back to Viet Nam in 2001. While in Saigon, I came across a 1997 report from the Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women (GAATW) in a cafe that painfully went into detail about the STIs and sexual abuse that existed amongst the women and children trafficked from Cambodia and Vietnam to Thailand. Alarming was the rate of victims who were children (13-33%). Never could I imagine the words sex slaves and human trafficking in this day and age.

Beyond getting mad and frustrated, I tried to absorb as much information as possible about modern-day slavery. Since then, I became better aware of the expansive, convoluted, and many times complicated world of modern-day slavery - where at the root is oppression of the worst kinds. Consider these numbers: 27, 1000, 12. 27 million is the estimated number of enslaved people in the world, 1000 is the average USD price for a human being, and 12 is the average age of a person who is sold. My exposure to Father Hung’s work came through the 2006 TIP report and with my most recent trip last spring to Vietnam. Talking with Vietnamese UNICEF, IOM, and AFESIP employees, I slowly began to peel back the many layers of sex and labor trafficking that exists, as well as the crisis of Vietnamese migrant workers in Taiwan. A mere fact-finding trip, my time in Vietnam last March left me with more questions than answers about the relationship and conditions of the trans-state actors involved with the Vietnamese trafficking issue.

I think the public needs to be overwhelmed by the gravity of modern-day slavery. It is wholly a global problem and affects everyone. It is a global immigration issue, a threat to public health, a human rights violation, a threat to all countries' national security because it feeds on organized crime. We've put a price on our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers by saying it is OK to turn a commercial profit on human life; the demand is constantly there. So be overwhelmed and then learn more and join the fight to stop modern-day slavery.

That brings me right up to the work that I'll be doing at Cha Hung's office. For the women there, they are hardly a statistic. They are all survivors of a horrible tragedy and a constant reminder that while freedom may not be free, it is definitely worth fighting for. I am incredibly humbled to be chosen for VietACT. I am ready to work, ready to learn, and ready to be a part of the fight to stop global slavery.

If you're reading this, you're obviously already an interested anti-trafficker, if not already a dedicated abolitionist. Many cheers to you!
Trinh
P.S.
Please make sure to check out these incredible links and books:

Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy by Kevin Bales
Ending Slavery: How We Free Today's Slaves by Kevin Bales
The Natashas: Inside the New Global Sex Trade by Victor Malarek
Trade - a new movie that opens this month about the global sex trade
2007 TIP (Trafficking in Persons) Report from the US State Department

Along with VietACT, please check out these amazing organizations who each are involved are all involved in the protection, prevention, and prosecution of human trafficking
Polaris Project
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
The Emancipation Network
ECPAT International

2007-09-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

I left Taiwan on the 30th and as of now, miss the folks there very much! My last week in Taiwan went by very fast. So much has happened: from the hurricane/storm effect- to the trip to Danshui - Taipei Zoo - and even a Puppet Museum. Let's not forget tea time with Chen Chen and friends and the day I made an afternoon snack for the people at the shelter.

The trip to Danshui (a beautiful beach-side in Northwest of Taiwan) was on the 25th, followed by the trip to Taipei Zoo on the 26th. During these two days, I bonded even closer with the women. One began telling me how this was the first time she went anywhere since working in Taiwan. Her last two years was nothing but work. Another woman added that she worked 6 consecutive years for a family and never once set foot outside the gates of the house. It was pretty depressing to hear such stories - but I'm glad they are NOW able to enjoy the outdoors!

Cha Hung left for a religious retreat to Penghu (my birthplace) on the 28th and on that same day, I cooked for the women. It was hard to find what I needed (the ingredients that is), but in the end - I managed to whip up some potato salad, a different form of "taco", and some regular salad with thousand islands dressing (the women here LOVE that dressing)!!! Thanks Chen Chen for your help!!!

The day I left the shelter was very hard. I remember walking out of the office, heading down the stairs, being trailed by 30+ people. Some helped with the luggages, some held me tightly, others wanted to take a final picture, etc. It went by so fast. Three women got permission to personally escort me to the airport. It was an even harder goodbye later on... I've made some special friends here at the shelter. I hope to reunite with them all one day ... hopefully in Vietnam when they reunite with their OWN family!

I thought A LOT about my experience in Taiwan while heading back to the U.S. Although the duration in time was short, that moment in time has changed my life forever. I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity to help at the shelter. I managed to learn a lot about human trafficking, about Vietnam/Taiwan, about the situation, about others, and about ME!

Til this very day, the women will call me at very wierd hours. One would call at 3am, 5am, etc. They have no idea what the time difference is - so they call whenever they are free. Luckily, due to my jet lag problem, I am able to answer their call. Once I'm back to normal with the sleeping cycle I hope the early morning phone calls will be post poned until 9am or something. Haha!

I've been receiving emails from the women daily! I keep in touch with all of them as though they were my own sisters. My Vietnamese (in terms of reading and writing) is not as proficient - so its really hard to read and reply, but I'm doing my best.

Alright. More updates later!

2007-08-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Last week, I taught the women various terms of the human body: head, ears, etc. Following the lesson, I taught them how to make Worry Dolls - emphasizing on the words we all just learned. Vanessa taught this (terms of the human body) last summer and made sock monkeys with the women - I'm doing Worry Dolls instead! I believe Worry Dolls originate from Guatemala. Legend has it that when you go to bed at night, you tell one "worry" to each doll - place them under your pillow - and when you wake up, the dolls will take THAT worry away. I thought the project was very appropriate and therefore, decided to execute it during the week of learning human body part terminology.

Here are images of the Worry Dolls / Hinh Nhan Lo Lang:

The middle one (pink/gray) was the best! I think recognizing her skills via posting on this blog is A MUST! Good Job!!!

