Inside Out and Back Again Audiobook Part 2
Floating. With no lights, cooking, or bathrooms, the send crawls forth the river. Passengers are supposed to severely limit their h2o intake, simply Hà struggles to comply. Female parent sighs, and Hà doesn't blame her. It tin't be like shooting fish in a barrel having a daughter who's constantly thirsty, and who constantly needs a bathroom. Hà figures other girls must exist made of bamboo, so they're flexible enough to bend and exercise what they're told. Mother tells Uncle Son that Hà needs a bathroom, and Hà is allowed to utilise the commander's cabin. It's white, clean, and "worth the embarrassment."
If the commander is telling people to limit their water intake, it implies that the transport's stores of fresh water might exist depression—this ship might not be equally rubber as Mother hoped information technology would be. For Hà, though, the real conflict here is that she doesn't feel like she fits into the mold she'southward supposed to. She needs too much and wants too much to exist able to call back of herself as a practiced girl who can exercise exactly every bit she's told.
Southward-l-o-westward-50-y. Very slowly, Hà nibbles the concluding bit of cooked rice from her pack. It's hard and moldy on the outside, but inside it's nevertheless sweet and chewy. Hà has heard other people chewing, but she'southward never seen anyone eating. She can odor sardines, salted eggs, and toasted sesame. Simply when Hà leans toward the family unit on the next mat over, Mother shakes her caput and sadly pats Hà's hand.
Information technology'due south difficult for Hà to sympathize why people aren't sharing whatever provisions they might have. In her heed, it makes sense that everyone should share—that fashion, nobody volition go hungry, and she won't have to eat moldy rice. But Mother seems to believe this would exist impolite, so she stops Hà from asking to share.
Rations. It's now May 3, and Hà has been at bounding main for iii days. Finally, the transport hits the sea and heads for Thailand. The commander gives the okay for his men to cook and for people to go above deck for a piddling fleck. He says they have enough rations for three weeks, but they should be rescued sooner. Supposedly, ships from all over the world are out looking for them. Three times a twenty-four hours, each rider gets a clump of rice and a cup of h2o. When Hà takes her first seize with teeth of rice, the taste makes her imagine what ripe papaya tastes similar, even though the ii foods have nothing to do with each other.
At present that the transport isn't on the river anymore (and therefore isn't close to land, where the Communists might be able to accept information technology), the commander can relax some of the rules on the ship. Hà has but been away from abode for a couple of days, but already she's changing dramatically. The fresh rice causing her to think of ripe papaya suggests that Hà is remembering the childish version of herself she left backside in Saigon. At this betoken, simply having fresh food brings up these memories.
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Routine. Mother won't permit children to be idle. After a week at sea, Brother Quang starts teaching English language lessons. Hà wishes he'd stick to simple, useful phrases, but when at that place'due south no adult watching, he tells kids that it's shameful to abandon their land and get where they'll be the everyman members of gild. Brother Vū's afternoon lessons are better, because he walks kids through kicks and punches. Brother Khôi monitors the bathroom lines; using the bathroom on the send means hanging one'south bottom over the edge with a blanket for privacy.
Everyone, it seems, is processing the experience of fleeing Saigon, but in very dissimilar ways. Brother Quang, for one, is fixating on the shame he feels about leaving. Mother and Brother Vū, on the other manus, seem to be trying to move forwards and brand practice with what they accept. Since Hà is so annoyed with Brother Quang, she'd seemingly adopt to take Mother's approach and not fixate on the past.
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Mother insists that when Hà isn't in grade, she stay within eyesight—which makes Hà feel similar a babe. Eventually, Mother gives Hà a writing pad and tells her to write small. When writing gets boring, Hà draws over what she's written. She draws shredded kokosnoot, corn on the cob, fried dough, pineapple wedges, and papaya cubes. Mother smooths Hà's hair. She understands how painful it is to be stranded on a ship without any yummy snacks.
Hà has very footling agency on the ship, which is frustrating for her. She had a lot of freedom at abode, and beingness forced to stay and then shut to Female parent makes her feel infantilized. As Hà draws diverse snacks, it becomes articulate that these foods bring her a lot of condolement. These sweet foods make Hà feel at home—and moreover, these were the sorts of things Hà bought in the market, without anyone knowing. And then, drawing these foods is a way to call back the independence she's lost.
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In one case Knew. It'due south now May 12. With and then much water everywhere, Hà starts to think that state is merely something she in one case knew. She also one time knew what it was like to nap in a hammock, laugh for no reason, and habiliment clean pajamas dried in the sun.
