AVHPA june mag.pub

Page 2
What is Hair Restore Advanced?
Hair Restore Advanced is an all natural formulation to help reduce hair loss, hair fall, thinning hair and the amount of greying hair.
Hair Restore Advanced helps hair loss in general. Whether the cause is stress, menopause, hormonal imbalances, side effect of a
disease state (autoimmune diseases), blood thinning medication, stress, hereditary.
We have customers that have reported successful results from using Hair Restore Advanced for their hair loss problems caused by:
Stress
Thyroid disease
Insufficient diet
Anticoagulants (eg. warfarin)
Chemotherapy
Hormonal imbalances
Anaemia
Autoimmune diseases
Menopause
Hair dye/harsh chemicals
Antidepressants
Pregnancy
Hereditary
Immunosuppressants
What are the active ingredients within Hair Restore Advanced?
Ligustrum lucidum, Eclipta prostrata, Rehmannia glutinosa, biotin, inositol, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, zinc. Recommended dose
is 2 capsules per day.
Mechanism of Action
Hair Restore Advanced active ingredients were shown to convert hair follicles from the telogen phase (resting or ‘off’ phase) to the
anagen phase (growth or ‘on’ phase) to reactivate and enhance the natural hair-production cycle.
When can patients expect results?
Because of the slow nature of hair growth, it will take from 3-12 months to see hair regrowth. But a decrease in the amount of hair
fall should be seen within 2-3 months of use.
Side Effects
Reports of stomach upset if not taken after food. No other side effects reported.
Precaution
Hair Restore Advanced can be used safely with most prescription medication (including antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering,
anticoagulants, antidepressants, immunosuppressants, diabetes medication, minoxidil, finasteride). Hair Restore Advanced is not
recommended in patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding as there is insufficient evidence of effects in this group.
For more information please call 1300944438 or visit www.hairrestoreadvanced.com.au
Page 3
Editor’s Letter
Editor’s Letter
Issue 1, 2013
Contents
President’s letter
4
Medical Imaging
6
New Anti-platelet
agents for IHD
10
Disodium guanylate
Gummy Smile
Lam, Dr Hien Tran, Dr Tuan
series for 2013.
Nguyen, Dr Minh Tang, Dr
Diep Nguyen, Mr Andrew
memories, I sense 2013 will
yen . Thank you for your time
11
bring even more excitement
& support, I could not have
14
and opportunities for our
completed this journal with-
association.
out your help.
As always we started the year
Thank you to all of our
in grand style with our spec-
Sponsors: Mariedent Australia
tacular
Hair
Annual Dinner
Report
19
AVHPA Christmas
party 2012
24
Sport’s Report
28
annual
ball.
This
32
VOICE
34
Nguyễn Đức
36
Đạt và Cửa Sổ của Tâm
Nguyen Duc Dat
40
Yêu
42
Paranoia
33
44
Grilled Salmon with 47
tamarind sauce
48
Restore
Advanced,
year’s themed ‘Oscars ball’
TrueScan Radiology, Western
proved to be a success—it
Nuclear Medicine, Millenni-
was an enjoyable night for all
um Physiotherapy,
our members.
Western
Heart,
South
Investec,
Medlab, Trans x-ray, J W Nu-
31
Outstanding
achievements
Professional
Registry
of our bi-annual magazine
Tran, and Ms Yen Tuyet Ngu-
16
Recollections 1978
Dung Dang, Dr Phuong Anh
Leaving 2012 with such great
Grow your money
with less effort
CME Report
Welcome to the first edition
Once again, the MC is com-
clear Medicine, JB Healthcare
mitted to serving our mem-
and Sydney Bone and Joint
bers to the best of our abili-
Clinic, whose support has
ties. We have installed a
allowed us to bring you this
year’s full schedule of month-
issue.
ly CME events. We
endeavor to take learning to a
We’d welcome & love to
new level. Soon to be revealed
receive feedback or submis-
are our social and sport’s itin-
sion
erary.
email me at
for the journal. Please
[email protected]
if
In making this Edition I have
you have any suggestions or
had a lot of help from various
submissions for the next
members. I’d like to send a
edition.
special thank you to all that
have contributed to the jour-
Much Love,
nal. Dr Huy An, Dr Victar
Hsieh, Dr Quang Bui, Dr
Ethan Nguyen, Dr Daniel
Kim, Dr Hung Duong, Dr Thu
Jenny Tran
“Please email
me at
Jennytran2488
@gmail.com if
you have any
suggestions or
submissions for
the next
journal.”
Page 4
President’s Letter
President’s Letter
Dear friends and colleagues,
Since the last edition I am happy to report that our association had been very active. We
had our first Christmas dinner
on 8/12/12 at Liberty Plaza complete with a visit from Santa
Claus and Mrs Claus bearing
gifts for the children. The wonderful entertainment was provided by our very own members
and their family. It was exciting
to see the young talents within
our association. The future
looks very promising indeed.
Our major event for the year,
the Oscars Ball, was held on
23/2/13 at Luna Park. It was a
magical and glamorous night.
Thank you our super heros and
fairy tale beauties: Batman, Cat
woman, Darth Vader, Spiderman, Captain Jack Sparrow,
Wonderwoman, Snow White
and Cinderella for making a
special appearance on the night.
The award winners were Dr
Diep Nguyen (Charity), Dr Anthony Lam (Sport), Dr Quang
Dao (Publication), Dr Daniel
Kim (Photography), Ms Nicole
Ngoc Phan (CME), Ms Annalise Vo (Entertainment), Dr
Judy Thoai Anh Nguyen (Best
Dressed Female), and Mr Remi
Sallansonnet (Best Dressed
Male). It was a tough competition, congratulations to all winners.
The purpose of the Academy
Awards or better known as the
Oscars is to promote excellence
in the motion picture world.
We chose this theme this year
to celebrate the achievements of
our association. Over the past
24 years as an association, we
have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars for the communities both in Australia and overseas through various charity
events. We have provided educational talks in the Vietnamese
community, and monthly seminars for our members. We maintained a network for our health
professional members through
sport and social activities.
These achievements were made
possible thanks to the talents,
the enthusiasm, compassion and
unity of everyone in the association and the support of our sponsors. At present we have 192
members, 59 of whom are life
members.
I would like to thank all the
sponsors and our honorary accountant Mr Loi Nguyen, and
hour honorary solicitor: Ms
Janice Vu for your ongoing generous support over the years.
We also had a special guest on
the night, Dr Khanh Tien Truong.
She is the newly elected president of AVHPA-QLD. Congratulations to Dr Truong on your new
position.
This is my first year on the job as
president. It is a daunting task
but it had been made much easier
by the talented and hard working
MC members. Thank you to our
social subcommittee for all the
wonderful social events. We already had three educational seminars this year and the rest of the
year is fully booked. We are going to have our first sport event
on 28/4/13, a tennis day for family
and competition. We are also
supporting One Body Village in
their effort to rescue children
who are being kept as sex slave
in developing countries. So far,
our generous members have donated $19000 to this worthy
cause. In addition we are continuing our support for AVACS in
the effort to build a much needed
nursing home for our Vietnamese
community in NSW.
On a sadder note, Dr Jenny Nguyen has resigned from our management committee due to per-
sonal reasons. On behalf of
AVHPA, I'd like to thank her
for all her valuable contribution as our secretary and wish
her all the best.
We are also planning our
Annual Scientific Meeting
which will be held on Sunday
13/10/13. Please keep this date
free for this important event.
There will be interesting topics and speakers on the day
and also election of the new
management committee for
the next term.
Our Lady president
Dr Thu Dung Dang
In keeping with the rising
cost, we are forced to increase
our membership fee for 2014.
Annual fee will be $200,
which includes annual dinner
ticket and attendance to all
our educational seminars,
sport and other social events. “We maintained a
Life membership will be
$3000. Student membership network for our
will be free but excludes anhealth professional
nual dinner.
I think this is still cheap com- members through
paring with other associa- sport and social
tions in terms of the benefit
gained. I would like to thank activities.”
all our members for your support of the association. Together we can share our interests and maintain our network professionally and personally. Hopefully this will
set a good example for our
next generation to follow.
Thu Dung Dang
Issue 1, 2013
Page 6
Scientific Article: Medical Imaging
Scientific Article: Medical Imaging
Page 7
Issue 1, 2013
Page 8
Scientific Article: Medical Imaging
Page 10
Scientific Article: Cardiology
New Anti-Platelet Agents For Ischaemic Heart Disease
Despite advances in pharmacological therapy and coronary artery revascularisation,
patients who suffer from
coronary artery disease
(CAD) remain at increased
risk of further adverse events
such as death, re-infarction
and stroke.
Anti-platelet
therapy is an important aspect in the treatment of ischaemic heart disease (IHD).
Aspirin has been shown to
decrease mortality by 25% in
patients with myocardial
infarction, and is beneficial in
reducing vascular events in
patients with cardiovascular
disease. Pharmacological
agents that inhibit the P2Y12
ADP platelet receptors
(thienopyridines) are another advancement in antiplatelet therapy. Clopidogrel
is a thienopyridine which has
been shown to reduce the
risk of vascular events by
20% (compared to Aspirin
alone), in patients who suffer
from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (1). The addition of Clopidogrel to Aspirin has become the mainstay
treatment for this condition
over the past two decades.
More recently, several new
anti-platelet agents have
been developed and shown in
large clinical trials to be useful in the treatment of IHD.
One such agent is Prasugrel
(Effient, by Eli Lily). Like
Clopidogrel, Prasugrel is a
pro-drug which requires conversion to an active metabolite to effect its anti-platelet
function. Prasugrel was
shown in a large randomized
controlled trial to reduce the
risk of myocardial infarction
by 25% in ACS patients undergoing coronary angioplasty compared to Clopidogrel,
it also significantly decreased
the risk of stent thrombosis,
a serious complication following coronary angioplasty
(2). Prasugrel is metabolized
by the liver, and is therefore
contraindicated in patients
with severe hepatic impairment. Prasugrel is given as a
loading dose of 60mg, followed by 10mg daily. A reduced dose of 5mg daily can
be considered in patients
with increased bleeding risk.
Another agent is Ticagrelor
(Brilinta, by AstraZeneca).
Ticagrelor is structurally
unrelated to Clopidogrel, it
directly binds to platelets
and does not require conversion. In a large randomized
controlled trial involving
over 18,000 ACS patients,
Ticagrelor reduced the risk of
death (by 21%) and myocardial infarction (by 16%) compared to Clopidogrel, it also
decreased the risk of stent
thrombosis in patients who
underwent coronary angioplasty (3). Ticagrelor is contraindicated in patients with
severe hepatic impairment.
Ticagrelor causes dyspnea in
14% of patients, upto 1% patients may need to discontinue this medication due to
this side-effect. Ticagrelor is
given as a loading dose of
180mg, followed by 90mg bd.
increase the risk of bleeding.
Prasugrel is associated with
increased bleeding in patients who are over the age of
75 years and body weight less
than 60kg, and therefore
should be avoided in these
patients (2). Ticagrelor was
shown to increase fatal intracranial haemorrhage. In patients who need to undergo
surgery while on these antiplatelet agents, close liaison
with the Cardiologist is important to establish the safety of stopping the medication
while balancing the risks of
stent thrombosis with the
bleeding risks associated
with surgery.
Prasugrel and Ticagrelor represent advances in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, which offer improved
clinical outcome compared to
Clopidogrel in patients who
concurrently receive Aspirin.
Both agents have been approved
by
Therapeutic
Goods Administration, and
are listed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme,
prescription requires authorBoth Prasugrel and Ticagre- ity.
lor have been demonstrated
to inhibit platelet function
more efficaciously and rapidly compared to Clopidogrel
(4,5), they also significantly
Dr Victar Hsieh
MBBS FRACP PhD
Interventional Cardiologist
Staff specialist at St
George Hospital
References
Yusuf, S et al. Effects of Clopidogrel
in Addition to Aspirin in Patients
With Acute Coronary Syndromes
Without ST-Segment Elevation. N
Engl J Med 2001;345: 494-502.
Wiviott, S et al. Prasugrel versus
Clopidogrel in Patients with Acute
Coronary Syndromes. N Engl J Med
2007; 357:2001-2015.