Status at the shelter...

One of the women here is very fraustrated with everything - she obviously needed some fresh air. I told her I needed a hair cut, so asked if she could take me to the barber shop. She was more than happy too. While walking, I began to asked her, whats going on, etc. She vented her problems and I encouraged her to let it all out. Although I only know her for 3 weeks or so now, I understand her personality very well. I gave her my advice and told her not to mind what other people say or think, etc. After awhile, I started to put my wise [crack] jokes to use. She started to laughed again and soon we were at the shop. After my hair cut, we got some Boba and she told me she felt much better. She told me she can't find anyone here like me that she can talk to about her problems. Sure there's Cha Hung and the rest of the staff here, but I guess its less intimidating to talk to me? Well, she's definitely much better now... lets hope there's no more problems!!!

About a week or so left in Taiwan. Time flies by so quickly. Anywho, here are some random pictures of Taiwan!

KFC fries with cheese sauce and rice cracker? Very interesting!

Lots of Gashapon places!

Various fruits at the market place. This one is Sour Sop [I believe?]

I believe we just call this the star fruit?

This is what I play at night! It's call "Ka-Ro". I'm still a beginner - its a very intensive game. Sort of like a complex Tic-Tac-Toe, but you need five in a row. It's fun though~!

Last but not least, this past Sunday was Happy Valentine's Day in Taiwan, Le Tinh Nhan.

2007-08-15T23:17:00.000-07:00

Its a bittersweet moment when people leave the shelter. You miss them but you're also happy for them because they will reunite with their family. A group of five girls and another girl all recently left this week. I am very happy for them and pray that their journey was safe and sound! Perhaps I can meet up with them next summer, should my family visit Vietnam! Here are their final words:

Translate: Thank You Father (Hung) and Elder Sisters for helping, caring, and comforting us all this past few [weeks] (or past short moment in time). Today we return to Vietnam already. We wish everyone at the shelter to have what they want (or have things their way anytime they want).

*Much apologizes if my Vietnamese terminology is not correct.

English class this morning dealt with the human body. Each person took turn drawing ONE body part: nose, two ears, etc. This is the final Masterpeice! I'm going to enlarge it and hang it in my room!

There's a new class at that shelter! Daily 7:00-10:00 PM Dance Class! I currently teach it! To start off, I taught them the infamous "Electric Slide". The women here love it!!!!!

2007-08-13T00:02:00.000-07:00

It's been two weeks in Taiwan and I've already learned so much. Not just about the human trafficking situation; but also the culture, language, and Catholic religion. I am fortunate to have the women here show me around the city of Taipei. It indeed is a beautiful place!

Trying to understand the siutation of human trafficking here is very tricky. The women usually open up about their stories BRIEFLY here and there. The regulation here at the office states that the intern is NOT suppose to ask the women/victims anything (about thier situation)- so its a bit hard to fully understand and know everything. Everyone here has a difficult/complex situation and something to worry and think about each night; but they tend not show it on the outside. It is through late night chats over Mahjong and Sunday shopping through the city that allows me to know a little bit about each of them. In the next few weeks before depature, I hope the rest of them will open up to me!

English class is going well. So far, the women can count to one hundred, sing the English Alphabet, and communicate greetings with one another! Tomorrow will be the human body: head, hands, ears, etc. I believed Vanessa taught them this already and made sock monkeys to help them practice the new terms. However, the women here come and go - so majority did not learn this yet. We'll play "Simon Says" after learning the new terms.

I try to mix activities, games, and learning into each session - so that learning will be more interactive and entertaining. So far, this method is going well!

More later!

2007-08-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

All is in well in Taiwan. Yesterday was our "Hop Gia Dinh" (every Friday at 7pm) and it has been amended that I teach English everyday for 1 hour (excluding weekends). I think frequency is BEST when teaching any language. Daily exposures and practices will help them greatly in grasping the skills needed to successfully communicate in English!

We are currently preparing for a very important religious observation for this Sunday. Eight of the women here have practiced day and night for the past 2 weeks on a dance with the song "Dem Hoi Trang Ram". It's really nice!

More later ...

2007-08-06T02:37:00.000-07:00

Below is what the women folded on the first day of class - the origami flower box with mini wishing stars. Each star contains a written wish!

Yesterday (on Sunday 8/5/07) was Father's Day in Taiwan. It is usually celebrated on August 8th, but since they wanted to celebrate things on a religious day, we celebrated it on the 5th (Sunday) . The official holiday is call "Ba Ba Jie". The number "8" in Taiwan is pronounced "Ba" and "Ba" means "Father" in Vietnamese. So the 8th Day of the 8th month is reserve for Father's Day. The mass was conducted at another church, so a group of 3-6 women took me on my first bus ride and a stroll on the streets of Taipei. There are so many stores here. They have A LOT of 7-Eleven, KFC, and the infamous McDonald.

Here is my first Boba Drink in Taipei. It's MUCH better over here!

Here's the inside of the church that we attended for "Ba Ba Jie"

On our way back from church, the women introduced me to stinky tofu - something only a small percentage of foriegners can tolerate. I LOVE IT!!! Although too much will make me sick! I heard about stinky tofu through those Chinese Drama I watched. It's finally great to taste it!

Finally, this is the path I take to work each day. It takes no less than 5 walking minutes to get there!

Today was on the downlow. I spent more time on the database project than I did with the women. Dinner is about to start and then I'll be free to play volleyball, mahjong, and watch our nightly drama with the women! More later!

