’3.

D

‘9’

 

Far East meets, Mid West

 

 

“Life is good here and we hope to become
citizens, but when we think of family in
Cambodia it is difficult. We want to become

citizens, but we love Cambodia."

by Toni I.oiii-iiliri-g

July saw the arrival of four
Cambodian reiugees to the town oi
Grinnell Sponsored by the local St.
John's Lutheran Church. the
Lutheran Immigration and
Reiugee Service and the Federal
government. Itao Hong Nee and his
one Phang Lim. and Born Sun and
his wife Hem Ly have arrived in
Grinnell after leaving rciugee
camps in Thailand. Both couples
are now living in trailer homes at
Lakeside Trailer Court in Grinnell.
and all four are working for
DcLong Sportswear.

Though the couples were not
acquainted before they came to
Grinnell. their reasons for leaving
Cambodia were quite similar Both
lied because they feared tor their
rights as indivxtluals and possibly
for their lives. Hao had worked as
an English translator tor a
government newspaper in the city
of Phnom Penh. Hearing “stories
that the Communists had a bad
policy," Hao and Phang lett
Cambodia. They settled in a small
rciugee camp in Thailand just two
weeks before their homeland fell to
the Communists in April of 1975.
Since leaving Phnom Penh, the
couple has received. from friends,
reports of urban dwellers being

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forced to migrate to farms in the
countr, ide. ln addition,they have
heard that supplies of food and
medicine have been inadequate.

Unlike H30 and Pliang, Born and
“em left Cambodia after the
Communist victory They are trom
the small northwest Cambodian
village ot Addameanctiey, Born
\vas a sergeant in the army ivhcn
the Communists took over.
Initially, under the new regime,
Born assumed a false Civilian
identity lie worked under the new
government Ior ten days. When his
actual identity was discovered.
Born feared for his life and fled to
Thailand‘ where he Settled himself
in a refugee camp.

In the meantime. Hem remained
in the village and Worked from
early morning until sundown in the
tields. l-Ier job was to work with
tive others in pulling a plow by
hand. She described the food
supply as “inadequate, there not
being enough rice." Alter a tew
weeks. Born came out of hiding
and led Hem out oi the country to
the reiugee camp. In describing
the consequences for him if he had
stayed in Addameanchey, Born
reported that oi the twelve men
who had been under his command.
“only one was not murdered."

Their village background has
made the trans ’on to an urban
American lifestyle especially
difficult for Born and Hem In
Cambodia, there are only two
seasons, the rainy and the dry
Hard work is only done during the
rainy season when rice can be
grown. Born describes his previous
Cambodian lifestyle as being

 

“calm and slow " These ten-
dencies have made it difficult for
him to adapt to an eightrhour work
day. Neither Born nor Hem are
able to speak much English. They
do not meet many people in social
situations and "feel uncomfortable
in public places.” The couple owns
a teleVIsion but they are usually
unable to understand the
programs.

Hat) and Phang believe that their
urban background has made their
transition a bit easier than that of
their friends. Also, Hao's eXs
perience in translation gave him a
basic knowledge of American life
as well as making him fluent in the
language

In many respects. however, their
views and experiences are quite
similar. Discussing assimilation
into American culture. they all
agree that “life is good here and we
hope to become citizens, but when
wethinkoffamilyln Cambodiait is
difficult, We want to become
Citizens, but we love Cambodia.”

All loitr desire to hold onto some
oi their heritage. but express
confusion as to just what traditions
should be retained They did say
that they still preier rice to wheat
iir potatoes. A major concern
expressed by the retugees is that
they never iorget their native
language. Had said that he came
across a magazine written in
Cambodian and it made him “feel
warm.” AS demonstrated by the
dress she wore during this in-
terview. Hem still preiers Cam»
bodian clothing The r‘eiugees
agreed that if they had children.
they hoped their children would
“not torget that their parents were
Cambodian,” They would “‘each
them the language and would want
to lell them Something about the
history of Cambodia."

very helpful in aiding the im~
migrants in their adjustment to
American life It was the church
“hieh got the tour their lactory
jobs at DcLoiig's. Here, the men
\vcrkinthecuttingdeuartmenland
the women as seamstresses.
Church members aid the couples
with shopping and also give
language assistance. People from
the community have also offered to
take the tour on a hunting outing.
Voluntary assistance has helped in
everything from explaining taxes
to arranging for dental ap-
pointments.

