Small Bamboo (33 page)

My paternal grandparents arrived in Australia in 1984, sponsored by my parents. My wonderful grandfather is holding me, and my grandmother is sitting to his left.

Our first overseas family holiday was in Singapore, when I was two years old. I was a little scared of being on the rickshaw, 1985.

Trevor and I make offerings for Chinese New Year, Tet, 1986.

After living in America for a couple of years, Uncle Four made his first trip to Australia in 1995. Dad hadn’t seen his brother in twenty years, since the Fall of Saigon in 1975. It was a very emotional occasion for both of them.

In 2000, Dad’s eldest brother, Uncle Three, came to Australia for a Vo family reunion. They hadn’t seen each other for fourteen years.

At this family gathering in 1995, Uncle Four started singing to my grandparents. I reflect on this in the book. From left: My grandparents, Aunt Five, Dad, Uncle Four and Aunt Sixteen.

The Vo family reunion of 2000, the year before my beloved grandfather passed away. My paternal grandparents are seated in the front row and behind them, from left, are Uncle Three, Uncle Four, Uncle Five, Uncle Seven, Uncle Eleven, Uncle Twelve, Uncle Thirteen, Uncle Fifteen, Uncle Seventeen, Dad (number Eighteen) and Uncle Twenty.

The Vo men catching up at a small reunion in Virginia in the States, 2005. Clockwise from left: Uncle Eleven, Uncle Three and his wife, Bac Ba Gai, Uncle Four, Uncle Thirteen and Uncle Twenty.

In 2011 we had one of our last dinners with Uncle Five before he passed away from prostate cancer. Here he is with my folks and Aunt Five.

With Mark Burrows, a man I consider a mentor, at my farewell dinner in Sydney, 2012.

With the lovely Peter Overton on the final night of the 2010 Federal Election campaign.

My first hug on my last day in the Channel Nine Sydney newsroom in 2012—with the late and great Peter Harvey.

My parents and I with Aileen and Moyle Campbell, 2012. Moyle still calls Mum ‘my girl’.