2007-08-04T03:36:00.000-07:00

Vanessa warned me that it'll take a month before the women here will start to open up to me. Well, Day Four of the internship caught me by surprise. A women came to me and asked if I could help her with her voice recorder. This voice recorder contains proof that her husband repeatedly beats her and yell at her very harshly. Unfortunately, when I played the mp3 for her, nothing was recorded. She began to tell me how her husband mistreated her everyday. She wanted so bad to recapture those moments inorder to show the court her situation. It really is unfortunate that she couldn't record anything. And now she won't have the chance to do so again.

* FYI: Her voice recorder lights up whenver it is on. She was afraid her husband would see it, so she wrapped paper around it and hid it in her pocket as he yelled and beats her around. I personally think she must have pressed the wrong button because she herself could not physically see that voice recorder.

Cha Hung is currently dealing with her situation right now, so we'll see what happens in the next week or so.

On a more pleasant note, three of the women here took me out to buy a Mah Jong set. It was the first time I got to walk around from where I intern. I had the chance to get to know these three much better. They are quite funny. It's histerical with them~! Anyways, I hope to use this Mah Jong set to not only teach the women the game itself but to learn numbers as well (in English of course). So far, their hands are itching to play each time!

Well, I got injured (minor scratches) today by slipping on the volleyball court. It was raining, but despite the water, we STILL PLAYED!!! As a result, SOMEBODY had to get injured right? :(

Well, dinner is over and the women here are playing again - So I will go join them!

Take Care Everyone!

2007-08-03T04:48:00.000-07:00

Just thought I add the Art of Soybean Making. The women here make some killer Soybean Milk. I think I will miss the fresh and natural taste of soybean milk when I return here to the states!

Cac Chi o day lam Sua Dau Nanh RAT la NGON!" So MOT !!!! ;-)

Here's a quick step by step of the entire process:
-Soybean is soak in water for 4-6 hours (depending on quantity)
-The bean itself is then added to a blender with a ratio of 1 cup soybean to 3 cup water

-While one person is blending, another person squeezes what have been blender into another container.
-She then rinses out the excess into another container.

-She dumps what is left from the bag into a third container.
-As you can see, there are a lot of bowls for this soybean making process.

-This is what you get so far from all the extraction.

-Now it's time to boil the what has been extracted. They let it cook for 10 minutes!
-Sugar is added once they think the soybean milk is hot enough. As sugar is added, one has to continue to stir the soybean every now and then to make sure that solids will not build up at the top layer.

-After 10 minutes, the soybean milk is ready to drink. You can drink it hot or wait for it to cool down, add ice, and drink it cold! Although it is hot here, I prefer hot soybean milk. ;-)

Hope you all enjoy this cultural aspect of Taiwan!

2007-08-02T22:47:00.000-07:00

Just though I'd post some pictures...

Here's my plane from LAX to TPE airport:

TPE Airport:

My room in Taipei (The room from "The Grudge"):

Day Three of Internship, It's RAINING!!!:

2007-08-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

Day Three or so of my internship and I must say, the women and I bonded fairly quickly since the day I arrived. They have a new volleyball area and through playing these various sports (the other is badminton), I've managed to easily break the ice with them. I must add, Cha Hung is quite good at Badminton. Who would have thought?

At the shelter, the women here all refer to me as "Anh Vinh" (Big Brother Vinh), even though majority of them are older than me. In return, I address them all by "Chi" (Older Sister). So it's quite wierd how we address each other - but there's nothing anyone can do about this!

For those that don't know, as a VietACT Intern, one is require to teach various classes for the women here. I am currently in charge of doing computer classes, English classes, Arts and Crafts classes, and then a mixture of various activities inbetween. Today I was supposed to teach computer classes, but since the projector cannot be located, we did various activities along with some paper folding.

To start the class off, we went around the room to introduce each other. This will allow me to know the names of everyone here better and will allow them to know the names of each other as well (we recently have five new people here). The rule was that they have to introduce themself in English by saying...

"My Name is ... Vinh", etc.

Then and I asked if anyone can recite the names of all the women here. One person did and I gave her some American snack! Everyone clapped!!!

After the introduction, we headed downstairs to do some outdoor activities. The activities included some stuff I taught my officers when I was President for our VSA (SDSU - Vietnamese Student Association). It encourages the women to work together, communicate with each other, and realize that things are possible if they all help and support one another. Following the activities, I taught the women how to fold a flower box. Then I taught them how to fold little stars to put in their newly made flower box. I presume the women here all have hardship, wishes, and hopes - so with each star, I told them to write down there wishes and hopefully it will come true. We joked around a lot, laughed throughout the session - they all said today's lesson was very fun and very engaging. I'd like to note that throughout the class session, I would do my best to teach them English whenever appropriate, such as: stars, thank you, one, two, etc. The women here are quick learner and are very eager to learn new things! I'm sure we'll have more fun classes in the future.

After class, I now have a new name, Thay Vinh (Teacher Vinh). It really is too much right?

Right now (around 1PM) we just ate lunch and the women are resting/relaxing. At 3pm they will attend another class (conducted by another staff), follow by dinner (at 6pm), and then our traditional game of volleyball at night.

The days are slipping by very quickly so I'm doing my best to cherish the moments I have here at that shelter. I've adjusted to the sleeping cycle here (no more jet lag) but occasionally wake up at 3am for no apparent reason.

Life is good here in Taipei! I look forward to tomorrow!

P.S. It's hot and thundering everywhere!

P.S.S. And Vi (Vanessa) - the staff and women here at the shelter said "Hi"! They told me your Vietnamese was very soft and cute! Haha! Come back and visit them! ;-)

2007-08-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to post this entry a long time ago, but my laptop and internet connection had problems. Here's an entry that I wanted to post since Day One of my Internship!

Ni Hau Ma from Taipei!

