Summary

Thi's family arrived in California to slowly build their new life. They taught their children "to be respectful, to take care of one another, and to do well in school" (295). But there were also unintended lessons that came from "their unexorcised demons and from the habits they formed over so many years of trying to survive" (295). Her parents imparted the values of security, privacy, minimal possessions, and academic excellence. The most important possession in the home is a brown folder with all their legal documents, certificates, and ID papers. While their children succeeded academically, Thi's parents - especially Bo - are not effusive with praise of pride, as it is not part of their culture. Ma continued to build up her education and qualification with more courses since their Vietnamese degrees were not recognized and eventually she convinced Bo to take courses as...