Wellentin, L et al. Ticagrelor versus
Clopidogrel in Patients with Acute
Coronary Syndromes. N Engl J Med
2009; 361:1045-1057.
Gesheff, T. Ticagrelor, A New
Antiplatelet Option for Treating
Acute Coronary Syndromes: Practical Review for Allied Healthcare
Professionals. Focus on Acute
Coronary Syndromes. Issue 1,
December 2012.
Brandt, JT et al. A comparison of
prasugrel and clopidogrel loading
doses on platelet function: magnitude
of platelet inhibition is related to
active metabolite formation. American Heart Journal. Volume 153,
Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 66.e9–
66.e16.
Page 11
Scientific Article: Toxicology
Disodium 5’ – Guanylate và Disodium 5’ – Inosinate
Disodium guanylate (CAS # 555012-9) also known as disodium 5’guanylate, is derived from a nucleotide, guanosine monophosphate
(GMP). Disodium inosinate (CAS
# 4691-65-0), also known as disodium 5’-inosinate comes from another nucleotide, inosine monophos-
Issue 1, 2013
phate (IMP). The two together are
frequently
referred
to
as
5’-
nucleotides, which are naturally
occurring substances found mostly
in meats and vegetables (i.e., shiitake mushrooms). Nucleotides are
components of DNA as well as important molecules involved in many
diverse aspects of human metabolism. Both nucleotides are used as
flavor-enhancing agents and are
typically sold as a mixture of 50:50.
Dr Quang Bui
from days 8-13 of pregnancy. Fetuses
were removed by Caesarean section
Toxicology studies
In a study, rats were fed the 50:50
mixture at 0%, 1% or 2% in the diet for 24 months. The average daily
intakes ranged from 864 mg/kg bw/
day to 1026 mg/kg bw/day. The authors noted no differences in body
weight, food utilization, food intake,
mortality, or general behaviour among
the treatment groups.
No effect of
50:50 mix ingestion on tumor incidence, tumor type, or pathological
on day 19.
Parameters measured
were: number of implantations and
fetal deaths, weight, sex differentiation, gross external and visceral malformations, and skeletal malformations.
The authors reported no
effects of treatment on any measured
parameters (Kaziwara et al.,1971). In
other developmental toxicity studies,
no reproductive adverse effects were
found in rats ((Kaziwara et al., 1971)
lesions of various organs in rats was or in rabbits (Jojima et al.,1973) fed up
seen under the conditions of this to 2000 mg/kg body weight/day.
study (Usui et al., 1971).
Pharmacokinetics
In another study, rats were fed diets
Both 5’ nucleotides are distributed
containing 0, 0.1, 1.0, or 2.0% 50:50 and metabolized in the human body,
mix for 3 generations. The author animals and plant tissues. Their role
concluded that there was no evidence
in purine metabolism and break-
of any treatment-related effect at any
down to uric acid (in humans) and to
dose level on parental animals and allantoin (in most mammals but not
offspring. There were no effects on humans) is well documented.
any reproductive parameters investigated (Palmer, 1975). In a teratology
Daily Intake:
study (studying developmental ef-
The maximum daily intake of both 5’
fects), groups of pregnant mice were nucleotides is calculated as 4 mg/
given 0 or 2 000 mg/kg bw/day of the person/day (or 0.07 mg/kg body
50:50 mixture orally via gastric tube weight/day) compared to 2 gram/
Page 12
Scientific Article: Toxicology
Regulatory actions
Additives found no evidence of car-
This mixture has been used to re-
Data on both 5’ nucleotides were
cinogenicity, developmental effects,
place
presented at the 18th World Health
teratogenicity (malformations) or
(MSG) and is approved by the US
Organization (WHO) meeting on
adverse effects on reproduction. In
FDA as food additives. A review of
food additives. At that time, data on
laboratory animals, no adverse ef-
existing human and animal data
metabolism, teratogenicity,
and
fects were noted at 2000 mg/kg
found no evidence of genotoxicity,
acute, short-term and long-term
body weight/day, a dose that is
carcinogenicity or adverse repro-
toxicity of the two substances were
28,000 times higher than the human
ductive effects. The combined daily
reviewed. The Committee reviewed
daily intake of 0.07 mg/kg body
intake of both 5’ nucleotides at 0.07
the data and concluded that no evi-
weight.
mg/kg body weight is not of toxico-
icity, or adverse effects on reproduc-
Discussion
tion has been observed (WHO Food
Disodium inosinate and disodium
Additives Series Vol. 32 (1993) pp
guanylate are used as flavor enhanc-
67-84). The WHO Committee con-
ers in foods and are typically sold in
cluded that, on the basis of the
a 50:50 mixture of the two nucleo-
available data, the combined total
tides.
intake
of
disodium
5'-
guanylate and disodium 5'-inosinate
is not of toxicological significance.
Because exposure to these substances from their use as flavor enhancers
is low compared with daily intake
of naturally occurring nucleotides in
the diet, the Committee found no
reason to recommend that foods to
which these substances have been
added should be labeled on the basis
of safety, and withdrew its previous
recommendation for labeling.
In the US, disodium inosinate and
disodium guanylate are permitted
by The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as flavor enhancers
for direct addition to foods for human consumption (21CFR172.530
and 21CFR172.535, April 2012).
Conclusion
A review of the literature and interpretation of the data by the US FDA
and the WHO Committee on Food
glutamate
logical significance.
dence of carcinogenicity, teratogen-
daily
monosodium
By Dr Quang Q Bui, Ph. D.,
D.A.B.T.
Toxicologist
February 27, 2013
Palo Alto, CA
, F.S.C.A.I
129 Cabramatta Rd, Cabramatta 2166
(02) 46206188
Beauty
Page 14
Gummy Smiles
by Dr Huy An
Perhaps there is nothing in this world more precious than a
radiant smile. It conveys peace, serenity and friendship. A smile
is always perfect but some smiles are more aesthetically acceptable than others.
Many famous people, particularly the attractive movie stars
have signatured characters that etched in our memory. George
Clooney is one of them. When he smiles, there is a significant
gingiva shown.
Gummy smiles is a term given to the smile when a lot of gingival
tissue is shown. It is usually considered to be a normal variation
of the human anatomy. But some people feel quite selfconscious about it and they usually have an easy way to hide it.
It is quite obvious when the proportion of the gingival tissue
cause discomfort such as in the following photos:
What options are available for patients?
Dentists can perform surgical procedures to correct the gummy smiles.
Following dental surgery, one has a
much better appearance of smiles.
Fig 2.1
However, in most of other cases, the
problem of the gummy smile is in
the muscles of the facial expression.
Fig 2.2
In this case, the reason why the superior gingiva was shown is due to
the upper lip being lifted too much.
It is just like the curtain (the upper
lip) being raised too far to expose the
gum behind it.
Anatomy of a smile: The muscles of facial expression involved in a smile
include the elevators of the upper lip.
As shown in the diagram fig 2.1 and fig 2.2, the muscles involved in the
elevation of upper lip include:
- Zygomaticus major
- Zygomaticus minor
- Levator labii superioris
- Levator Labii superioris alaqua nasi (LLSAN)
- Levator angula oris
Beauty
Page 15
A more simple way to treat gummy smiles is
to reduce the pull that elevates the upper lip.
This aims to weaken the above elevator muscles of the upper lip, as long as the reduction
does not impair the normal function of the
facial expression and in particular, the function of the major organs such as the mouth,
the speech and the vision.
The most common way to achieve this is to
inject the muscle with Botulinum Toxin type
Ai .Both Zygomaticus as well as the Levator
anguli oris when paralysed will cause the
angle of the mouth sagging which creates a
sad looking on the face. The LLSAN on contraction, not only lifts the upper lip but also
everts the lip resulting in very gummy smile.
Thus LLSAN is the common target in the
treatment of this condition.
It is very cost effective and very quick in injecting LLSAN to completely cure the gummy smile. Comparing with all other injections of Botulinum Toxin A, this is a true
walk-in walk-out procedure, and your patients will guarantee to be satisfied with a
really broad big beautiful smile (because it
cost very little to correct this common condition!)
* i Be ware that currently on the Australian market, there are two products both containing Botulinum Toxin A: Botox
and Dysport with the main ingredient being Botulinum Toxin A. They are not interchangeable in term of how many
units should be used.
Courtesy of Dr. Huy An,
Cosmec Physician
CPSA
Page 16
Finance Article
Grow your money with less effort
The Basics:
Managed Funds
A managed fund is a professionally managed investment portfolio
that individual investors can buy
into, purchasing 'units' rather
than shares. Each managed fund
has a specific investment objective. This is usually based around
the different asset classes (cash,
fixed interest, property and
shares). The money you invest is
used to buy assets in line with
this investment objective.
vestments in managed funds. So
why are they so popular?
When you invest in a managed
fund, you are allocated a number
of 'units'. The value of your units
is calculated on a daily basis
changes as the market value of the
assets in the fund rises and falls.
3. It's easy to reinvest your investment earnings - and take advantage
of compounding. Over 20 years, this
compounding effect could mean a
huge difference in your investment
returns.
Managed Investments are ideal
for people who would like to invest in the market but are not
confident enough to buy stocks
directly. They also offer diversification in the market which is difficult for a small investor to
achieve through direct share investments.
4. It's easy to set up a regular investment plan - you can choose
small monthly or weekly amounts
and transfer your payments on the
day you get paid - a strategy also
known as 'pay yourself first'.
Why are managed funds so
popular?
1. It's easy to diversify your investments - you have access to different asset classes, companies, industries, sectors and countries.
2. Experts manage your money the qualified investment professionals managing your money have access to information, research and
robust investment processes not
easily available to individuals.
5. You can invest for income,
growth or both - the returns you
get from a managed fund usually
come in two forms. Income (paid to
you as a 'distribution') and capital
growth (achieved only when the
unit price increases in value).
6. You can start investing with as
little as $1,000 - depending on the
fund. Investing in a range of shares
or a property often involves large
sums of money, and sometimes a
large loan. Managed funds allow
you to access certain investments at
a fraction of the usual cost. This is
because you share these costs with
other members of the fund rather
than having to pay the minimum
investment fee on your own.
In fact, did you know that you currently have some money invested in
a managed fund? That’s right, if you
do not operate your own selfmanaged superfund (SMSF), your
retirement money is now being
invested in a managed fund.
So why keep your money in the
bank (interest rates for a term deposit are currently around 4.5%)
and not let it grow at its full potential (with low risk).
My current recommendation is the
Colonial First State Wholesale
Fund which last year returned
9.46%. It also holds a 5 star rating
from CANSTAR, Australia’s leading financial services research and
ratings firm.
Around 1.2 million people in Australia have part or all of their inThis article represents general information only. Before making any financial
or investment decisions, we recommend
you consult a financial professional to
take into account your personal investment objectives, financial situation and
individual needs.
Article by Andrew Tran
Medlab Pathology directors and staff are proud supporters and sponsors of the Australian
Vietnamese health professional association of NSW, and will continue to be in the future.
Medlab Pathology is one of Australia’s largest independent pathology groups, and provides
a comprehensive pathology service to Doctors and their patients in the greater Sydney,
Newcastle and Wollongong regions.
We recently broadened our service to include a pathology laboratory in Crown Street Wollongong, providing routine pathology results for Healthcare professionals in the South
Coast region.
With our Team of experienced pathologists who cover all major pathology disciplines, highly trained staff and leading instrument technology, we are able to provide a level of service
that all Healthcare professionals demand.
Our extensive courier network provides regular pickups throughout the regions, 7 days a
week, along with hard copy report and medical supplies delivery.
Medlab Pathology have over 120 collection centres currently, we also have a large House
Call Service provided for patients that are unable to attend our collection centres.
Electronic Downloads of pathology reports are in HL7 or PIT format. These files are sent on
an hourly basis to those computerised practices.
Our Staff, Pathologists and Directors are always available to tend to your enquiries promptly, efficiently, and with a smile.
Our main laboratory is located at:
3-5 Rawson Street
Auburn NSW
Ph: 8745 6500
Fax: 8745 6599
Web: www.medlab.com.au
Wollongong Laboratory is located at:
Shop 15, Piccadilly Centre,
341 Crown Street
Wollongong
Ph: 4225 3777
Fax: 4225 0746
Fred Kassem
Director
Mobile: 0403 291 427
Page 18
Page 19
Annual Dinner
Annual Dinner
Dear friends and colleagues,
Issue 1, 2013
Thank you everyone, members and guests
for attending the spectacular Oscars Ball
on Saturday despite the wet weather. I
hope that everyone enjoyed the evening.