Obviously if you are reading this entry, it can only mean one thing - I made it safe and sound to Taipei. It was a long 13 hour flight until I finally got to TPE airport at around 11pm and settled down at the apartment around midnight. My room is very cozy and comfy. It has the traditional Japanese sliding door that reminds me very much of the room from “The Grudge”. It's equipped with a water fan (I would die without this) and the place I sleep is right next to the window, hopefully to capture in the humid breeze at night time. Its 84 degree and humid, but it's actually not as bad as I had imagined. My summer trip to Vietnam many years ago was much worse. So the condition here is manageable. I'm slowly getting adjusted to the sleep cycle over here. I believed I only slept 4 hours last night with 3-5 sudden interruptions. I'm typing this during the evening over here, which is about 1-2am in the U.S. – so I'm VERY sleepy right now.

It's currently Day One of my internship and my very first assignment was to visit a Male Detention Center / MDC (another shelter approximately 15 minutes or so away from the place I’m currently interning). The MDC is where our Vietnamese brothers (ages ranged from the early twenties to the forties) are held captive due to illegal immigration, job bribery, and many other reasons. It was so surreal to be inches away from them because I usually hear stories like these through the newspapers and from the internet. As Cha Hung and a Case Worker (Chi Mai) interviewed the men individually, I cannot help, but sympathize with their situation and wished that there was something I can do.

I mainly stood by Cha Hung's side and listened to the stories. As soon as Cha Hung left for something, I had a chance to talk to the men. Nobody knew that I was Vietnamese (they thought I was Taiwanese) and they were shocked when I started asking them questions in Vietnamese. They were fairly young men(my age in their early twenties) and that's what probably broke the ice between us. I really felt like I was either speaking to one of my cousins or uncles from Vietnam.

One of the things I've learned is that the men stay at the center all day long and are only allowed outside twice a week. One guy personally requested that the next time I return (Cha Hung visit this place every Wednesday), that I bring them some Vietnamese reading material because they are very bored here. I wish I knew about this prior to leaving the U.S., because there are tons of Vietnamese reading materials down in east side San Diego and even some that I have laying around in my house. Now that I'm in Taiwan, I don't even know where to start looking for them. If YOU have any Vietnamese magazines, newspapers, books – anything that you think they will enjoy in order to kill time, please send them directly to Cha Hung's office and I will personally hand it to them at my next visit.

Well, I just had lunch with the staff and victims here at the shelter. This is my first meal with them so it's very awkward at first. I'm sure with time I'll be able to get to know each and everyone of them. I'd like to add that I'm having trouble remembering everyone's name, so I try to question and converse without using their name. It's quite mind-boggling!
Well, just thought I do an update on this blog while I wait for my evening meeting with Cha Hung.

2007-07-30T01:20:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Things have been crazy this past few weeks due to the whole "Passport Problem". Everything is settled now and I'm ready to finally depart for Taiwan. Many thanks to Lilly, Van, My Dung, Tammy, Vanessa, Chi My Nga, Cha Hung, and the rest of the VietACT family for your never-ending support and patience!

Those currently organizing the Conference, I hope things are going well with that. Hopefully we can secure 200-300 attendees as planned! I will constantly send out emails and reminders regarding this event! I unfortunately won't be able to come back in time (for the conference) to share my stories of the suffering and pain that our brothers and sisters are going through over in Taiwan. However, I will work with Cha Hung and the rest of the staff to see if we can produce an interview or something to send back over to the U.S. in time for the conference.

Well, I guess tonight is one last summer night in the U.S. I'll keep you all posted of my "safety" arrival in Taiwan as soon as I can! Until then...

This is Vinh signing OUT!

2007-07-13T23:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome Vinh!

I'm happy to see that the VietACT family and the internship program is growing. Here is some more information about the Human Trafficking Conference in August mentioned in Vinh's last post:

Human Trafficking Conference Announcement

In May of 2006, there was a Human Trafficking Conference in Washington, D.C. It was hosted by several local community organizations along with about 20 co-sponsoring organizations. VietACT, UNAVSA were participants in the conference. The 2^nd Human Trafficking Conference will be held in Little Saigon, California. Different from the previous conference, this conference will be a collaborative effort by several organizations interested in working on the issues of human trafficking of Vietnamese women, men, and children.

The Co-Organizers of this year’s Human Trafficking Conference are, VietACT, the Viet Nam Human Rights Network, all based in Southern California and the Vietnamese Voters Association based in Virginia. The co-sponsors of the conference are Chapman University as well as the American Association of University Women.

The purpose of this conference is to continue the efforts of public awareness with the general public, the youth, the media and elected officials. The conference also aims to educate the public about the problem of human trafficking from different angles, such as from the law enforcement, services for victims/survivors, and the problem of human trafficking in the context of human rights. Lastly, the conference will focus on coming up with a concrete plan of action to effectively fight against human trafficking.

The conference will consist of two parts. On August 24^th, there will be a Gala at the Anaheim Plaza Hotel from 6 o’clock pm to 10 o’clock pm. This fundraising gala will include dinner, entertainment and fundraising efforts in conjunction with a program that will highlight the issue of human trafficking. The one day conference will be held on August 25^th at Chapman University in Orange County. The purpose of this conference is to continue the efforts of public awareness with the general public, the youth, the media and elected officials.

