Step back in time to rural Vietnam in the 1960s, and meet Bay, a resilient young woman navigating the complexities of war and love. This heartwarming tale explores themes of family, cultural differences, and the unexpected paths life can take, set against a backdrop of historical turmoil. A story of curiosity, courage, and finding your own way, 'Bay's Journey' will captivate readers with its poignant characters and evocative setting.
Bay, a young woman of sixteen, stood amidst the ruins of her family's tapioca farm. The once vibrant fields were now barren, destroyed by Agent Orange. Her father's absence and the loss of their livelihood cast a shadow over her future. Determined to provide for her family, she knew she had to find work.
She sought employment at the nearby US military base, a world away from her rural life. Bay started filling sandbags, her small hands working tirelessly under the hot sun. The bustling base, with its foreign faces and strange machines, was both intimidating and fascinating. The new life required her to be strong and resilient.
Bay eventually moved to the mess hall, then later to the living quarters. She became a 'hootch maid,' cleaning the soldiers' rooms, washing their clothes, and polishing their boots. One day, she met Bob, an American soldier, and a sense of connection started developing between them. Though they spoke different languages, they shared smiles and gestures.
Bob, with a smile, suggested they try being pen pals with his younger brother. They attempted writing letters, but the correspondence didn’t flourish. Yet, their bond grew stronger. One evening, Bob surprised Bay with a proposal of marriage, something that seemed very foreign to her. She was intrigued by it all.
Intrigued by the unexpected proposal, and curious about this new experience, Bay agreed to consider it. The military required numerous documents for the marriage, sending her on a quest. She secured the necessary papers more out of curiosity than genuine romantic interest, a skeptical observer of her own life's turn.
Finally, after gathering the documents, the military approved their marriage. The wedding was set. Bay, once a young girl working on her family farm, was now preparing to become an American soldier's wife. It was a journey of curiosity, resilience, and an unexpected love story set against a backdrop of war.
My target audience is young adults age 18 to 35. For illustrations my preference it images that reflect the 1960s and 1970s in rural Vietnam. The plot is a simple one. A young Vietnamese girl, Bay, the girl in the picture, is about 16. She has to seek work outside the family to help provide for her family. Her father had died when she was just 12. The family tapioca farm, where she had been working, was completely wiped on one evening by Agent Orange. She found work at the nearby US military base, first filling sandbags, then helping in the mess hall and later as a hootch maid, cleaning the soldiers' quarters, doing their laundry and polishing their boots. While working as a hootch maid she met a black-haired American soldier named Bob who was four years her senior. She spoke very little English and he spoke even less Vietnamese, but they still developed a bit of a friendship. He seemed nice enough. He offered to help her become the pen pal of his brother who was 5 years younger than he. They tried a few letters, but that pen pal relationship never really took off. As time went on, the grew a little closer. In fact, she was really surprised when he said he wanted to marry her. That idea seemed very strange to her. But she is just naturally very curious. She decided to go along with the idea for two reasons. 1) she would she if he is serious, and 2) she had vowed earlier in her life that the traditional life as a Vietnamese wife with a Vietnamese husband was not for her. Anyway, for the military to grant the soldier permission to marry, many different documents were required. She was asked to go get various documents which she did…more out of curiosity than anything else. She had always be the skeptical sort and it was no different in this situation. She wondered of Bob was serious and if he would actually follow-through. Turns out he was serious and eventually all the paperwork was gathered and the military did indeed grant permission for him to marry her.
Hah_Gottem
Fadi Alhamra
Keyla Ek
Metkel Ghirmay
Kebra Pedley
Dhini Dwi