Congratulations to the nominees and winners of the Oscars. The Oscars winners
are: Dr Diep Nguyen (Charity), Dr Anthony Lam (Sports), Dr Quang Dao
(Publication), Dr Daniel Kim
(Photography), Ms Nicole Phan (CME),
Dr Analise Vo (Entertainment)
A big thank you to all our volunteers
who dressed up and the singers/
performers who entertained us on the
night. We appreciate the time and effort
you all put before and during the night to
put on a wonderful show for us.
Coordinator
: Dr Daniel Tran
Floor Manager : Dr The Hung Tran
Photographers : Dr Daniel Kim , Dr
Daniel Tran , Dr Andrew Hung Duong
DJ /Sound /Light : Mr Kien Nguyen
Decoration
: Jenny Tran and Andrew Tran
Reception team : Dr The Hien
Tran , Ms Yen Tuyet Nguyen ,
Dr Tuan Nguyen
Judges for dress : Dr Minh
Tang , Ms Yen Tuyet Nguyen ,
Dr Tuan Nguyen
Movie characters :
Batman - Mr Jimmy Bui
Cat woman – Dr Chi Nguyen
Spider man – Dr Ethan Nguyen
Darth Vader - Dr Duc Van
Captain Jack Sparrow – Dr
Jeremy Hoang
Wonder woman – Jenny Tran
Snow White – Miss Chantelle
Tran
Cinderella – Miss Deanne Tran
Make up Artist : Ms Jenny
Tran , Ms Bich Phuong Tran
Banner
: Dr The Hien
Tran , Dr David Minh Tang
Projector
: Dr Daniel
Tran
Entertainers
: Matt Hollywood , Dr Annalise Vo , Dr
Jeremy Vo , Mrs Bich Phuong,
Mrs Thu Hang , Dr Ethan Nguyen , Mrs Tanya Huyen , Mrs
Stephanie Wong
Master of Ceremony :
Ceremony – Dr Ethan Nguyen
Awards presentation – Dr Duc
Van
Entertainment – Dr Diep Nguyen
Special thanks to our social
subcommittee, Dr Daniel Tran
and Dr The Hung Tran who are
the mastermind behind this
spectacular events and Investec
who sponsored our popular
photobooth.
Dr Daniel Tran
(Dentist)
Social Subcommittee
Annual Dinner
Page 20
Annual Dinner
Page 21
Annual Dinner
Page 22
Page 23
Annual Dinner
AVHPA Christmas Party is
finally born!!
Congratulations to the social subcommittee for organising a
great AVHPA Christmas Party. This was the first ever Christmas spectacular but indeed it set a very high standard for the
up and coming years.
“What an amazing night for the whole family”, said All.
The formula?
A little naughty and nice,
And everything will be just right!
Christmas Party
Page 25
Christmas Party
Page 26
Christmas Party
Page 27
Page 28
Sports
Issue 1, 2013
AVHPA’s Upcoming Sporting Events
Dr Tuan Nguyen (Cardiologist)
Sports Subcommittee and his
lovely Wife Thuy Huong Nguyen
(Paediatric Dentist)
Sports
Page 29
Issue 1, 2013
Sports
Page 30
Page 31
CME Report
Dear all,
Please find below the full
year CME meeting timetable for this year.
I have managed to choose
different topics compare with last year CME
to make them more interesting for our members.
FEBRUARY: Urology
problems in men.
Date: 14/02/2013
Venue: Strathfield Crystal Seafood Restaurant
Sponsored by CSL
Speaker: Dr. Howard Lau
MARCH: Management
of Hyperlipidaemia in
high risk patients.
Date: 14/03/13
Venue: Burwood Chan
Garden Restaurant
Sponsored by Abbott
Speaker: Dr. Diep Nguyen
Bay
Sponsored by MSD
Speaker: Dr. Phong Nguyen
MAY: CPR Course with
Certificate
Date: 09/05/2013
Venue: Auburn Soccer
Club, 5-7 Northumberland Rd. Auburn
Sponsored by Dr. Lawrence Trieu and Medlab
Pathology.
JUNE: Paediatric Immunology
Date: 05/06/2013
Venue: Maenam Laos
Thai Restaurant, 31 The
Boulevarde Strathfield
Sponsored by Medlab
Pathology
Speaker: Medlab
Pathologist
JULY: Dermatology:
common skin problems
Date: 09/07/2013
Venue: Strathfield CrysAPRIL: Cardiology: New tal Seafood Restaurant
outcome of SHARP data Sponsored by Galderma
study
Date : 11/04/2013
Venue: Waterview Convention room, Homebush
AUGUST: Gynaecology
Date: 06/08/2013
Venue: TBA
Sponsored by Laverty
Pathology
SEPTEMBER: IVF:
New updates
Date: 12/09/2013
Venue: TBA
Sponsored by IVF Australia
OCTOBER : AVHPA
ASM & AGM — no
CME this month
NOVEMBER: Urology:
Stress incontinence in
women
Date: 07/11/2013
Venue: Strathfield Crystal Seafood Restaurant
Sponsored by CSL
Cheers,
Dr. David Minh Tang
CME Subcommittee
Dr Minh Tang
CME
Subcommittee
Outstanding Achievements
Page 32
The management committee of AVHPA NSW would like to congratulate :
Mrs. Chau Tran, is a current member of AVHPA NSW, and Dr. Tam Tran, is a life members of AVHPA NSW, were
recently presented with the Rotary Award— Paul Harris Fellowship,
Congratulations to Mrs Chau Tran and Dr Tam Tran for their outstanding charitable contributions to the community.
Congratulations Dr Tam, Mrs Chau Tran
Dr. Tam Tran and Mrs. Chau Tran
who were presented with the
Rotary Award - Paul Harris Fellow.
On two separate occations in 2012,
the Rotary Club of
Liverpool
West presented Dr. Tam Tran and
Mrs. Chau Tran each with a Paul
Harris Fellow award in recognition
of their work with Vietnam Vision
Projects – Australia and their dedication to poor patients and disabled
people.
Paul Harris is the founder of the
worldwide Rotary organization and
the award is in his name and is presented to those who engage in humanitarian services, encourage high
ethical standards and help build
goodwill and peace throughout the
world.
Dr. & Mrs. Tran were nominated to
receive this award because their
work exemplifies the
humanitarian and educational objectives of
the Rotary Foundation.
“Apart from Vietnam Vision Projects Australia activities, Dr. & Mrs. Tran are involved in numerous events in an effort to
build a stronger and harmonic community.
Dr. Tam Tran and Mrs. Chau Tran have
both been named a Paul Harris Fellow in
appreciation of tangible and significant
assistance given for the furtherance of better
understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world.” (extract
from the citation of Mr. Mlynarz’s –
outgoing president of Rotary Club of
Liverpool West)
Apart from
Vietnam Vision
Projects
Australia
activities, Dr. &
Mrs. Tran are
involved in
numerous events
in an effort to
build a stronger
and harmonic
community.
Outstanding Achievements
Page 33
The management committee of AVHPA NSW would like to congratulate :
Dr. William Trinh is a life members of AVHPA NSW who was recently presented with the Josef Lederer Award for
Excellence in Optometry.
Congratulations to Dr Trinh for this outstanding achievement.
Congratulations Dr William Trinh
Dr. William Trinh who was
presented with the Josef Lederer Award for Excellence in
Optometry.
On Saturday 1st December 2012,
Dr. William Trinh was
presented with the Josef Lederer Award at the Optometrists Association Australia
(NSW/ACT) annual Christmas
function.
Josef Lederer was the foundation professor of optometry,
University of New South Wales
1976-82. He won international
acclaim for his work with the
rehabilitation of partially sighted people, particularly for his
designs for low vision aids.
The Josef Lederer Award for
Excellence in Optometry was
established by the Optometrists
Association Australia (NSW/
ACT Division) to recognise the
contribution made by Association members to the advancement of optometry and the optometric profession. The Award
recognises “excellence” in relation to any one or more of the
various facets of optometric professional life :
Clinical practice; Teaching; Research;
Community/volunteer
practice; Organisational management and Council/committee
service. (ref: OAA NSW)
In 2012, this award was
presented to Dr. William Trinh in
recognition and celebration of his
outstanding achievements.
Page 34
Raising Awareness
Our Past, Our Present. Our Future, Our VOICE
Issue 1, 2013
I met many AVHPA members at a recent
dinner in Sydney and some suggested I
contribute an article for your magazine. I
wrote the below article sometime ago for
Voice of America and Nguoi Viet News to
explain to readers about VOICE and its
work. Those at that dinner party would have
learned, I have traveled a bit since my Sydney
days in the mid 90s. And along the way, I
have learned a few things.
I have learned that it's possible to change
government policy for the benefits of our
stateless people. I have learned that to make
Vietnam a freer place, we must educate and
empower the young and the committed
fighting their good fight. And most
importantly, I have learned that each of us
can make a difference, if we are willing to
commit.
“VOICE stands for
Vietnamese Overseas
Initiative for Conscience
Empowerment, which Giao Su
Nguyen Ngoc Bich from
Washington, D.C. has loosely,
yet perfectly, translated into
Vietnamese as Sáng Kiến Thể
Hiện Lương Tâm Hải Ngoại.”
On that note, I wish to simply say thank you
for the warm reception everyone has given me
during and after that memorable (and rather
rowdy!) night.
Let's just hope we'll meet up again soon, be it
in my manic Manila town or your sunny
Sydney.
***
I took this article's title from our
VOICE
Web
site
at
www.vietnamvoice.org. In eight
short words, it sums up everything
that VOICE will try to do and
achieve. First, to win asylum for the
last
remaining Vietnamese refugees in Cambodia, Thailand, and the
Philippines, all a remnant of our
tortured past. And second, to build
up the groundwork for a civil society
in Viet Nam to which our future will
forever be inextricably linked.
As such, our reality and conscience
command that we must raise our
VOICE. Well, mine at least anyway.
Like all splendid plans and exquisite
dreams, VOICE was born over a
sumptuous dinner shared with dear
friends and like-minded gentlemen.
It’s noteworthy that not a single
member of the other species from
Venus was present at the time. Perhaps that explains why there was
much talk, a lot of enthusiasm
acknowledged and alcohol consumed; yet absolutely nothing happened in the ensuing year. Until 2007
when it took a young 24-year-old
woman to call the Board, myself a
by Trịnh Hội
member, into action.
VOICE stands for Vietnamese Overseas Initiative for Conscience Empowerment, which Giao Su Nguyen
Ngoc Bich from Washington, D.C.
has loosely, yet perfectly, translated
into Vietnamese as Sáng Kiến Thể
Hiện Lương Tâm Hải Ngoại. Initially,
my learned colleagues and I thought
the last two words should be
“Community Empowerment” and
more importantly, the “Overseas”
word should be dropped to make the
name shorter and sound more inclusive. But then one of us pointed out
that to do so would turn it into a
VICE, instead of a VOICE, which may
nor may not be the best name to bear.
Besides, another Board member argued, “Community” is already way
overused and too restrictive a term as
opposed to “Conscience,” which is
more ethic-based and therefore
would appeal to a broader audience.
So in the end, all five of us, the original board members, agreed to settle
for VOICE. It’s an easy name to remember, and as luck would have it,
connotes exactly what we believe is
distinctively lacking in our community whenever we are confronted with
issues that confound us all. That of
mainstream advocacy and a persistent
voice within the political and social
frameworks of the society we’re living
in. Be it Australia, Norway, Canada,
or America where the
Raising Awareness
Page 35
Issue 1, 2013
political process is said to be most
open, Why was that, I often asked?
Having become an advocate, pretty
much by default over the past decade,
I have learned a couple of things about
our community, its habits, and an
overall tendency to simply follow rather than lead. You may or may not
agree with me on the last point. But
let me prove to you again my proposition and how it could be substantiated.
First, our parents’ generation simply
lacked both the means and capacity to
do effective lobbying for the issues
they truly care about. Bewildered in a
new world and preoccupied with security in order to give us a stable
home and a decent education, they
could not and would not see how laws
are introduced and policies made by,
alas, politicians, social activists, media
personalities, and anxious citizens
just like us.