Hà had to leave her beloved hammock behind—now, napping in it seems more like a dream than an actual retention. It'southward been several weeks at sea now, with no end in sight, and Hà is longing for the carefree innocence she enjoyed back in South Vietnam.
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Brother Khôi's Hush-hush. Nobody tin can ignore now that Blood brother Khôi stinks. He insists on wearing a jacket that makes him sweat, and he wraps it around his waist when he has to breast-stroke with a sponge. He clutches the left pocket, which seems to be the smelliest part. Shortly, neighbors viii mats away mutter. They say that people smell enough in this rut, and they don't want to also aroma something rotten. Finally, Brother Vū forces Brother Khôi'due south manus open. In Brother Khôi's hand is the flat chick, its neck dangling. Brother Khôi screams and kicks every bit Brother Quang carries him above deck.
Hà wasn't able to bring her beloved papaya tree with her, but Brother Khôi tried his hardest to bring his chick with him. That Brother Khôi kept his chick for weeks—even though the chick has probable been dead for a while, given the smell—speaks to how traumatizing leaving Saigon was for him. For Brother Khôi, the chick represented his life in Saigon, where he was happy—and at present that he's been found out, he has to requite upwardly the idea that not much is going to modify.
Last Respects. Hà has now been at ocean two weeks. The commander calls everyone in a higher place deck to formally lower the South Vietnamese flag, since the land no longer exists. A woman tries to throw herself overboard, insisting she tin can't live without her country. Another man stabs his heart with a toothbrush. To Hà, those people's hurting doesn't seem real next to Brother Khôi'southward grief over his lost chick. Hà takes Brother Khôi's paw and leads him to the back of the ship. There, she opens a white handkerchief to reveal Brother Khôi's chick in her doll's artillery. Hà ties the bundle and tosses it into the sea. Information technology makes Brother Khôi smile, only Hà misses her doll immediately.
People clearly felt a huge amount of loyalty to South Vietnam—the state was a major part of their identity, and now it's gone. And though Hà certainly loved her home, information technology's hard for her to grasp exactly how and why these other people are grieving when Brother Khôi'south pain feels so much more than attainable to her, as a young kid. And Hà demonstrates immense maturity when she helps Brother Khôi gain closure by sacrificing her doll in this ocean burial anniversary. Missing her doll instantly, though, suggests that while Hà is capable of this kind of maturity, she'due south too non fully prepare to grow up.
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I Engine. The ship stops in the centre of the night. Mother hugs Hà close and won't let her go. They're terrified: it'll be much worse if the Communists catch them now, than if they'd stayed home in the first place. After a while and a lot of shouting, the transport moves on with 1 engine. The commander explains that it was risky to have the river, and Thailand is a lot farther abroad with just one engine. Taking the river meant they escaped the bombs, just they missed rescue ships. Because of this, the commander reduces rations to a one-half clump of rice morning and nighttime, and one cup of water per twenty-four hour period. He warns passengers non to waste strength—there's no way to know how long they'll exist here.
To take Hà's narration at face value, things start to go downhill suddenly. But this may reflect that she'due south a child who can't fully comprehend with what'due south going on in the wider world—and she'south been busy with Brother Khôi, afterwards all. The send's prospects take potentially been poor for some time. For Female parent, the send'southward engine stopping is a horrifying reminder of what might happen if her family'south escape attempt isn't successful: they may all lose their lives if they're caught.
The Moon. During the day, men and children wander effectually the deck. Just at night, the deck belongs to women. They form lines to have sponge baths and employ the bathrooms. Hà always stands with Mother, and every night, Female parent points to the moon and observes that it hasn't changed. She suggests that Male parent could be looking at the same moon. He might already know that they'll wait for him. Hà feels guilty—she hasn't thought of Father once. She doesn't want to hope that he'll appear when she doesn't know where they'll end up.
Thinking about Father seems to comfort Female parent. Imagining him elsewhere, staring at the same moon, helps her feel secure and as though she's doing the right affair. But for Hà, there are other things that are much more pressing—like surviving more by and large, and dealing with her boredom and hunger on the ship. Her father's memory is important, only in this context, it'south not comforting.
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A Kiss. The transport's horn blows and wakes everyone upwards. Passengers hear a nearby honk in return, so everyone runs to the deck. There's a huge American send nearby, with men in white uniforms waving and grinning. The commander of Hà'southward ship is now in his fancy navy uniform, and Hà realizes why she likes him: in uniform, he looks like Father. The commander boards the other transport and greets a man with fiery crimson hair. Hà had no idea information technology was possible to have pilus that color.