For more information or if you would like to become a co-sponsor, please contact:

Cuong Nguyen at 714-724-7799

Tammy Tran at thientam@vietact.org

Van Le at vanle@vietact.org/720-934-3914

Vanessa Nguyen at nessanguyen@yahoo.com

Tram Ton at tramiton@gmail.com

Hội Thảo về Tệ Nạn Buôn Người

Vào tháng Năm 2006, một cuộc Hội Thảo về Tệ Nạn Buôn Người đã được tổ chức ở Hoa Thịnh Đốn. Các tổ chức cộng đồng địa phương cùng với khỏang 20 tổ chức đồng bảo trợ đã đứng ra thực hiện. VietACT, UNAVSA là những tổ chức tham dự vào cuộc hội thảo này. Cuộc hội thảo lần thứ hai sẽ được tổ chức ở vùng Little Saigon, California. Khác với kỳ hội thảo trước, kỳ hội thảo này là một cố gắng chung của những tổ chức quan tâm làm việc trên những vấn đề buôn bán phụ nữ, nô lệ lao động nam nhân và trẻ em.

Đồng tổ chức cuộc Hội Thảo về Tệ Nạn Buôn Người năm nay gồm có VietACT, Mạng Lưới Nhân Quyền Việt Nam, hai tổ chức này ở Nam California và Vietnamese Voters Association ở Virginia. Đồng bảo trợ cuộc hội thảo gồm có Chapman University và American Association of University Women.

Mục đích của cuộc hội thảo là để tiếp tục đánh động dư luận quần chúng, giới trẻ, giới truyền thông và các giới chức dân cử. Cuộc hội thảo cũng nhằm mục đích đem sự hiểu biết đến quần chúng về tệ nạn buôn người được nhìn từ những góc nhìn khác nhau, như từ sự áp dụng luật pháp, giúp đỡ nạn nhân/người sống sót, và tệ nạn buôn người trong ý nghĩa của nhân quyền. Cuối cùng, cuộc hội thảo sẽ hướng đến việc đưa ra một kế họach hành động cụ thể để chống trả lại một cách có hiệu quả về tệ nạn buôn người.

Cuộc hội thảo sẽ gồm có hai phần. Ngày 24/8/2007 sẽ có một buổi tiệc ở Anaheim Plaza Hotel từ 6:00PM đến 10:00PM. Buổi tiệc gây quỹ này sẽ gồm có cơm chiều, văn nghệ và gây quỹ được liên kết với phần trình bày về tệ nạn buôn người. Một ngày hội thảo sẽ được tổ chức vào 25/8/2007 ở Chapman University, Quận Cam. Mục đích của cuộc hội thảo là để tiếp tục đánh động dư luận quần chúng, giới trẻ, giới truyền thông và các giới chức dân cử. Cuộc hội thảo cũng nhằm mục đích đem sự hiểu biết đến quần chúng về tệ nạn buôn người được nhìn từ những góc nhìn khác nhau, như từ sự áp dụng luật pháp, giúp đỡ nạn nhân/người sống sót, và tệ nạn buôn người trong ý nghĩa của nhân quyền. Cuối cùng, cuộc hội thảo sẽ hướng đến việc đưa ra một kế họach hành động cụ thể để chống trả lại một cách có hiệu quả về tệ nạn buôn người.

Muốn biết thêm chi tiết hoặc muốn trở thành người đồng bảo trợ, xin tiếp xúc:

Cuong Nguyen số 714-724-7799

Tammy Tran tại thientam@vietact.org

Van Le tại vanle@vietact.org/720-934-3914

Vanessa Nguyen tại nessanguyen@yahoo.com

Tram Ton tại tramiton@gmail.com

2007-07-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

This is Anthony Nguyen (or Vinh) and I am honored to serve as one of two VietACT Interns for the summer of 2007. I’m a recent graduate from San Diego State University (SDSU- Go Aztecs!) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. I got involved with VietACT after learning about human trafficking during a San Diego community event in 2004. Months later, I was introduced to Tammy during a UVSA meeting and since then, have serve VietACT as an active member and currently- the Region Representative for San Diego.

As the week dwindles down, the realization that I’ll be heading to Taiwan to work with our victimized brothers and sisters is still surreal. However, after spending one last summer dinner with friends, visiting close relativities, and soon- one last summer mass with the family… it HIT me. Taiwan awaits and it’s time to put my passion into action.

Like most of you- I’ve watched the documentaries, read the memoirs, and have seen the photos. But to be in the scene and environment of this global reality is truly something I know I can never forget. I hope to come away from this experience with an even stronger passion to hopefully motivate and encourage others to do something about human trafficking. Whether it’s to be self educated about the situation, coordinate an awareness event, or join VietACT. Remember, “The only thing necessary for evil to flourish if for good men to do nothing” – Edmund Burke.

With regards to my work in Taiwan, I’ve been assigned to work with the Microsoft Access Program to categorize and analyze over 700+ cases of human trafficking victims. Upon completion of this assignment, I hope to leave TaiwanACT (and VietACT) with useful information about the victims of human trafficking. On weekends, Cha Hung and I will be meeting with Taiwan Officials and other NGOs to hopefully network, collaborate, and perhaps work on further awareness and legislative initiatives on human trafficking. In getting to know the victims better, I will be running weekly “Arts and Crafts” classes, therefore, if any of you have old art supplies, please send them directly to the office.

Following this internship, I will be heading to Washington D.C. (in the fall) to intern for the U.S. Department of State. Hopefully we (VietACT) can utilize this opportunity to execute some political action with regards to human trafficking. Perhaps this will be a good time to reveal our signature campaign to congress? Finally, I’ll be heading back to school to get my Master’s Degree in International Affairs/Relations and we’ll see where this will lead me. If there’s anything else you want to know about me, please feel free to email me!

Please visit this blog and message me every now and then, as I will do my best to update this frequently. It would be nice to hear from home – VSAers, SDSUers, Viet ACTor & ACTresses, and “the Gangs” (you know who you are) – I’ll be waiting for your messages!!!