Both Couples thought that they
would like to continue living here
“We have so much. in Cambodia
we would probably nothavea stove
and so much furniture " They are
overwhelmed by the freedoms
enjoyed in this country In Came
bodia, for instance, a person with
power and authority had to be
obeyed more than one who had the
backing oi the law. They are
amazed by the “power (if the
newspapers" and “find it difficult
to understand Watergate,"

Previous to their arrival in
Grinnell, the refugees had all
“heard stories that Americans
were iiniriendly towards Asians "
After several months here, they
are pleasantly surprised with all
the friendliness and hospitality
they have been shown

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j Education *Comple‘x' ‘and
The Lutheran Church has been‘

Some oi us may be graduating
too soon. Col. Sanders and cohorts
are coming to town to fall in
with the wcll~beloved ranks oi
Pags. lltnidhite, and the Skelly
Truck Stop, Bob Weaver of Peoria,
ll . will make Grinnell the site of
his islh Kentucky Fried Chicken
franchise. it was announced in the
Grinnell IleruldrReglsler October
28

NOW under Construction at the
south end oi West St ,Weaver was
not able to project an opening date
tor the restaurant. However, with
stores in Iowa, tllinois, Wisconsin

and Florida. the Crime” site will
be truly unique trom the other
locations in that it will he equippe
with a drive-up Window.

In addition to being one oi the
iirst Kentucky Fried chicken
tranchises, established in 1963.
Weavereslimates that his 19 stores
employ 400 employees trying a
whopping iv. million chickens per
year

Grinncll College will have a
vested interest in the new en-
terprise in the person oi Sam
Chandler. a timer student, who
will be managing the restarurant.

 

Grinnell Video Services

by Toni Ronat

Approximately ten years ago
Marshall McLuhan told us that
”the medium is the message."
Being the educational institution
Ih‘at’ it' is.’ Grinnel‘l ' more 'in'»
ieres'ted’ in substance than
showmanship, The school has
however, ventured onto the air
Waves by establishing Grinnell
College Video Services. Video
Services operates out oi the south
classroom ()I the Pllvsical

‘rovide-
television services to the campus
It is also aeti ely involved in
tiiltillinga public relations role tor
the college,

video Services provides many
services ior numerous depart
ments in connection wtth course
work The Education Department
is probably the biggest user ot
Video Scrvices Each
semester, student teachers brave
the cameras as well as their
students in lilicrOVteaching
sessions. These tapes are later
played back so that the student
teachers can see their mistakes
and improve their teaching
methods. other departments also
use video services on a regular
basis. The Theater Department
uses video tape as a tool tor actor
training and the Phystcal
Education Department uses tape
lor improvement at swimming and
tennis strokes.

In addition to these activities In
classwork. Video Services also
works in the area oi college
relations. Video Services regularly
tapes concerts and lectures on
audio as well as video tape These
tapes are distributed to interested

 

radio stations and get some ex-
posure on cable television, The
purpose oi these eitorts is to ad-
vance the name oi Grinnell College

.hyprpvjding quality programming

in ~these medium

The Video Services' major public
relations effort has ill the two
years of its existence nvolved the
production at full-length color
documentaries In the past, these
films have dealt with subjecls as
diverse as the uncekii Island
Railroad and farming l These‘boldr
documentaries are of broadcast
quality and are available to public
television stations ior airing. The
iii-mil Rot-k- island. the 1975
production, has been broadcasted
by both KDIN of Des Moines and
Wl\‘IT tif'CtEdéiLRLlpidS. The Far-
inter» IPOIISl us all. Video-Servieés'
1976 production, should receive
airing soon in central lowa.

Video Services is always looking
to the future and planning new
projects. with the opening oi the
new language lab in January new
opportunities will open up. The
language lab will provide a central
viewing place ior video tape and
will be much more convenient for
campus uses Projects such as
weekly loreign language
newscasts are in the works for the
language lab, A l977 documentary
is also in the works and subject
suggestions are slill welcome and
will be considered at this time. The
atmosphere at Video Services is
one of ireedom and ex»
perimentation Student projects
are encouraged and money exists
to iund these projects both ior class
work and in general areas.

PUB CLUB, INC.

HAPPY HOUR

4:00 -

.MONDAY

6:30
- FRIDAY

NOW SERVING
HOT SPICED CIDER 25c

 

