Lai Nguyen [LN], about 71 years of age, is a Katrina evacuee. She left VN in 1975 and it would take her three years before she’d set foot onto U.S. soil. She left VN as a single mom with three young children along with her other siblings [a brother and a sister]. The group escaped by boat and their boat was turned away by Singapore. Eventually, the group was taken in by a country [name unknown], and she arrived to New Orleans in 1978. After a few months in New Orleans [N.O.], LN moved to California for a while, but moved back to N.O. because she wanted to be closer to her brother. LN stated that she would evacuate from the storm every year, and this year was no different. She was able to evacuate in time, but her children were not as lucky. Much of LN’s descriptions of the storm are of her son’s ordeal. LN made plans to stay in Houston permanently because she felt that the city has the financial ability to help elders. LN also enjoyed the Vietnamese community in Houston.

[Note: the interview is in Vietnamese with very little English]