Lastly, hopefully the conference planning is going well. Sorry I can’t be there to directly help out with that- but will do whatever I can overseas (e.g. PR!!!). Three days and counting… but until then- guess I better start packing??? O_O

2006-12-10T00:50:00.000-08:00

VietACT's 2006 Human Rights Night was a great success! I'm exhausted and I need to get sleep before our board of directors meeting tomorrow so I will keep this short (or as brief as possible, we all know that I'm super wordy).

I've been making several appearances on Vietnamese television and radio and a few questions keep on coming up. Especially, 1. what stories have you heard from the victims/survivors in Taiwan have changed you? and 2. now that you're back home in Orange County, CA, how do you see yourself still helping those victims/survivors? Sometimes I feel that I'm not yet fully prepared to talk about the stories and particular persons who truly touched my heart and made me question my own existence, question the world we live in, the politics involved, and basically the human emotions that drive people to do bad, that drive people to do desperate things, and more importantly, what drives people to do good. Some of the emotions and stories I heard and came across this past summer are still fresh, are still very intense, and I am still digesting and taking my time to try to find a way to recount the stories of my Vietnamese sisters and brothers in Taiwan in a way that does them justice. For now, all I can say is that I was truly inspired by their courage. This leads to the second question: what now? And ladies and gentlemen, Human Rights Night was the perfect answer.

100+ citizens from our community braved cold weather (and even rain!) to join VietACT for Human Rights Night. We managed to teleconference with dissidents in Viet Nam and their testimonies, their hopes, their message to our community moved me to tears. We had support from the young, the twenty-something year olds, politicians, the wise elders of our community (and even a few canine guests!) The week before I left Taiwan, I spent a majority of the nights crying in bed. I didn't know how to say good-bye to the friends I had made, to the family of survivors who adopted me and fed me and taught me Vietnamese. I also didn't know what could be done for their sake, to bring them justice, to vindicate the suffering they have gone through. Tonight, I felt like I was part of something that was doing something for the human trafficking survivors, I felt a strong sense of justice and a strong sense solidarity and pride. I almost cried several times tonight. But these tears were different from the ones I cried in Taiwan. When you see a dream of yours come true, when you realize that you are making the dreams of those less fortunate come true, when you realize that you are part of something meaningful, you can't help but cry.

Before I left Taiwan, several of the survivors came to me and told me, "I don't think we will ever see each other again but I want you to know that you've touched my heart." Tonight, as I looked out to the crowd of those gathered at Human Rights Night, I saw the faces of my Vietnamese brothers and sisters and it touched my heart. We are all courageous, those who survived trafficking, those who survived war, those who survived adversary, those who have overcome fear.

Be not afraid, be the change. Do not hesitate to be something great in our community and something great for our community.

2006-07-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a letter I wrote before I came to Taiwan (it was a letter I read to VietACT Walk Against Trafficking Participants):

Dear my Vietnamese sister and brother, one whose face I have not yet seen, whose story is not mine but whose pain I share,

When I first heard stories about you feeling helpless, defenseless, and hopeless, I promised myself that I would make my life meaningful by giving you an advocate, a voice, a friend. Although we might be separated by oceans, state borders, or walls, the fact that this is happening to you, my Vietnamese sister, my Vietnamese brother, makes your anguish mine. The fact that our community has been called on to do something for you makes your struggle ours. Dear sister, brother, the next time I hear your story, I promise you that you will be able to tell me your story in person. I promise to be your voice, advocate, and friend. I promise to give you hope, I promise that you will be defended, I promise to help. Dear sister, brother, I pledge to you that the pain we have will become a love we share.

My message to Cha Hung, TaiwanACT and gia dinh (my family here in Taiwan): Thank you, everyone, for sharing your stories with me and leaving a deep and profound impact on my life. I promise to keep my pledge to you - to be your voice and advocate when I get back to the States and thank you for being my friend and a source of affection and inspiration during my two months in Taiwan. I will never forget the faces I've met, the stories I have heard, and most importantly, the love we shared. I will cherish my memories of the office and all my friends and hope you have faith in knowing that our experiences here have left a lasting impression on my heart.

God bless,
Vi-vi

2006-07-19T03:47:00.000-07:00

It was a super hot and super quiet day at work. I found Cha Hung laying on the floor with his arms sprawled out. He had his eyes closed. I went, "Cha Hung! Are you okay?" He peered at me with one eye open, the other eye closed and said, "Oh, I'm just really tired."

I wish a bad day at the office meant that the internet is down, the air conditioner doesn't work, and everyone is cranky. The truth is: the internet is down, the air conditioner doesn't work, everyone is cranky and then there's the added stress of dealing with the victims. It has been, undoubtedly, a bad day at work and my emotions are haywire.

When someone asked what I'm going to be doing when I get back to the States, I told her my plans, hopes, and what I plan on taking from Taiwan back with me. She told me that she was touched. I hope the people at home will be too.

"If you take a look around, everyone one of us, you, me, people home in the States, we are the faces of human trafficking."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because we are all hurt by it."

2006-07-18T02:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my lovely friends in the States and the care package they sent me with 18 pairs of two-tone socks, I was able to teach the ladies how to make sock monkeys implementing key words we've learned in our weekly English classes such as "monkey" "head" and "eye"

I went out and bought oil pastels, watercolors, poster paint and paper during the week we learned colors and emotions ("I miss Viet Nam").

One of my favorite students drew this and implemented phrases she learned in class:

Here are some brokers eating up all the money:

Here is a pastel I drew of Cha Hung:

2006-07-07T04:14:00.000-07:00

This week has been emotionally trying. Several notable things happened: a stray dog showed up at the shelter, some brokers showed up (equally as uninvited yet a lot less pleasant than the dog), and we made a trip to Taiwan's Legail Aid Foundation.