Second, despite their deep anguish
and determination to support worthy
causes, personal or otherwise, most
have not moved beyond their local
boundaries, nor made it a full-time
commitment to fight for what they
believe is right. Thus, it is easier to
just follow the lead, to hold protests
addressing their sorrow, than to think
hard, meet with the powers that be,
and come to a solution that's workable for both sides.
nanosecond. They all came here with
nothing and have managed to, apart
from giving us everything, keep their
ideals alive. To help those less fortunate than them. And to work towards
a freer and fairer land they once
called home. If anything, it would be
us that should be blamed for not doing nearly enough. Given all that we
have.
That’s why VOICE headquarters was
initially based in D.C. where our first
executive director, Lisa Nguyen (who
often goes by her stage name: Thùy
Dương), spearheaded our two core
missions full time from 2007 until
2010 when it was transferred to… me.
That is to find a home for the last
remaining Vietnamese boat people
who have been left stateless for, now,
23 years, and to provide fellowships
as well as support to young Vietnamese activists so that they can join us
and be agents of change in the future.
So. Contact me if you can. I invite you
to join us, support us, and empower
your own conscience. Like Mahatma
Gandhi once famously urged: “You
must be the change you want to see
in the world”.
I can be reached at [email protected]. Alternatively, you
can make a donation online at
www.onevietnam.org/donate/voice.
Thanks so much.
Mind you, I do not blame them for a
Hoi Trinh — co-founded VOICE
(Vietnamese Overseas Initiative for
Conscience
Empowerment),
a
non-profit organization established in
the US to help build civil society in
Vietnam and assist refugees from that
country.
“If anything, it
would be us
that should be
blamed for not
doing nearly
enough. Given
all that we
have.”
Page 36
Raising Awareness
Issue 1, 2013
Nguyễn Đức Đạt và Cửa Sổ của Tâm Hồn
Người ta hay nói, ’Đôi mắt là cửa sổ của
linh hồn’, như một khẳng định không sai
biệt trong cách nhận xét về một người.
Vậy đối với Nguyễn Đức Đạt thì làm sao
tôi có thể tìm thấy linh hồn của anh khi
đôi cánh cửa sổ đó đã phải khép kín như
một định mệnh oái oăm mà Trời đã oan
khiên khắc nghiệt dành cho người nghệ sĩ
này? Làm sao tôi có thể nhìn vào đôi mắt
anh để tìm một giải đáp cho những câu hỏi
tôi đặt ra với anh trong buổi tối hôm nay,
giữa những tiếng ồn tiếng nhạc tiếng nói
lao xao trong nhà hàng hơn 500 người
tham dự cho một buổi tiệc gây quỹ của
cộng đồng Việt Nam Tự Do mà Đạt là một
quan khách. Núp sau một đôi kiếng mát
đen sậm là hai khung cửa sổ đã khép kín từ
thuở mới lọt lòng của Đạt.
Nhìn Đạt, tôi chỉ thấy thể hiện một người
đàn ông thật hiền từ, nhỏ người và có vẻ
còn như là một đứa trẻ thơ từ phía xa, một
cậu con trai mới lớn! Anh có dáng đi nhẹ
nhàng của những người khiếm thị, chậm
rãi và hơi có vẻ ngập ngừng. Nét do dự
trong bước chân đi của anh lại trái hẳn
hoàn toàn với nét cương quyết và mạnh
dạn khi Đạt đứng hay ngồi trên sân khấu
với cây đàn guitar trong tay. Thật ra chỉ
cần đưa cho Đạt cây đàn quen thuộc của
mình là tôi đã thấy Đạt thay đổi hẳn. Anh
bỗng trở nên tự tin ngay lập tức. Cái dáng
người hơi cúi xuống, mặt nghiêng nghiêng
nghe ngóng, hai tay có vẻ luống cuống
thừa thải khi không có đàn trong tay lại
biến mất mầu nhiệm khi anh ôm đàn vào
người, đưa tay phải gãy và bấm tay trái vào
khung đàn lưu loát, uyển chuyển thật
thiện nghệ, thật ung dung. Cây đàn guitar
đã trở thành khung cửa sổ của Đạt như
một lẽ tự nhiên. Cái dáng người nghiêng
nghiêng có vẻ nghe ngóng, mặt hơi cúi
xuống cố hữu của những người khiếm thị
bỗng dưng tan biến. Hai tay anh không
còn thừa thải, luống cuống không biết để
đâu nữa mà đã gắn liền vào thứ nhạc cụ mà
Đạt đã chọn để đem đến cho đời những
bản nhạc về tình yêu về đời sống, theo một
phương châm của anh: Yêu Đời thì Đời sẽ
Yêu Ta.
Tôi nhìn thấy sự thay đổi này của Đạt rõ
ràng hơn tối nay nhờ ngồi cùng bàn với
anh và có dịp quan sát thật gần. Âm nhạc
quả thật là nguồn nhiệt huyết của anh và
cây đàn guitar chính là cửa sổ của linh hồn
Đạt, là đôi mắt mà hầu như tất cả chúng ta
đã coi sự hiện hữu của nó như một lẽ tự
nhiên. Nhưng đối với những người mà Trời
không cho hưởng sự hiện hữu của ánh
sáng thì nó trở thành một giấc mơ thật xa
vời. Chỉ còn là một giấc mơ! Họ đã ngỡ
ngàng và ngạc nhiên khi thấy mình lại bị
chọn làm một thiểu số để chịu một sự
thiếu sót mà những người khi có nó trong
tay, trên khuôn mặt, trên người, trong não
bộ thì lại không thấy gì là quan trọng cả!
Lại quên bẵng sự hiện diện tối cần của
ánh sáng để soi thấu vào linh hồn của con
người! Mà đã nhận lấy đặc ân của Ơn Trên
như một sự kiện đương nhiên, như hơi
thở và giòng máu chảy qua tim nuôi
dưỡng thân thể tứ chi và đầu óc. Vì không
có hơi thở và giòng máu chảy qua tim thì
con người đã không còn hiện hữu nhưng
khi không có cửa ngõ để bước vào cuộc
đời thì họ sẽ trở thành ra sao? Một phần
tử nhỏ nhoi bên lề của cuộc sống? Giữa
những xôn xao của thay đổi và biến
chuyển thì họ đã đứng yên chịu trận! Đã
không thể nào hình dung ra được hình
dạng, màu sắc và cảnh vật chung quanh
mình mà chỉ có bóng tối dầy đặc trước
mặt, sau lưng! Đạt nói với tôi là anh
cũng đã ước ao nhìn thấy "một ngọn núi
hùng vĩ một lần trong đời để thử xem nó
như thế nào, chỉ một lần!" hay "sự bao la
rộng lớn của sông dài, mây trắng, biển sâu
ra làm sao" vì những thứ ấy anh đã không
tài nào đo lường được và hoàn toàn vô
phương tìm cảm giác trong bàn tay để có
cảm xúc về chúng. Tôi đã thật buồn cả
một lúc lâu sau với sự ao ước này.
Mới vài ngày trước đây tôi có nói với một
người bạn về sự mất mát của những gì
mình đã có. Lúc đó tôi nghĩ rằng sự đau
khổ khi mất đi thứ gì mình đã hưởng thụ
qua có thể sẽ nhiều hơn và sâu đậm hơn là
khi mình hoàn toàn không có. Tôi đã
tưởng rằng nếu tôi không thấy được từ
khi mới sinh ra thì tôi sẽ không thấy đau
khổ hay thất vọng hoặc gần như tuyệt
vọng nếu tôi sẽ phải mất đi nguồn ánh
sáng của đôi mắt ngay bây giờ. Nghĩa là
khi tôi đã có sự so sánh giữa màu sắc,
cảnh vật, hình dáng, chiều sâu, độ cao và
tất cả... thì khi không còn cơ hội nhận xét
những thứ ấy nữa thì sự thèm muốn có lại
được sẽ vô cùng mãnh liệt và đau đớn.
Nhưng tối nay, khi ngồi nói chuyện với
by Nguyễn Thị Yêu Thương
Đạt thật gần, nhìn thật kỹ dáng người nhỏ
nhắn, nắm lấy bàn tay thật mềm mại của
người nghệ sĩ tài ba này, tôi mới hiểu rằng
sự thèm khát và mong muốn của Đạt cũng
đã mãnh liệt và gần như có thể đem đến
niềm tuyệt vọng khi cơn thèm muốn đó
lên thật cao, khi Đạt không cưỡng nổi sự
lôi cuốn của đòi hỏi và giận dữ, bực dọc
khi nghĩ đến cái nghiệt ngả của đời mình.
Khi tức bực cho một thân phận hèn mọn
nhỏ bé của một cuộc đời bất hạnh không
thể tưởng! Anh cũng đã phải tập luyện
cho chính mình một vài phương
pháp để đối chọi với những cơn thất vọng
và nỗi tuyệt vọng thỉnh thoảng trong đời,
khi ý định tự huỷ là một thôi thúc thật
quyến rũ và lôi cuốn, khi nhắm mắt buông
xuôi có lẽ sẽ thật dễ dàng hơn là phấn đấu
vươn lên. Làm sao không buồn rầu và đau
khổ gần như đến bước đường cùng
khi Đạt không những khiếm thị lại mồ côi
và mang hình ảnh của đứa con lai giữa một
xã hội Việt Nam thật khắc khe, thiếu tình
thương và nâng đỡ của an sinh trong đời
sống. Đạt đã cảm ơn sự hiện diện của đứa
em gái vì chính sự hiện diện của đứa em
gái trong cuộc đời anh đã cứu Đạt và đẩy
anh trồi lên trên mặt nước mênh mông
trong cơn sóng của tuyệt vọng và đau khổ.
Trách nhiệm và bổn phận của một người
anh đã giúp Đạt đẩy ra xa ý tưởng đen tối
kia và mang anh về với cuộc đời tuy bất
công nhưng vẫn mang nét thơ mộng của
nó khi cần thiết!
Lớn lên giữa những bất công và hà hiếp
của người đời, ăn những bữa cơm thiếu
dinh dưỡng chỉ với nước lạnh chan vào
làm thức ăn sau một buổi tối đi học về
năm 14-15 tuổi, ở cái tuổi mà cơ thể của
một người thiếu niên đang cần tất cả
những thứ bổ dưỡng để trưởng thành thì
anh chỉ có cơm nguội và nước lạnh thì làm
sao Đạt không mang hình dáng nhỏ nhoi,
yếu ớt thế kia? Đó là một trong những
buổi ăn đau buồn nhất của Đạt, nó có quá
nhiều lần nên khi tôi hỏi đến thì đạt cười
khẻ, "Ồ, nhiều lắm, không nhớ hết đâu.
Nhưng em nhớ nhất là buổi tối đó vì em
biết là chỉ vài ngày nữa là tới Tết mà mình
chỉ có chén cơm nguội chan nước
lạnh để ăn trước khi đi ngủ thì thê thảm
quá! Buồn quá! Không phải được nước trà
nữa chị, có nước trà đã là may rồi!"