Encountering this send is Hà's first encounter with Americans and American culture. Being surprised at the man's pilus colour foreshadows that as Hà learns more near the U.South. and other people in the world, she's going to accept a number of surprising experiences. For now, she greets this man with curiosity and wonder—this is still new and exciting.
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Passengers handclapping as the ships depict so close together that they await like they're kissing. Sailors pass boxes to Hà'south ship. They contain nutrient: fruit, bubbly drinks, and chocolate drops. Then, the American ship tows Hà's ship with a massive steel rope. The passengers on Hà's ship begin to celebrate. Suddenly, ramen noodles, stale shrimp, tamarind pods, and lots of real h2o appear. Female parent sighs; why will people merely share when they know they're non going to become hungry anymore? That dark, Hà pours fresh water all over her skin. The water tastes sweet, even when it's soapy.
Once more, Hà's main focus as the boxes are passed over is describing the food, both American and Vietnamese in this case. The food and the sweet water are what make Hà feel hopeful and happy again. And though she observes Mother's sigh and makes note of what Mother says, she seems to laissez passer over it without judgment or consideration. The food and her freshwater bath are far more compelling to Hà than thinking about human nature.
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Golden Fuzz. When a black dot appears in the distance, Hà and the other passengers are instructed to pack their bags and line upwardly. Groups of xx board a motorboat and caput for the dot. When information technology's Hà'southward turn, a fuzzy arm reaches out to help her board. Hà touches the fuzz and and so plucks a hair. Mother slaps Hà'south mitt, and Brother Quang says something fast in some other language, just the fuzzy man laughs. The rocking boat means that Mother is likewise seasick to scold Hà. Hà holds tight to her souvenir hair and smiles.
Hà's perspective as an young and somewhat selfish kid shines through hither: she'southward curious nigh this "fuzzy" human, and his arm pilus seems to be correct there for the taking, so she plucks a hair without thinking. She does so out of curiosity rather than malice, and fortunately for her, the man seems unconcerned and even amused by her beliefs. Hà, this shows, greets new experiences with curiosity rather than prejudgment.
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Tent City. Hà and the other passengers are now on an isle called Guam. Nobody except Brother Quang tin can pronounce the isle's proper name. There were lots of people here before Hà and her family arrived. They all alive in tents and sleep on cots. Brother Vū quickly becomes caput chef and heats upwardly canned beef and potatoes, which tastes similar salty vomit. The but fruit available is canned, and everyone wants more their allotted loving cup. Somehow, Brother Vū manages to bring a large can home to use equally a paw weight. The family eats fruit out of the can while Hà keeps an centre out for fresh cherries or grapes.
The "salty vomit" food that Hà has to eat in Guam makes the island feel even less like home. And Hà's tone as she talks virtually looking for fresh fruit implies that this is a futile search; she'due south non going to find whatever fresh fruit but is mayhap doing it out of habit and to try to find one matter that will make her happier here. Brother Vū, withal, seems to discover his identify apace as he becomes caput chef. His love of cooking allows him to fit in wherever he encounters food that needs to exist prepared.
Life in Waiting. Everyone on the island soon falls into a routine. During the solar day, camp workers teach English. People have evenings to themselves. They show movies outdoors, and Brother Quang translates for viewers. People love watching Clint Eastwood cowboy movies, but if the chief cowboy is someone similar John Wayne, well-nigh people become swimming instead. Girls flock to lookout Disney cartoons, and they environment Brother Vū besides. Hà listens to the girls beg Brother Vū to pause more wood every bit she goes to sit down with Blood brother Khôi. He doesn't speak much anymore, but Hà is happy to sit with him. This routine persists through June and July.
Sitting quietly and keeping Brother Khôi company is some other way that Hà demonstrates her growing maturity and her honey for her family. She'south happy watching her other brothers find their niches in Guam, but she realizes that Brother Khôi just needs someone to remind him he isn't solitary. Brother Khôi is however recovering from the trauma of leaving Saigon and of losing his chick, so finding customs in Guam isn't possible for him yet.
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Nuoc Mam. Whoever sent fish sauce to Guam deserves a kiss. The fish sauce, nuoc mam, makes everything edible. Brother Vū puts information technology on the beef and potatoes and the food lines serpent all the way to the embankment. When someone catches a puffy sea brute, Brother Vū slices it up and stews it with seaweed and nuoc mam. People are happy with even only rice covered in fish sauce, and others begin to cook for themselves if they can get a cup. Since Blood brother Vū easily the fish sauce out in teacups, Hà once takes a gulp of fish sauce thinking it's tea. Fifty-fifty though her breath smells for days, she doesn't care.
