Big Mistake 2

Although slightly better than the refugee camps, living in Dinh Dieng was like living in a low-security prison — the major punishments were worry and boredom. The residents fell into two groups — those who had money and those who did not. Those belonging to the latter group, like my father, worked for free to pass the time. When there is nothing else to do but sit and wait, the mind starts to wander to places that are unwelcome — like that of the past, or perhaps the pessimistic possibilities of the future. For those with money but without the strength of will, alcohol became their only distraction. It helped them to escape the memories of the war and the horrors they had encountered at sea. Trauma was everywhere and alcohol, in many cases, was the only answer. Many attempted suicide — an obvious sign that help was needed.