Nhưng Đạt cũng cho tôi biết về một
miếng bánh mì khô, cũ và hẩm hiu vài
ngày mà anh đã được ăn trong một buổi
thiền xong, ngay trong thư viện Lộc
Uyển ở California, khi tôi hỏi về một bữa
ăn Hạnh Phúc nhất trong đời mình. Mọi
người đều cảm thấy miếng bánh mì là như
vậy chỉ riêng Đạt lại cảm thấy thật ngon,
thật ngọt ngào và đầy hương vị vì gần như
Raising Awareness
lúc ấy anh đã đạt được sự tĩnh tâm hoàn toàn
sau buổi thiền và cảm nhận được từng mùi vị,
từng tinh bột của miếng bánh mì khô hẩm
hiu ấy và chỉ biết là nó thật ngon. Anh nói,
"như vậy em mới biết là miếng ăn ngon không
phải từ chính vật mình đưa vào miệng mà là ở
tâm hồn của mình cảm thấy như thế nào mà
thôi! Em nhớ hoài miếng bánh mì đó, đó là
bữa ăn Hạnh Phúc nhất của em"
Người nghệ sĩ tài ba này đã làm tôi xúc động
thật nhiều với cái dáng ngồi ung dung trên
sân khấu đêm đầu tiên nghe anh trình diễn
thính phòng giữa một rừng người! Những
bản nhạc thật gút mắc, đầy chi tiết đã được
anh trình bày điêu luyện và dễ dàng. Những
bản như Hòn Vọng Phu I, Hotel California... đã được bàn tay thiện nghệ của Đạt biến
thành những giòng âm thanh réo rắc mang đủ
tính chất của mọi hình vật trong không gian
và vũ trụ. Âm nhạc qua sự trình diễn ung
dung nhàn nhã của anh như rót vào lòng tôi
những hình ảnh và sự vật mà chúng ta đã may
mắn nhìn thấy và quan sát. Anh đã hát về
những bản nhạc mình sáng tác đêm ấy và
Tình Yêu đối với Đạt bao gồm tất cả mọi thứ
tình, không phải chỉ tình trai gái nam nữ mà
gom góp hết tất cả những tình người trên thế
gian. Hãy ban cho nhau tình yêu và hãy
hưởng thụ tình yêu trao cho nhau, tình
yêu đã cho anh đôi cánh bay đi thật xa để đến
những khung trời thật thần tiên và thơ mộng
mà bóng tối chan hoà của cuộc đời anh đã
không cho phép Đạt hưởng thụ ngoài cách
thoát ly từ âm nhạc. Tuy vậy, không
phải đương nhiên Đạt có được những điêu
luyện tài nghệ đâu, chính anh đã phải tập
hàng ngày, ít nhất là bốn tiếng mỗi ngày và
có khi tám hoặc mười hai tiếng là thường khi
có thì giờ. Với đứa con gái còn nhỏ tí chưa
qua tuổi mười đã không cho Đạt nhiều thì
giờ như trước. Ước mơ sau này của Đạt khi
không còn đi lưu diễn nữa sẽ là sự truyền bá
tay nghề của anh để lại cho đời sau, là một
trường dạy đàn và một studio khi tuổi đã cao.
Khi Đạt trở về chỗ ngồi sau khi trình diễn tối
nay, tôi lại trở về ngồi lại với anh để kết thúc
những câu hỏi đặt ra cho sự tìm tòi của mình.
Chén lẩu đã nguội lạnh khi Đạt đưa muỗng
vào, tay xúc, tay rờ nhẹ vào chén để biết vị trí
của thức ăn và đưa lên miệng thì có khi
miếng được miếng không, có khi Đạt chỉ đưa
muỗng không vào miệng vì không xúc được
gì. Tôi hỏi Đạt có cần tôi hâm lại cho nóng
không vì tính tôi không thích ăn đồ ăn nguội
lạnh bao giờ, thì Đạt cười nói, "Thôi, không
sao đâu chị, chị quên là em quen như thế này
sao? Ăn cơm nguội lạnh là chuyện thường, là
cuộc đời của em mà! Mắc công lắm, hâm làm
chi!" Khi thấy Đạt hơi khó khăn đưa thức ăn
vào miệng, tôi ngập ngừng, nửa muốn giúp
anh nửa bấm bụng để yên. Vì tôi biết, chỉ vài
tiếng đồng hồ nói chuyện với nhau tôi hiểu
rõ Đạt là một người nghệ sĩ rất kiêu ngạo.
Page 37
Không phải anh kiêu ngạo khinh đời, coi rẻ
những người chung quanh mà chính là sự kiêu
ngạo của một người tự trọng, không cần sự
giúp đỡ của một ai khi không cần thiết, khi
chính anh có thể nương vào mình và chính
mình mà thôi. Những bất công hà hiếp của
người đời lúc thuở nhỏ lang thang mồ côi đói
khổ của anh đã cho Đạt niềm kiêu ngạo đó
trong hiện tại. Khi anh đã không còn cần vào
sự ban bố, thương hại của người dưng kẻ lạ,
khi miếng ăn và những nhu cầu sinh sống hàng
ngày đã không còn là niềm lo ngại từng giờ
từng phút của hai đứa trẻ mồ côi dẫn nhau đi
trên đường phố quận 10 của Sài Gòn. Khi hai
anh em đã bấm bụng nuốt trọng niềm tự hào,
kiêu ngạo và trông nhờ vào sự thương hại của
người đời, khi đứa anh trai mới 8-9 tuổi đầu đã
phải ôm em mình trong tay dỗ dành trong
tiếng khóc đau thương của em gái vì đói, khát
và lạnh. Chẳng những thiếu thốn; đói, khát và
lạnh trong vật chất mà còn luôn cả thiếu thốn,
đói và khát và lạnh tình thương dành cho
hai đứa trẻ đó nữa. Đạt nói anh không thích bị
đưa vào những sự bắt buộc từ những lời nói
dịu ngọt hoặc đưa đẩy để ép anh vào làm
những chuyện mình không thích. Anh muốn
một sự rõ ràng trong lời nói và cách cư xử vì
không muốn cảm giác bị manipulated! Sự
cương quyết trong lời nói này của Đạt đã cho
tôi biết anh đã bị manipulated trong quá khứ
khi feeling helpless, khi không thể nào cưỡng
lại được và rất ghét bị lâm vào trường hợp
tương tự trong hiện tại. Nhưng đó là con người
của Đạt dưới sân khấu. Theo dõi sự kiện xảy ra
tối đó lại cho tôi một khiá cạnh khác của Đạt,
con người trên sân khấu của Đạt vẫn là một
người nghệ sĩ thật dễ thương, sẵn sàng chìu
lòng khán giả! Mặc dù trước đó một nửa giờ
đồng hồ anh đã có ý từ chối quyết liệt dưới sân
khấu!!!
Đạt hiện tại đang tập thiền rất chăm chỉ.
Anh đã phám phá ra đạo Phật trong khoảng
thời gian gần mười năm nay và trông nhờ vào
nơi tín ngưỡng đó rất nhiều để tìm cho mình
những an bình trong tư tưởng. Anh đã có
những lúc oằn oại đau đớn, dằn vặt và đau khổ
cho những suy nghĩ thật nguy hiểm mang tính
cách tàn phá, huỷ diệt, vì dĩ nhiên làm người
thì ai lại không có những lúc thật... Một
Mình. Nhìn quanh lúc nào đó sẽ chỉ thấy
chính mình đơn độc và sự bất công
của Định Mệnh sẽ trồi lên vũ bảo đem nguy
cơ phá huỷ làm tan nát những hướng thiện
của đầu óc nếu không thức tỉnh kềm chế
kịp thời. Tôi nói với Đạt là chính những
cảm xúc đó trong cuộc đời bao giờ cũng là
những kinh nghiệm quý báu mà không ai có
thể có ngoài mình mà thôi, người ta có thể
nghe kể lại nhưng người ta sẽ không bao
giờ có cơ hội trải qua nếu không nằm trong
hoàn cảnh. Là nghệ sĩ sáng tác thì chúng tôi
đôi khi phải đi qua những đoạn đường bế
tắc tuyệt vọng đó mới có được những đặc
tính để mà sáng tác. Đạt đồng ý và cũng như
tôi, anh đã cám ơn đời đã đưa anh những
kinh nghiệm đau khổ, hãi hùng và tuyệt
vọng đó để biến thành con người của hôm
nay. Đạt đã nói thêm, "Nhưng em cũng
mừng cho những người mà cuộc đời của họ
thật phẳng lặng bình yên, đó là cái may mắn
của họ và em chúc cho họ sẽ tiếp tục được
vậy..." Lời nói này của Đạt đã thể hiện cá
tính bao dung và rộng lượng của anh,
thật đáng khâm phục.
Tuy nhiên khi tôi đặt một vài câu hỏi để gợi
lại cái tuổi thơ không hiện hữu của
anh, Đạt đã ngập ngừng và nói tôi "đừng
nhắc nhở gì nhiều đi chị, vì nó buồn quá!
Chị viết về âm nhạc đi, viết cho vui vui đó!"
Cái vỏ ngoài cứng rắn, bình tĩnh của Đạt
khi cố quên về những bất hạnh của mình từ
mấy mươi năm trước hoặc ngay cả hiện tại
thỉnh thoảng trong đời đã hiện rõ trong câu
nói đó. Tôi biết bên trong tâm tư của Đạt
hãy còn nhiều gút mắc chưa giải toả được,
anh vẫn hãy còn cần dày công tu luyện về
thiền học mới mong thoát ly hoàn toàn với
một dĩ vãng quá tàn nhẫn và phũ phàng
cùng một thiếu sót mà Trời đã đành lòng
trao cho anh. Nhưng tôi cũng có nói thêm
với Đạt rằng, "Luật Bù Trừ của Tạo Hoá bao
giờ cũng có mặt cả, Đạt phải mất đi một thứ
gì quý giá mới đánh đổi một thứ quý giá
hơn, thì chính âm nhạc đã là một đánh đổi
rất xứng đáng rồi đó Đạt!"
Cuối cùng thì ước mơ thật trẻ con
của Đạt đã làm tôi bật cười. "Em muốn là
người khiếm thị đầu tiên có bằng lái xe!"
Tôi phá lên cười lớn, "Í trời, cái này coi bộ
nguy hiểm thật à Đạt!" Đạt đã lật đật đính
chính, "No no, không phải đâu, không phải
bằng lái ngoài đường nhưng chỉ đậu bằng
lái digitally thôi!!!"
NTYT 12112012
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Raising Awareness
Issue 1, 2013
Nguyen Duc Dat & The Instruments to His Soul
I came to know of Nguyen Duc Dat
(NĐĐ) by chance, not from his name at
first but from feeling obliged to a meaningful cause of Archive of Vietnamese Boat
People Association, invited by email to the
forum for a charity fund raising in restoration of scattered, abandoned tombs of
those lost lives in the midst of no-where,
no-man land. Those poor souls who had
thought they probably escaped from the
harsh, brutal and inhumane communist
regime in the hope to find a future, had
actually ended their journey somewhat
short. Perhaps their destiny was kind in
giving them peace and happiness without
further hardship by allowing them their
final destination earlier than the rest of us!
I responded a confirmation of attendance without real interest as I was overseas at that time and the name of the artist, Nguyen Duc Dat, did not ring any bell
nor bringing any real image to my mind.
That Friday came, I had to check again
earlier on the day if someone had bought
the ticket for me and had hoped at that
instant that I did not have to go if there
were no tickets left. It was only few hours
to the show that I got the confirmation
and went, though not reluctantly as I was
glad to join in some activity with the community after the recent fairly long absence
from being busy with my own private life.
Arriving at the Mounties Club at Mount
Pritchard with a dear friend of mine after
indulging some quick fix dinner, I found
the hall was already filled more than threequarter full of audience. To this point now,
I am so glad that I went. To witness the
magical talent of NĐĐ on stage with his
guitar is a rare encounter that I probably
would have missed sorely if I were not
there that night. To this stage, I still could
not fully comprehend the amazing skill of
this blind, orphaned, mixed race guitarist.
Even though I have had the opportunity to
come closer, to be near him as a person to
a person after the concert, I am still in awe
of his ability in transforming the six
strings from his musical instrument into
various sound and images that his blindness has prevented him to see. He dedicated the theme of the night as “Love life then
Life will love you!”, a beautiful and generous motion considering what his life had
been through.
I had not thought of writing about this
extraordinary blind guitarist at first but
the urge suddenly became so strong after I
saw him again on a different occasion. He
was sitting there, a few seats away from
me on the same table among the alarming
noise of more than five hundred people in
another charity function for the Australian
Veterans’ War Widow and Family in the
Vietnam War on the following Sunday
evening. A quiet figure, tiny and fragile as
delicate as a small child at the far distance
whose presence did not impose upon any
passer-bys’ attention if not known him at
first. I had almost slipped the chance of
observing him tonight again. He had the
usual stance of a blind person, sitting at
an angle, facing down lightly, both hands
hesitantly finding somewhere to rest
awkwardly as if continuously aware of
their extra unnecessary presence. His gait
was of the usual behaviour, slightly hesitated, small stepped of an unsighted person. However, all that usual gestures of
his, instantly vanished the moment he
held his beloved guitar on to his hands or
the instance he stood or sit on his chair
on stage. His confidence radiated miraculously once he grasped a hold of his guitar
and started to perform. I was lucky to
have had the chance of being near him to
observe. It was quite cruel of me, I
thought, of observing somebody silently,
closely and minutely without his
knowledge of being under my scrutinising gaze. As almost all the time, many had
detested as well as protested furiously
when I gave my eyes the power of detection, eyes upon their eyes or their face.