"Can we keep her? Pretty please! Please Cha Hung, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaase!"

A black labrador retreiver showed up at the shelter. She made herself at home and climbed up the stairs and into the office while we were all busy working/cooking. At first Cha Hung told us to take her out but she kept on following us back in the gate and we couldn't say good-bye to her so we made her stay downstairs. When I started my English lesson, she climbed up the stairs and crashed my class so the ladies and I let her sleep under our table and next to a fan. We named her "Puppy" but by the time I showed up at the shelter the next day, she was gone. I miss her but I'm starting to get used to sorrowful good-bye's. I've been keeping myself up at night wondering what I will be able to say the day I need to leave the family I've made here. Surely, I won't just run through the gate in the morning without even a bark good-bye (much like what Puppy did).

A few uninvited brokers showed up at the office and there was a heated argument at the gate. I don't know how much I can say about the argument and why they showed up here but all I have to say is that brokers are a different breed of people. What's worst is that they use Vietnamese people to interpret for them and why these Vietnamese people think it's okay to abuse the political and legal system, manipulate words, and worst, to abuse other Vietnamese people is beyond me. I hope to be able to elaborate more on this in the near future.

Lastly, Cha Hung, Chen Chen (TaiwanACT's intern) and I went to Taipei today to go to the Taiwan Legal Aid Foundation's second anniversary. It's amazing that there is a Legal Aid Foundation (LAF) and even more amazing that Cha Hung sits on the Board of Directors but since this is only the second year they've been in operation and only a few lawyers actually volunteer for LAF, there's still a lot more that can be done. I am always interested in hearing about the legal processes of other countries and even more curious about why people choose to study law/become lawyers. Needless to say, I am always more disappointed to hear that people only want to be lawyers to make money. I don't know how it's going to be when I come back to "money-grubbin' Chapman" (or so an undisclosed law professors called it); this experience in Taiwan has made me completely rethink how I am going to approach my last year in law school and my law career in general.

I am constantly being asked, "You're from America? Why are you here?" Ever since the day those brokers and Vietnamese interpreters came, it has become quite clear why I am here. I tell people that I live a pretty privileged life in America, I have had the opportunity to study law and equip myself with pretty powerful knowledge, and more importantly, I have been blessed with friends and an amazing Vietnamese community that is highly conscious of what's happening to Vietnamese people world-wide. I am here because people like those brokers exist. I told the office staff here, "I wonder what that Vietnamese broker/interpreter thinks about before going to bed tonight. I wonder if she remembers she is Vietnamese too. More importantly, I wonder if she realizes that the person her company abused was Vietnamese also."

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke

2006-06-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

"She came in through the bathroom window..."

So a snake climbed in through the bathroom window at the VMWBO office last night (mind you the snake had to make its way up to the second story). So what did the women at the shelter do? They smashed in its head and made porridge with it. And then Cha Hung ate the snake's heart (this might a rumor but it was neither refuted or affirmed by Cha Hung who simply shrugged).

Chi My Nga, if you're reading this, I hope you and your family made it to the States safely! You too Cha Cuong! We dropped off one of the sister's at the airport this morning and it was a tearful good-bye. I had a heart-to-heart with Cha Hung earlier this week and it has changed how I view my job here in Taiwan and the work that Cha Hung and the socials workers here have cut out for them. At the airport one of the social workers pointed out the brokers over here in Taiwan and I agree with the office when they tell Cha Hung to get some life insurance! Those are some scary people.

I will write more when I am not so sleepy (from waking up at 5 AM); I just wanted to post to make sure everyone knew I was still alive over here.

2006-06-20T22:03:00.000-07:00

Cha Hung returned yesterday evening which means the office has been very excited (especially excited about the Swiss chocolates he brought us). The night before Cha Hung returned, a few of the girls and I stayed at the office until 1 AM watching World Cup with Cha Cuong and anxiously waiting for Cha Hung's arrival. Needless to say he showed up 14 hours later. Cha Hung didn't tell us to pick him up from the airport so we have all been speculating as to how he got back to the office. Some of the staff at the office have interesting theories about Cha Hung having a girlfriend, but for a man with such a busy agenda, I doubt he has the time for that! I don't think anyone is more excited about Cha Hung's arrival than Cha Cuong who will be leaving us for the States in a week. Nonetheless, I was really excited to see Cha Hung again and congratulate him in person about his hero status in the latest Trafficking in Persons report.

Loc Nguyen wrote me an email asking if some of the women at the shelter wouldn't mind leaving a note or so on this VietACT intern blog. Well, that's a tricky question. Before I left for Taiwan, I gathered a few letters that participants wrote at the SoCal Walk Against Trafficking at one of the stations. My goal is to have the women at the shelter write reply letters to all the people who care about them by the time my English classes here come to an end. Today they learned "I like to eat (insert tropical fruit here). And you?" So unless Loc Nguyen and others are ready to respond with a fruit the Vietnamese women here are familiar with (try cherimoya, lychee, rambutan, etc.) a written response by one of the ladies here will have to wait until we master "Do you have a girlfriend/wife?" Are you ready to answer that question, Mr. Nguyen?!

On another note, because of the situation the women here have been placed in, emotions run rampant. I have been working on not letting the emotional outbursts and breakdowns get to me personally but it is hard because we are all human and it is never easy to see another person suffer. The atmosphere at the shelter is very unnatural and women of different ages, temperaments, backgrounds, maturity and varying degrees of abuse are forced to live with each other. Needless to say, some women are really strong and mixed with female tendencies of jealousy, manipulation and viciousness, sometimes I feel as if I am living in my own reality television show or a Vietnamese version of Mean Girls.

