Chu Thien Cau was born on December 18, 1950, at Hung Yen in northern Vietnam. His family evacuated in 1954 to South Vietnam. His father was an official for the Department of Justice, and his mother was a merchandiser. Cau spent one year in college, then joined the Vietnamese navy. He served on a navy base in Nam Can until the day North Vietnam took over South Vietnam. Cau left Vietnam in 1979, spent a number of months in a refugee camp in Indonesia, and arrived in San Diego in 1980. At the time of this interview, his wife and young daughter were still in Vietnam. In this interview, Cau mentions how he spent three years in Communist reeducation camps in Vietnam. He talks about the restrictions on religion in South Vietnam, and his experience in an Indonesian refugee camp. Cau also describes how he arrived in the United States via a sponsor, what his first impressions were upon arriving, and his difficulties with the language and transportation. He spends a lot of time responding to questions about his future, particularly for his wife and daughter, and speculates on how he will raise his child and adjust to American culture.