As I believe in the saying that, ‘One’s
eyes are the windows of one’s soul’, and
on that night I had thought it was impossible for me to try looking for NĐĐ’s soul
as his windows were closed permanently
by the brutal fate that life had bestowed
upon him since childbirth. Without looking into his eyes then I might not see him
as clearly as I wanted to see him; totally
naked, savagely bare of any shield, any
hindrance. Hidden behind the dark sunglasses were the instruments to his soul. I
y Nguyễn Thị Yêu Thương
wanted to see the true person behind any
masked facade, the unadorned, simple
soul of the talented blind and battered
artist whose life was a massive series of
tragedies with cruelty, unkindness and
barbaric treatments since born as a mixed
race child of an American soldier and an
unknown mother. Fate is usually unkind
by law of the nature, ‘The postman always
rings twice’, that is another saying I know
to be quite true of late. He was born blind
as an addition to his being an orphan in a
crude society of Vietnam where social
security system was primarily (and still
is) non-existence. Where poor and desolate people were left to themselves to find
their own ways to survive, where the rate
of survival of a blind orphaned child was
minimal and that was where NĐĐ had
lived through his miserable, bereaved and
bittered childhood with his little sister
two years his junior.
Arisen above all these sad, despairing
and gloomy days of living under the measured hand-outs of strangers on the streets
of District 10 of Saigon is the talented
guitarist of today. The dejected, weeping,
sorrowful blind kid leading by his small
sister begging on the streets for his
chance of emerging out of his abominable
destiny is now a successful artist with a
load full of optimistic views of life and a
wicked sense of humour. I adore his light
heartedness in hearing him jokingly said,
“Oh, why don’t you stand up when being
introduced so I can see you clearly”, when
someone told him of someone else’s presence. Or, “Why don’t we turn on the
lights, it’s too dark here!” I listened intensely and mesmerising with fascination
of his songs about love on the night of his
concert. To NĐĐ, love is not only just
Raising Awareness
Page 41
Issue 1, 2013
between man and woman; it is all about
every kind of love in the universe. His
music is a miracle in which he transported
himself out of his blindness by giving him
wings and the power of light in seeing
everything clearly and acutely. His music
and his guitar are the instruments to his
soul. His music is the sound which describing all the unseen that he cannot see!
His love of life is a remarkable feature of
his ability to forgive. The atrocity and
cruelty that his life had been through with
harsh words and pitiless gestures toward a
maimed kid wandering on the outskirt of
society was forgiven but nevertheless not
forgotten easily.
NĐĐ is now practising Yoga diligently.
He has found belief in Buddhism in the
last ten years or so and this has provided
solace and comfort for his tortured soul in
trying to attain forgetfulness. NĐĐ is constantly trying to eradicate that part of
painful memory out of his mind. To some
extent he was successful as his forgiveness
had vindicated that. To other extent, he is
still struggling time and again whenever
his torment flashing back to him the
treacherous images that he deliberately is
trying to block out forever. This, I learnt,
from his avoidance of answering my questions about his childhood. He told me,
“...don’t write about it, please. It is too sad.
Just write about music, that is! Something
cheerful and happy please, chị Tuyết” I
had felt deeply for him with that statement! He still needs to concentrate on his
yoga practice to free his soul of all those
excruciating pain from a suffering, trouble
years of begging on the streets. From desolateness and despair, at the pit of blackness and of hopelessness was and still is
the destructive force of suicidal attempts.
As of course, human beings are of no exception by staying invincible but helpless
and fragile when torturous agonies hit
them repeatedly on the face. Regardless of
coming out of all his miseries by becoming
a successful, amazingly talented guitarist
hosting many shows around the world,
NĐĐ is still a human being like all of us
are, after all.
He is so small, as of course by the age
of teens when a person needs to have all
many important nutrients to develop to
the full potential that NĐĐ had had only
very basic, plain rice for his diet. When
asking about the saddest meal of his life,
he said unceremoniously, “Oh, so many,
can’t remember chị Tuyết! But the one I
felt the most was when I was 14 or 15
years old, coming home after my lessons I
only had a bowl of cold rice using plain
water as my mean of savoury to help push
it down my throat for dinner made me
feel so miserable! It was because Tết, our
new year, was only few days away!” Tết is
when we celebrate lunar new year and it
is many folds heartbroken at that particular point when traditionally everyone is
supposed to have what he wishes for.
However, NĐĐ continued promptly after
my opposite question of his meals, “I still
remember the happiest meal was when I
had finished a yoga session at Lộc Uyển
Library in California”. Everyone was given
a piece of bread; it was old, few days at
least, stale and sour; and its taste was just
that to everybody but him. “I still can
taste the sweetness and the satisfaction
that piece of bread had melted in my
mouth. Every taste bud of sensation is
still tingling with each swallow as I savoured bit by bit till the end. So I concluded to myself that, it is not the type of
food you eat to appreciate the taste but
the state of your mind and the feeling of
your soul at that time! I had felt so elated
then!”
I had thought and said to a friend of
mine few days ago about the topic of losing something that I used to have, like my
eye sights. I had thought that the pain
and the agony of wanting to have those
lost things restored back to me would be
so strong and the desperation of the
knowledge that they had gone forever
would be so destructive and barbaric to
the point of becoming unbearable or suicidal. I had thought that that pain could
be much worse than the hopelessness that
someone like NĐĐ had as he was born
with his defect and there was no way for
him to compare the shape, the size, the
colour, the shades of everything surrounding him. But when asked for what he
dreamed most about, he said, “to be able
to just have a peep, a quick look at the
magnificent gigantic mountains or the
beautiful blue sky or the vastness of the
sea or the depth of the ocean... once, just
for once... would be enough!” That dream
of his made me stunt with sadness for a
long while afterward! I realised that many
of us are taking our souls for granted, as
comes with the saying ‘One’s eyes are the
windows of one’s soul’, we are having our
souls as a matter of fact! We can see
things, differentiate shapes, colours,
depth, size and we are in existence by
thinking that our eyes are just as body
parts that maintain our lives like breathing air to our lungs to bring oxygen to our
heart to circulate our blood, to be alive!
And we have often forgotten that we are
pledged as without our eyes we are probably lost in our darkness and easily being
destroyed by our own desolation if having
so little courage to fight, to forgive the
cruelty that life has singled a minority of
us to bear those miseries.
My final question and his answer of the
strongest wish gave me a chuckle, “I wish
to be the first blind person who passed
the driving test!” I laughed heartily, “Oh
dear, that is quite dangerous! Don’t you
think, Dat?” He also laughed and said
quickly, “oh no no, not the actual driving
permit but just the digitally practical
driving test!!!”
NTYT 14112012
Page 42
Yêu
Xin yêu như yêu lần đầu
Như mai không đến, muôn mầu còn say
Xóa quên kỷ niệm đắng cay
Trao nhau hy vọng phút giây tình nồng...
Issue 1, 2013
Nhân tình ví tựa mây bay
Yêu như là gió, ru mây bốn mùa
Dù mưa dông tố bão đùa
Mây luôn tựa gió bốn mùa bến mơ…
Nhân tình ví đoạn câu thơ
Yêu như từng nhịp khúc mơ ước gì?
Xin trời xanh viễn nền mi
Tình không thương tiếc, không ghi chữ sầu...
Khi yêu xin như lần đầu
Không mang đau khổ, không sầu hận duyên
Yêu trong nỗi nhớ vẹn tuyền
Hẹn nhau một kiếp thắm duyên ngày về…
PA
Courtesy of Dr Phuong Anh
(General Practitioner)
Art and Philosophy: Poems
Art and Philosophy
Page 43
Issue 1, 2013
Paranoia
Jill quicken her steps, someone was
following her. Dobby turned his head
twice already, glancing backward and
that made Jill even more frighten. The
dog pulled her forward as if hurriedly
stretching out the distance between
the silhouettes behind and them. The
streets were all looking unfamiliar to
Jill. Too many trees and bushes with
elongated, strange looking silhouettes
and shadows everywhere she turned
her head. Jill regretted deeply. She
should not have walked out in the
dark against her judgement like this.
It was because of Dobby. Jill was so
sorry for neglecting him the last few
days and she could sense the canine’s
anxiety by his gait. He was not active
and lively as before. His steps were
slower, his tail did not wag vigorously
when he met her at the door steps but
only gave her a hurtful look as if asking for an explanation. Jill understood
Dobby’s feeling. He missed his old
surroundings, the noisy streets, the
chattering from passerby, the chirping
of birds, rowdy argument from the
cockatoos and the quacking of crows
in the sky. They were Dobby’s comfort
in the long hours without Jill. Now, all
those were gone. They had just moved
to a more prestigious and quieter
neighbourhood, a strange and new
place that both were not comfortable
with at all.
Jill looked behind her shoulder, a man
was walking briskly in quick steps
five metres from her. Her heart
skipped a few beats, he was following
her since when? From the moments
she was out of the gate of her unit or
just when Jill turned around the corner? Jill almost broke into a jog, her
steps wider, stretching as much as her
small legs could afford. She turned
once more, glancing backward, the
silhouette of the stranger was catching up with her, shorten the distance.
Jill jerked Dobby closer to her side,
tighten up his leash, taking comfort
from the dog's presence. The thumping of her heart was heard clearly in
Jill's ear. She hurriedly crossed the
street to the other side of the pavement, thinking whether she should
stop and knock on someone's house to
get away from the stalker, the danger
was close. Keeping her strides, Jill
breathed out deeply, feeling her heart
by Tuyet Nguyen
thumping back to its normal rate
when she looked back again and saw
nobody behind. The street was empty, dark and gleaming with faint
lights but deserted, nevertheless.
There was no stalker after all. It must
have been a stroller who went out
walking late like her. He went away
in his own path, a little crossing from
hers, by chance.
There was a half moon in the dark
sky, hanging high above the tops of
those willowy trees in the centre garden. Too many bushes and trees, Jill
thought again. Those wild growing
bushes along the perimeter of the
lake after a week of rain and tall, unkempt grasses leaping out of their
designated boxes bursting with energy caused Jill to step out of the pavement onto the street. A car was approaching with its head lights beaming straight at her, Jill startled once
more. She pulled Dobby back quickly
onto the sidewalk. She could not afford a hit and run by a maniac in his
disturbed mind, in a fraction of madness! Who knows, if luck was not by
her side, anything could have occurred. The car sped by and nothing
happened. Few rustling noise from
the leaves on tall trees by the early
autumn breeze was all that occurred.
Jill continued her walk past the centre garden at the lake, wondering
whether she should have turned back
home and abandoned the walk prematurely. They were only half
way. Dobby was sniffing excitedly in
front of her, stopping now and then
at some points as if registering the
markers. Jill strode along resignedly,
giving the dog his pleasure of the day.
The houses on this side were facing
the dense foliage vegetation on the far
side with a wide boulevard as the
boundary. Jill would not like to live
in those houses, she thought. Too
isolated as in a jungle, Jill compared. Looking out from the front the
residents only see tall trees and bushes in their view, mysterious and uninviting. The atmosphere was cold, indifferent. The lack of noise from birds
or insects from this part might have
given her that thinking. The silence
was there. It was so quiet. Even the
leaves were not making any rustling
sound. Jill could not hear anything.
She ran, Dobby was excitedly jogging
along. He was happy to have a chance
to spend his energy.
Keeping her strides steady, Jill
reached another part of the estate.
The lights from the planted spots
around the trees made the area
brighter. She caught a glimpse of
swinging movements from the playground. It was too late for playing
there at this time of the evening! The
whitish form of a human body, in the
bulk of a large woman, ominously
looked ghostly from Jill’s angle, the
woman dangled her feet on the swing
following its ups and downs like a
child. Jill felt goose bumps forming on
her bare arms, even though where the
swing and where she stood was a safe
distance apart, a hundred metres at
least. It must be the wind, she
thought. She turned her head to observe the whitish form of the shape on
the swing again, its languished movements intrigued her curiosity. She
must have been a dancer in her youth,
it was so far and from a distance Jill
could not see her hair, she wondered
if it was long or short.