Sometimes I get disappointed because I can't stand watching people continue to put others through abuse after they, themselves, had suffered abuse (did that make sense?). But I really can't pass any judgment because I can't say that I wouldn't be the same way or do the same thing in their situation.

Anyway, this post was full of double negatives and I hope it didn't put a negative spin on the work that is being done over here. The important thing to focus on is, as Cha Hung put it after I congratulated him on being a hero, "There is still a lot of work to be done."

So I say, to hell with the drama and cheers to pursuing "superhero" status.

2006-06-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

It seems that the sisters here at the shelter have really started to take on me, and so have the mosquitoes. Everytime I get a mosquito bite it becomes a large welt and bruise and the talk of the office. The sisters and staff at the office have all offered their own suggestions as to how I should avoid the mosquitoes. Cha Cuong said I should set up a mosquito net in my room and sleep outside of the net because the mosquitoes will be too busy trying to get inside the net to bother the person sleeping outside of the net. It's this type of humor that goes on at the office that helps me get through the day and I am sure it's this type of humor that comforts the sisters enough to stay here at the shelter.

Since I've been here, I've seen several people come and go. Some of them go back to Viet Nam, some of them find jobs and leave, some of them run away from their jobs and employers and seek shelter here with us. There are mixed feelings about each situation. Some are happy to go back to Viet Nam because they're time here is up (under Taiwanese law, foreign workers can only work here for a maximum of three years) and they miss their families, especially their children. Some are unhappy because they do not want to go home to Viet Nam and their families "tay trang" (empty handed).

For the most part, everyone here is anxious. They have lawsuits which may or may not be successful and they are desperate for some sort of assurance that they will be able to send money home to their families in Viet Nam. This type of desperation has led some of the women here to think about running away before they are to be sent back to Viet Nam and try to seek jobs illegally. This has made the office staff very anxious and I find myself staying up at night listening for the door at the shelter open and close, taking a mental count of all the sisters and making sure they all come home. I know that sometimes your heart wins over your mind and that fear may sometimes cloud reasoning. Thus, I can sympathize for the sisters who want to seek drastic and vulnerable measures such as running away from our shelter, but I have grown really attached to them in the short time that I've been here and do not want to see them abused anymore than they already have been by a system that has not taken sufficient means to protect them. I am talking about both the Taiwanese and Vietnamese government. By the way, the office has been celebrating ever since the 2006 Trafficking in Persons Report was released, we can't wait to get our hands on a hard copy!

When I first arrived here and was getting to know the women and men at the shelter, I noticed that everyone looked familiar. There was a man who looked exactly like my friend's older brother! I had to do a double take and found myself staring to make sure that this really wasn't someone I knew from the States. There are women who look exactly like my aunts and cousins and some speak mien Hue just like my mom. I came to the realization that human trafficking really is a crime that is happening to our brothers and sisters, to faces we know, to people who speak our language. However, now that I have gotten to know everyone on a personal level, I have started looking at human trafficking at the individual level. Now that I know their stories and their voices, I can recognize their chatter from a distance (they are loud!) and I am able to wish each person "chuc chi ngu ngon" (have a good night) as they walk through the door. I can then let out a sigh out of relief as each sister makes it home to the shelter safely.

P.S. Happy super belated birthday to Miss Tammy Tran (the hardest working woman in the world)! And a Happy Birthday to computer whiz Minh T. Nguyen.

2006-06-13T01:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

All is well in Taiwan, or as well as things can be in a country where the weather is unbearable and the issue of human trafficking is more than detestable. After two weeks here at the shelter and the Vietnamese Migrant Workers and Brides Office (VWMBO aka TaiwanACT), the women and men are getting used to me and have started opening up to me. They are very eager to talk about their children and even more eager to ask if I have children. Apparently, at twenty-two I am three years past my prime "getting married and raising children" age. Although the sisters here seem a bit jaded about their experiences with men, they put on a very strong front and Cha Cuong (Associate Executive Director here at VWMBO) has talked to me about how each person here as a personal and painful story. As I write this blog post, I can hear Cha Cuong give a lecture to the brothers and sisters here at the shelter on how to cope with anger and pain. As I enter my third week in Taiwan, I am touched by the support the VWMBO staff offer for the victims, I am motivated by the courage of all the men and women here at the shelter and I am grateful for VietACT for sending me here.

The TaiwanACT and I teach a total of four English language classes per week. Last week's English class involved numbers, money, and sightseeing which coincided with our weekend field trip to Taipei 101 (the world's largest building and fastest elevator). This week's English lesson involves the Food Pyramid and this weekend we will make keo dau phong (Vietnamese peanut brittle). We try our best to lighten the mood here at the shelter.

This past weekend, one of the sisters entered my room in the middle of the night and cried to me. This was the first time I actually saw how much pain these women are in. I did my best to console her but it was hard for me to express how I really felt. I struggled with my emotions and my limited Vietnamese vocabulary and told her to cheer up because she is in a much better place physically here at VWMBO and emotionally with all of the support Cha Hung, Cha Cuong, Chi My-Nga, and the rest of the staff here than where she was a few months ago. But what she said in response resonated with me for days: "Living in the here and now is difficult, but living for an uncertain future is worst." How can she avoid returning to Viet Nam "tay trang" (empty handed)?

I know that the VWMBO staff is working on her case here, but I have been thinking about what she said and realize that living for an uncertain future truly is worst. Thus, it is important to focus on prevention and public awareness.

With that said, the brothers and sisters here at the shelter and the staff at the VWMBO are deeply touched and grateful for all of the donations, dedication, and efforts of everyone who participated in the Relay Against Trafficking. Ever since I got here, I have been boasting about the numbers of participants, volunteers, and funds raised. Everybody here is very proud, I think the proudest person is me.