Blog Post #4: The Interview (pardon the poor photo quality, didn't have any digital ones)
[CW/TW: Mentions of depression, death, and illegal immigration]
What is the meaning of life? It's clearly not about the end, as all of our ends lie in the same place - death. So, obviously, it has to be about the journey in between being born and dying. But what about this journey makes it so miraculous? The ability to be happy and have fun? To make a name for ourselves? Or to create a legacy for future generations to come?
As I move into this next phase of my life, I've been thinking more and more about my own future, and what I want to accomplish. Data science is a growing and evolving field, and other than basic statistics and programming skills, its application in the world is limitless because everything is dependent on data to solve problems.
Because of all the different paths my own life can go, instead of interviewing another data scientist or a CTO, the person I "interviewed" is my deceased grandfather. He passed away when I was four, and while I forgot a lot of who he was, what I do remember is his big smile and the fun we had together after school eating Arby's curly fries. He always joked that he was the old turtle, while I was the little turtle (rough translation from Chinese). So, for this blog, I wanted to learn more about my grandfather, and what made him the man he was, and really, to learn more about his legacy.
For some background knowledge, my grandpa grew up in a very poor region in China, and at a young age, his father passed away, with his mother passing around the time he graduated high school. Because of the financial hardships he faced in his life, he was always trying to find ways to strike it rich, and eventually found his way into America (rumor has it that he pretended to be someone's nephew and snuck in, and given the fact that Asians are impossible to tell apart (it's a joke, please don't get offended), it wouldn't be too crazy if it were true). However, my family doesn't really know how long he was here in the States, nor what he did, which we'll get back to later. Near the end of his time in America, he managed to get funds from the US Embassy to build a textile factory in Vietnam, and after meeting my grandmother, managed to find success with the factory, until its downfall during the Vietnam War.
This was a common story that I knew about my grandfather, but a lot of things didn't add up to me. Why come into the US? What happened here? And lastly, how was he able to provide for his huge family of 10, not including uncles/aunts/cousins?
After interviewing my grandmother and relatives, here are some of the things I found out about him.
My grandfather hated being poor, and grew up with the goal of being financially secure (at the price of starting a family - he got married when he was 40, which was very old, especially during that era/culture). America has always been a place where dreams came true, and he came here to try and strike it rich. Unfortunately things didn't work out the way he thought it would. While the specifics aren't known by anyone, as it was a secret he took to his grave, my dad found out that my grandpa was incredibly depressed during his time here. Without a penny to his name and the rampant racism of that time period, he was not only having a difficult time adjusting to life here, but did not find much success. After spending days outside of the US Embassy in the rain, he was eventually trusted with the funds to start a textile factory in Vietnam.
Somehow in Vietnam, he reached his aspirations. Even to this day, people remember/recognize that factory, and using his American connections, business was booming.
Things took a turn for the worst when the Vietnam War started. While my dad and his siblings were one of the first to be evacuated to Taiwan, my grandfather stayed at the factory for as long as possible until it was obvious that the US would lose. He was one of the last people to be evacuated from Vietnam, and I can only imagine the immense feelings of sadness and loss as he watched everything he worked for slowly disappear in the horizon.
For a year, my grandfather's whereabouts were unknown due to him leaving so late in the war, resulting in him being stuck in a refugee camp without paperwork. However, once he was found, life went on. He was able to find work as a consultant, helping to send his 8 kids to college in the US for college, and eventually moving over in the early 2000s.
While my interviews with family members didn't necessarily answer some of the questions I originally had, I got to learn a lot about my grandfather. Despite losing his parents at a young age, growing up in poverty, and losing the business that he built from the ground up, my grandfather managed to overcome all the obstacles in front of him to raise a family and live a great life. He was a determined and dedicated person, and fought through all the obstacles in his path to ensure that his family didn't grow up like he did. While he wasn't the smartest (he was too poor to afford going to college), he made sure that his kids and grandkids would be able to live a life that he never led. He sacrificed years hunting for the success he grew up dreaming of. Even after the interviews, I wish I could ask him how he got through all the hardships he faced. With how uncertain the future always is, I wish I had that same determination he had, and live a life that would make him proud.
(HPJ)
Linus,
This was such a great and meaningful way to conduct your interview. I too am inspired by my grandparents as they did so many incredible things in their lifetime. Your grandfather's story is amazing and I can see why you chose to 'interview' him. He set out goals for himself and never gave up, despite all of the obstacles in his way, he still managed to make it. That's so inspiring to hear and I'm glad you got to know a lot about your grandfather's life through your family's stories. I'm sure anything you do will make him proud and he would feel so honored at the fact that you chose him for your interview. Great job Linus, this…
This was so heartfelt. I was so moved by this post and I thank you so. Such for sharing such a personal story with us. Your grandfather sounds like an amazing man who had such big aspirations. This “interview” is incredibly inspiring. I am sure that he would be proud of who you are and the life that you lead. Your grandfather sounds like such a good man who was very determined and persevered through many hardships. I really respect all the challenges that he underwent and his continued tenacity is admirable. Again, thank you so much for sharing this personal story with us. I loved reading this interview.