It was about time she returned
home. TYTN 06032013
Page 44
Art and Philosophy
Issue 1, 2013
Recollections - 1978
Today was D-day. Trish got up immediately the moment Mum touched
lightly on her shoulder. She slept fitfully and had been waiting patiently
in darkness for the signal. Kim was
already up as well. They averted their
eyes from the apprehensive look to
each other, avoiding all communications that might break the thin layer
of calmness each tried to display. Five
o’clock in the morning. The air was
cool with a bit of dampness like most
early mornings in the rainy monsoon
season. A few noisy scooters were
passing by the house, evading the stillness of the empty street soon flooded
with traffic in a couple of hours. Light
was scarcely seen outside when Trish
poked her eyes through a little hole of
the front rustic iron folding doors
which were the usual doors for most
houses in Vietnam at that time.
She was ready, out of bed and quickly
dressed in a simple outfit as a village
girl with black satin pyjama pants and
a peasant white blouse, the almost
identical outfits that most of the girls
and women in their group were wearing on that day. Looking back today,
Trish smiled at the simplicity of their
thinking at that time. An acute observant would have guessed easily
that there was something unusual
going on. As co-incidentally, without
knowing and regardless of trying to
pretend as peasants going about their
normal daily lives, half of the passengers on that early morning commercial
coach travelling to Can-Tho, a provincial city, 100km to the south west of
Saigon, were going to be on the same
trip and having the same goal; escape
to the sea! They all looked out of
place, sheepishly shy in their outfit,
with clean, pale skin unmistakably of
city girls and women, not the harsh
weather beaten, dark leathery skin
that most peasants had.
Trish was excited and apprehensive at
the same time. She breathed in the
fresh air of the early morning through
the little hole and turning round anxiously looking at the old cuckoo clock
hanging on the wall of her family
lounge, waiting for the time to depart.
That clock was there ever since she
could remember, something from the
house that she was going to miss,
Trish thought. Mingling with a child-
by Tuyet Nguyen
ish sadness from saying goodbye to
the house she had been living in for
the an entire sixteen years lifetime
and the unforeseen adventure of getting out of the country was an unexplained butterfly feeling in her stomach. The family had been planning for
this escape for almost half a year.
There were hushed hushed talks in
the back of the house between her
mother and her brother-in-law,
Minh, late in the evenings and in the
wee hours of the nights. They decided
to organise an escape for the whole
family after his agonised, missed trip
with his wife, Trish's sister, and their
eleven month old daughter late December last year. He was left behind
together with many other men who
were supposed to join in with their
wives and children hoisted onto the
ship off shore earlier that night. There
was a miscalculation of the time in
moving all the men above board from
the smaller dinghies close in shore.
The ship left without half the men,
for as if lingering a while longer in
anchorage on site it would have jeopardised the entire escape in drawing
attention from the patrolling coastal
police.
Minh had returned home alone in the
morning, at the very early hours and
woke all of us by his sudden reappearance. He had travelled back
home after the dark, suspense filled
night hiding in a thatched hut near
the seashore together with other deserted men, cowering with fear and
apprehension. Exhausted with the
anxiety and traumatised by the incident, he was relieved for not being
captured by the coastal police in
committing a crime of attempted
escape and that would mean a jail
term of an unknown period! He also
was heartbroken and angry at the
same time by the inefficiency of the
people involved in coordinating the
escape. Quick to assess the damage,
Minh had to make a move in reporting to work immediately as if nothing
had happened during the night.
Trish looked at him sitting quietly for
a brief moment before getting ready
for work, red eyes and face haggard
with tiredness in his bedroom at the
rear of our house. She felt a pang of
pain knowing that he was so worry
for her sister and his daughter on
board of the ship moving further and
further away from him. Looking up
from his sadness, he waved his hand,
motioned her to get closer. He smiled
awkwardly, trying to hide his weariness and said, "June and Jade have
gone. I hope for their safety. I am OK.
Aren't you about to get going for
school, too?" She nodded her head,
swallowed a lump of choked tears
and hurried out of his sight avoiding
the melancholy feel in the air.
That was half a year ago.
Today, she was about to embark on
an adventure! That was very much
Trish's feeling at that time. The danger at sea and the unknown fatality of
many other boat people were meaningless to the mind of a sixteen years
old girl. She was so relieved in leaving
the country. After the war ended, her
family had suffered so much hardship
and were shocked at the new system.
Her father was a retired exgovernment official living on a
monthly retirement pension and had
put all his saving in the national bank.
All that had vanished without trace
Art and Philosophy
Issue 1, 2013
Page 45
the moment the new communist regime had taken over the country, they
were left without any mean of supporting themselves and no one cared.
Each month a piece of furniture or
valuable belongings, jewelleries were
sold to feed all of them, seven children
and her parents. Only June was married to Minh a year before the war
ended but still living at home, her
young family was staying in a separated rear entrance part of the house
which had been renovated into a fully
self-contained apartment. It was only
after Minh had had a stable position
as an aide for a District Five Taxation
Office after returning from six months
of a so called 're-educated camp' that
their financial situation was a bit better. He had a heart of gold by helping
her Mum raising them. Due to his
short term that lasted merely a year
working as a Deputy Head Official at
the same District Five Taxation Office
after his Masters graduation of Economics from the National University
that Minh was allowed home to his
wife in a relatively brief 're-educated
period'! He was considered a rookie,
not having enough time to be corrupted or brainwashed by the old regime.
In the labyrinth of a taxation system
that was totally unfamiliar to the illiterate victors from the north, he was
asked to report to work only a week
after his release. In a sense, that was
his luck and our luck. He had the
means to support his young wife and a
child as well as helping my mum with
almost everything to make ends meet.
In those days, everything was scarce,
especially in 1978, three years after the
Fall of Saigon. Not many factories
were allowed to operate. The ones
that the new government were maintained to manufacture basic goods
were using up all the surplus raw materials. Most of things in storage before the war ended were now decayed
or long gone past expiry dates but
they were still handed out to the people as there were none others available! Trish remembered the long queue
Kim, her immediate sister, and she
had to endure during the school days
for necessities like soaps, toothpastes,
sugar, salts, laundry powder, etc... or
the turn to get to purchase vegetables,
rice, meat or fish at the official public
stalls. Those long hours of waiting and
queuing under the scorching sun that
sometime she ended up returning
home empty handed as there were
none left when her turn came. Even
the tiny morsels of stale fish or meat,
rotten sweet potatoes and wilted
vegetables or sand mixed broken rice
were gone to the willing hands of
needy people whose condition was
bestowed upon them suddenly by the
change of governments.
She did not know how other kids her
age were supposed to study at school
and often wondered about that. As
her entire free time before or after
school were being used to attain all of
those goods, to keep her family from
starving. Sometimes she had to bring
her books with her, standing in line
and study at the same time. The anxiety was the most wearisome! Every
time the family was given some food
or necessity coupons, there was the
exchange of uttered frustration between Kim and her. They were assigned to the task and had no way of
avoiding it as it was the only way
they could afford those things from
the communist government without
any real source of income. Stale fish
or meat, poor quality soaps or shampoos, glum of sugar still very unprocessed or wet discoloured salt, etc...
were all welcome to them. Even
though the quality of those things
were far less than the black market's
and many others who had money to
afford better things still did not dare
in refusing the coupons in fear of raising suspicion. In those days, they
lived very much in fear. Fear of being
betrayed by others for crimes that
they might not be aware of. Fear of
being exposed of committing crimes
as having more money to spend than
the average common person, more
food to eat, expensive soaps to use or
tender meats, fresh fish, new cropped
rice to cook!
There were times Trish stood in
queue, in front and behind her were
same expressions of weariness and
fatigue on the faces of various ages,
from teens to youth, to mature men,
women, to old grandmothers or
grandfathers. Many faces had become
familiar after a while as those were
the same people having had to queue
for each family, appearing on the
same session of time of the day. From
teachers to students, to secretaries,
clerks, factory workers, to other professions of the society; they all had to
stand in line holding tightly to the
food coupons in the hope to get the
most basic necessities to live on. Every day, every hour, seven days a week,
twenty four hours a day; the whole
population of the south, the defeated
citizens, were just having one single
goal in their life at that time: enough
food to fill their stomach and enough
essentials to keep clean and be free of
contagious skin conditions. It was so
cunning how the communist government had placed a strong grip onto
those poor souls of South Vietnam
citizens. It was impossible for them
to think of anything else but that single goal, staying alive. Regardless of
animated, secretive talks of rebel, of
revolution to upturn the communists
in these early periods of war ending,
there were mainly vivid talks and
hollow dreams or minor, insignificant, hopelessly futile battles ignited
by the few, handful frustrated and illtreated ex-soldiers. Of course, those
flickers of rebellious flames were distinguished steadfastly easy as the rest
of the country was so busy queuing
for food or necessities and had had no
energy or clear mind enough to join
in. These hopeless battles, then, were
serving as examples for the victors to
boast about their mighty power in
defeating the southerners, again!!! Oh,
the vicious cycle of controlling, tighten the stomach then break the mind
or vice versa, how easy it was!
No wonder for a sixteen year old girl,
she was so glad to get away from that
vicious control, to escape from her
once beloved country. Schooling was
not the place for the young mind to
learn new theories and practise common science but mostly time spent on
emphasising the political subject of
absurd communism and to mimicking
phrases of Karl Max, Lenin, Mao Tse
Tung and Ho Chi Minh as parrots.
Grade was based not only on how
smart but how well the student absorbed these propaganda, without an
A or B on the latter subject then there
was no chance of gaining an A or B in
overall. From kindergarten kids to
high school students, to university
undergraduates; all have to pass this
mind controlled stage in the first
place before being considered passed
or gained places in school or universities.
Issue 1, 2013
Page 46
Trish had witnessed the Fall of Saigon
one morning in April 1975. She stood
there in silence, eyes wide in shock
with many others in front of their
house. The impact of seeing the bicoloured Red and Blue flag with a centre
yellow star flying on the army tanks
looking strangely unfamiliar approaching from afar and menacingly
closer was still vivid in her mind. The
painful, agonised and disbelief looks
of many adults around her were swiftly displayed or exchanged for a very
brief moment before turning into a
blank, void of emotion stares toward
the parade of victory from the North
Vietnam Army. The impact of shock
in that first few hours were marked
even more unnatural by the distorted
silence in the air. But that silence was
not allowed for long as the South Vietnamese citizens were forced to
show jubilation and joy in welcoming
the Northerners by enthusiastic backsliders who quickly deserted old comrades, dear friends, relatives, brothers,
sisters or even parents to join in with
the victors in triumphant merriment.
Those readily traducers to everything
of the south were once a busboy in an
office or a fishmonger from the local
market or of similar kind, who were
now fast becoming authoritative in
their own way as being people’s chosen representatives of the new communist regime. They were being used
effectively to become informants who
terrorised everyone from the old regime in fear of being named traitors or
rebels; a crime that they had no
chance of defending themselves
against. Even though what they had
believed in or acted on not so long ago
were, in every essence, a truthful and
honest duty of a citizen in their own
homeland.
Few droplets of dew from the dense
foliage trees on the kerbs landed onto
her hair startling the little girl. Her
mind turned back to the present when
the motorised rickshaw carrying
Mum and Trish went past her high
school. The tiny figure of a young girl,
not yet fully developed with short
tapered hair around the neck, sitting
on one side of her mother, sharing the
same narrow seat, was laden with
emotions. Young as she was in appearance, Trish had matured more than
her age in other aspects. The sweet
sixteen age, the most acclaimed stage
of a maturing young woman, was lost
Art and Philosophy
in her life. It was no doubt that her
innocence was as pure and crystal
clear as a mountain spring but her
mind was filled with sad thoughts
and harsh, hurtful images in those
years. Years later Trish was surprise
to find them still lingering on. There
were not candles and flowers to celebrate this coming of age but images of
war and brutal reality of gross daily
life to deal with.
She changed her position lightly to
glance backward all the while the
entire length of her school. The tall,
iron gate was locked, forbidding and
austere. The high wall stretching
along the perimeter facing the street
was dividing the worlds into two,
theory and practice. The school was
having an air of mystery at that moment. The trickles of light in the early
morning were not enough to penetrate the darkness and left an impression of indifference to Trish’s feeling.