The fish sauce represents a welcome taste of home not just for Hà, just seemingly for all the Vietnamese refugees currently in Guam. It seems capable of making annihilation edible—even the "salty vomit" meals of beefiness and potatoes—by making information technology taste more than like the Vietnamese fare that the refugees are used to. The fact that Hà doesn't even heed her fishy breath after accidentally drinking it speaks to how homesick she is, as even this seems to remind her of home.
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Amethyst Ring. Mother wants to sell the amethyst ring that Father brought her from America, where he trained in the navy, and buy needles, thread, and sandals. Hà has never seen Female parent without the ring, and she has to twirl information technology around Mother's finger every night in lodge to fall asleep. Brother Quang refuses to sell information technology—there'south no point in new shirts or sandals if Mother "loses the / last tangible remnant of dearest." Hà doesn't fully empathise what Brother Quang means, just she agrees with him anyway.
Mother wants to be applied: she needs sewing supplies so she can clothe her family, and selling the ring would be an like shooting fish in a barrel manner to practise this. But selling the ring would create a crisis for her children. Hà has her ain rituals that include the ring (spinning it at dark), and Blood brother Quang sees the ring as an essential mode for everyone in the family to remember Father and his beloved for Mother.
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Choose. Some people choose to go to France, where many Vietnamese went years agone when North and South divided. Uncle Son encourages Female parent to come with him to Canada to exist with his sister. Knowing that Uncle Son's wife won't like this, Female parent insists Canada is also common cold. It's July 4, America'southward birthday, and every family has to decide by tonight where they're going. Just as Female parent starts to write "Paris," a man whispers that she should choose America. There are opportunities, he says, for families with boys able to work. When Mother says her sons need to become to higher, the man says America will give the boys scholarships. Female parent makes her pick.
France colonized Vietnam in the mid-1800s, and Vietnam split into North and South definitively in 1954. Then, because of Vietnam's history equally a French colony, many Vietnamese people immigrated to France at this fourth dimension. Considering of this, France at first seems like a proficient selection for Female parent. Only this human being convinces Mother that life volition be meliorate for her family if she chooses to go to the U.S. instead. Mother's priorities become articulate here when she insists that her sons get to college: she wants her children to exist educated, and she'll go wherever will make that possible.
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Another Tent City. Hà and her family fly to some other tent city in Florida. At that place, the organizers bring in famous singers from Saigon, just this doesn't keep people from worrying. In order for a family to go out the camp, an American has to sponsor them. Mother says that a "possible widow" with three sons and a "pouty daughter" is just too big of a family unit for Americans. As Hà watches neighboring families leave for Georgia and Due south Carolina, Female parent grows anxious and Brother Quang picks at his skin. Hà doesn't mind information technology here. She finally has long hair, and she'south strong and tanned after running and swimming. So, Female parent discovers that sponsors prefer families who are Christian. She amends the family'southward faith on their application, insisting that all belief systems are much the same.
During the weeks that Hà's family spends in this tent city, Hà has to confront for the start time that her family might not look as perfect to others as information technology does to her. Just she also doesn't seem to dwell as well much on this—the campsite in Florida offers her even more than opportunities to play, and it's nice to finally have long hair she'southward always dreamed of having. The camp, in other words, gives Hà the freedom she's craved for some time. Past changing the family's religious designation to Christian, Mother is already offset to compromise her family unit's civilisation and traditions to wait more highly-seasoned (and, perhaps, less threatening) to Americans.
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Alabama. A man comes to the tent city in early Baronial. He sells cars and wants to railroad train a young man as a mechanic. The homo picks Brother Quang, every bit he's impressed with Brother Quang's applied science education. Mother doesn't care—presently, the entire family unit is sponsored and volition be going to Alabama.
To Mother, not much matters bated from the fact that her family is finally getting to get out the tent city and settle into their new habitation. She's ready to begin their new life, not live in the tent city, where they can only wait for someone to make up one's mind to aid them.
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Our Cowboy. To Hà, the sponsor "looks simply like / an American should." He'due south tall, with a large belly, cowboy lid, and cowboy boots. He smokes cigars and has a reddish confront. She loves him instantly. She figures he's kind, loud, and owns a equus caballus.
The sponsor is exciting for Hà, as he seems to ostend that the U.S. is full of loud, big-hearted cowboys. Information technology's incommunicable to tell if Hà is right to assume her sponsor is an bodily cowboy since he sells cars; information technology may be that she'south merely seeing what she wants to run into.
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