She felt sadder. Trish wanted to look
closely at her high school for the last
time. In her mind, everywhere she
looked at was for the last time. She
wanted to memorise the school yard,
putting an everlasting picture in her
heart. Her school yard with the tiny
leaves, yellowish in colour falling,
falling on the ground from tamarind
trees on windy days or few early blossoming reddish flower summer trees
so bright in the summer sun scattering about the paths, the two popular
trees found in most schools of the
south. She wished to see her class
room, it was on the first floor directly
looking down at the main assembly
area, almost on the straight line with
the school flag poles.
x
Oh damn! Trish suddenly remembered. She forgot to return school
books! It was the last week of school
and Trish, as ordered severely by
Minh and her Mum, was not supposed to disclose their secretive plan
of escape to anyone else apart from
family in fear of being discovered. For
the entire duration of organising the
trip, they did their best to steer away
suspicion by going about their normal daily chores without any discrepancies. Though, the time spent queuing under the scorching sun was very
much lengthy as before but Trish had
felt as if it were quicker and had not
ended in frustration when she went
home empty handed.
She went to school light hearted and
daydreamed about the new life she
was going to live. Free of propaganda,
of absurd communist idealism and
free of being under control of the
stomach! Freedom, that was the
dream of many boat people escaped
to dangerous seas, ignorant of probable death. They were so naive, Trish
realised that now. After so many
years gone by the day her family
stepped on to the small boat venturing out to search for a new life, Trish
always wondered at how simple and
easy many of them, her family and
others, thought about their escape. In
their mind, it was as if once they got
out of the Vietnam coastal border
then there were an entourage of welcoming party waiting with open arms
to help them reach their goal, showering them with love and attention!
Literally, they thought of the open
seas as narrow roads and as long as
they got to the main boulevard they
were safe!
Mum held her hand lightly, pulling it
to her lap, as if to stop Trish from
fidgeting about and reassured her
softly, “We are almost there”, her face
serene, as if empty of thoughts. Trish
knew that her mum did not want to
displace her emotions in fear of crumbling in pieces. Poor mum, a figure of
strength and femininity in one. Her
family was divided into groups this
morning to go to the station catching
a coach to Can-Tho, the rendezvous
point, where they would be meeting
again to board small catamarans to
the larger vessel afar. Kim was with
her older sister, Vivian. They were
leaving the house in half hour intervals, Mum and Trish were the first
group. Minh was the last to leave.
Trish’s older brother, Dean, was already at the rendezvous two days ago.
Luke, her younger brother, was disguised as a busboy on the boat from
last month. Bryant, another older
brother, was on the boat few months
ago. Her father was also on board as a
boat keeper since the day they had
bought the vessel. This was a one-off
chance. If anything were to go
wrong, the whole family might become vagabonds and could not return
to Saigon to live.
Good living—Recipes
Page 47
Grilled Salmon with Tamarind Sauce
Trying to get ourselves and our kids to have the two 3-ounce servings of fish a week as
recommended by dieticians is often difficult due to the bland or fishy taste. Ideally we should
pick from varieties that are high in DHA and EPA. Two servings of fatty fish twice a week can
supply 500 to 1,000 mg of omega-3s. The Atlantic Salmon is a great tasting fatty fish and this
recipe is tested and proven amongst all ages.
Ingredients
2 large salmon fillets with
skin on.
Snow peas
Coriander
Mint
Sauce:
1 red onion diced
1 teaspoon light olive oil
1 red birdseye chilli, sliced
(may be omitted)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ginger– sliced
2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate powder
1- 2 tablespoons palm sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
Preparations
Sauce:
1.
Heat olive oil in a small
saucepan.
2.
Add onion, chilli, garlic and
ginger. Cook for 1 minute or
until soft and golden.
3.
Add remaining sauce ingredients.
4.
Simmer for 5 minutes, or
until reduced and sticky.
Fish:
1.
Preheat Oven to 180°C.
2.
Clean Salmon Fillets and
pat dry.
3.
Lightly Rub fillet with a
pinch of Salt, Pepper and
Olive oil.
4.
Lay fillet on baking tray
with skin touching the base
of the tray
5.
Smear the sauce evenly all
over the fillets
6.
Bake for roughly 15 to 20
minutes. (Medium Rare)
Or 40 minutes (Well done)
Serving:
1.
Lightly steam snow peas
2.
Lay snow peas on to serving plate and drizzle any
remaining tamarind sauce.
3.
Add cooked fish on top of
the snow peas and garnish
with fresh mint and coriander.
Page 48
Issue 1, 2013
AVHPA Professional Registry 2013
Title
First name
Specialty
Address
Area
Phone
Jimmy
Last
name
Bui
Mr
Chiropractor
1st floor, suite 37, 4850 Hill St
Cabramatta
2166
97555122
Mr
Jimmy
Bui
Chiropractor
1st Floor, 264 Canley
Vale Rd
Canley Heights
2166
97265259
Dr
Tuan
Bui
General practitioner
192 Heathcote Rd
Hammondville
2170
98252222
Dr
James (Son)
Chau-Vo
Ophthalmologist
54 Hughes St
Cabramatta
2166
97247177
Dr
Alison
Chiu
Ophthalmologist
54 Hughes St
Cabramatta
2166
97247177
Dr
Thu Dung
Dang
87 Queen St
St Marys 2760
96735008
Ms
Luu Dung
Dang
General practitioner
Pharmacist
85 Queen St
St Marys 2760
96231106
Dr
Quang
Dao
Orthopaedic
Knee Surgeon
Level 1, 105-119
Longstaff Ave
Chipping Norton 2170
98212599
Dr
Quang
Dao
Orthopaedic
Knee Surgeon
Suite 20/42 Parkside
Cres
Campbelltown
2560
98212599
Dr
Andrew Hung
Duong
Dentist
73-74 Old Town Centre Plaza
Bankstown 2200
97092923
Dr
Theresa HanhHieu
Ho
Paediatrician
217 Cabramatta Rd
Cabramatta
2166
97272663
Dr
Peter Duc
Hoang
General Dentistry
215 Lakemba St
Lakemba 2195
97582305
Dr
Peter Duc
Hoang
General Dentistry
3/4 Hughes St
Cabramatta
2166
97263170
Dr
Peter Duc
Hoang
Orthodontics
Level 2, 2 Chalmers St
Surry Hills 2010
92933388
Dr
Tess Tien
Huynh
Level 2, 7 Secant St
Liverpool 2170
98212993
Dr
Tess Tien
Huynh
21 Claremont St
Campsie 2194
97896994
Dr
Tess Tien
Huynh
Level 11, 33 York St
Sydney 2000
82358400
Dr
Mary
Le
Cataract, Cornea and Comprehensive Eye
Surgeon
Cataract, Cornea and Comprehensive Eye
Surgeon
Cataract, Cornea and Comprehensive Eye
Surgeon
General practitioner
20/48-50 Hill st
Cabramatta
2166
97268211
Dr
Dinh Cuong
Le
General practitioner
Suite 3/76-80 John St
Cabramatta
2166
97559040
Dr
James
Ngo
Dentist
74 Burwood Road
Burwood 2134
97471988
Dr
James
Ngo
Dentist
Shop 18, 193 Railway
Parade
Cabramatta
2166
97276688
Page 49
Issue 1, 2013
AVHPA Professional Registry 2013
Title
First name
Specialty
Address
Area
Phone
Harry
Last
name
Ngo
Dr
Ostetrician and
Gynaecologist
36 Restwell St
Bankstown 2200
97072488
Dr
Harry
Ngo
Ostetrician and
Gynaecologist
Suite 1, Level 1, 5 Arthur Street
Cabramatta
2166
97072488
Dr
Harry
Ngo
Ostetrician and
Gynaecologist
8/43 Ware Street
Fairfield 2165
97072488
Dr
Quan
Ngo
Cnr Meadows &
Cabramatta Rds
Cabramatta
West 2166
1300752789
Dr
Quan
Ngo
107 Bankstown City
Plaza
Bankstown 2200
1300752789
Dr
Tuan L
Nguyen
Plastic, Reconstructive and
Aesthetic Surgeon
Plastic, Reconstructive and
Aesthetic Surgeon
Cardiologist
Liverpool 1871
98283000
Dr
Tuan L
Nguyen
Cardiologist
Liverpool hospital
Locked Bag 7103
129 Cabramatta Rd
97257259
Dr
Phong T D
Nguyen
Cardiologist
129 Cabramatta Rd
Cabramatta
2166
Cabramatta
2166
Dr
Phong T D
Nguyen
Cardiologist
Level 1, suite 3/42
Parkside Cres
Campbelltown
2560
46206188
Dr
Mai Linda
Nguyen
Dentist
73-74 Old Town Centre Plaza
Bankstown 2200
97092923
Dr
Huong
Nguyen
Dentist
L1, 326 Chapel Rd
South
Bankstown 2200
97098818
Dr
Thu Giang
Nguyen
General practitioner
Suite 3/76-80 John St
Cabramatta
2166
97559040
Dr
Diep
Nguyen
Nuclear Medicine Specialist
10/36 Ware St
Fairfield 2165
97246864
Ms
Judy ThoaiAnh
Nguyen
Optometrist
246 Illawara Rd
Marrickville
2204
98252222
Ms
Tuyet
Nguyen
Pharmacist
10 Canley Vale Road
Canley Vale
2166
97241807
Ms
Diep
Nguyen
Pharmacist
191 Victoria St
Taree 2122
65521003
Ms
My Trang
Nguyen
Pharmacist
Shop 1, 808 Pacific
High Way
Gordon 2072
Ms
My Trang
Nguyen
Pharmacist
1-312 Marrickville Rd
Marrickville
2204
Ms
My Trang
Nguyen
Pharmacist
2-311 Illawarra Rd
Marrickville
2204
Dr
Kim
Nguyen
Psychiatrist
15-17 Memorial Ave
Kellyville 2155
97257259
8867 0524,
1300 122
144
Page 50
Issue 1, 2013
AVHPA Professional Registry 2013
Title
First name
Last
name
Specialty
Address
Area
Phone
Mr
Ken
Nguyen
Pharmacist
251 Marrickville Rd
Marrickville
2204
95602350
Dr
Chinh
Nguyen
Specialist Paediatric Dentist
Suite 105/161 Bigge St
Liverpool 2170
96006848
Dr
Thuy Huong
Nguyen
Specialist Paediatric Dentist
Kogarah 2217
95881663
Dr
Thuy Huong
Nguyen
Specialist Paediatric Dentist
Wollongong
2500
95881663
Dr
Lam Quoc
Phan
General practitioner
Shop 20, Kogarah
Town Square 5-9 Belgrave St
Suite 1D-1E, Level 1
Crown Towers 200
Crown St
Shop 4/54 Park Rd
Cabramatta
2166
97277312
Mrs
Phuong
Phan
Pharmacist
Shop 1/54 Park Rd
Cabramatta
2166
97247974
Dr
Jack
Phu
Optometrist
88 John St
Cabramatta
2166
97241164
Dr
David Minh
Tang
General practitioner
Shop 11, 22-24 Henley
Rd
Homebush West
2140
97467375
Dr
Thi Thu Ba
Tran
Dental surgeon
6 - 10 / 46 Park Road
Cabramatta
2166
97553787
Dr
Ha
Tran
General practitioner
255 Hector St
Sefton 2162
96444848
Dr
Henry
Tran
General practitioner
256 Hector St
Sefton 2162
96454848
Dr
Hien
Tran
General practitioner
28/1-3 Mary Street
Lidcombe 2141
96462004
Dr
Xuyen Thi
Tran
General practitioner
102/54 Park Rd
Cabramatta
2166
9724 5580
Mr
Hoan
Tran
Physiotherapist
Level 1, 3/23 Marion
St
Bankstown 2200
9793 7099
Dr
William
Trinh
Optometrist
88 John St
Cabramatta
2166
97241164
Dr
Duc
Van
Paediatrician
31 Rickard Rd
Bankstown 2200
9707 2298
Dr
Duc
Van
Paediatrician
20/5 Arthur St
9755 7459
Mr
Le
Vu
Audiologist
117 John St
Cabramatta
2166
Cabramatta
2166
Dr
Johan
Wijaya
Nuclear Medicine Specialist
Suite 8, 27 Justin
Street
Smithfield 2164
9609 6400
97283518
Issue 1, 2013
Page 51