Oral History Interview with Dong Ung
Object
Audio file
Production date
20/05/1999
Object number
2016.25
Physical Description
Audio recording of an oral history interview with Dong Ung. Interviewer: Alex Sydney. Translator: Mr Dan Vuong
Material
Cassette Tape
Digital file (.wav)
Digital file (.mp3)
On display?
No
Inscription
INTERVIEW WITH DONG UNG
Q. Mr Dong, could you tell me how you came to arrive in Britain?
DU. At the moment I am quite old, so I am on income support, I am elderly... [incomprehensible....]
Q. OK. Why did you settle... did you come to Hackney... was Hackney the first place you came to live in in Britain?
DU. The first time I came to England, I lived in Milton Keynes, then I came to London; I lived in Lambeth, and from 1997 I lived in Hackney, so now I live in Hackney.
Q. So why did you move from Lambeth to Hackney?
DU. Because my son - my family lived in Hackney, so I moved from Lambeth to live in Hackney, near to my son.
Q. So you came to live with your son?
DU. Yeah. No, no...
Q. Or to live near your son. (Aside - “Yes”, OK). Right, could you ask Mr Dong what he likes about Hackney; what.. .why he likes.., does he think it’s a nice place to live?
DU. Yes, I like it very much, because at the moment I think as I am older, I would Iiked to move nearer to my son.
Q. OK, and how often do you go to this luncheon club [ie.at An Viet Centre].
DU. I come here three times a week - it is open three times a week. I also come two times with the Chinese Agency for Hackney.
Q. Right, OK. And what sort of things do you do here?
DU. I come here to meet friends, to have lunch, and sometimes, last year I made a film as well. So when I got a problem about the benefit for housing, it was here that someone could help - social help. Here they can help with everything.
Q. They can help with everything at the An Viet Foundation?
DU. Yes.
Q. OK. Erm, can I just ask if you are religious at all?
DU. No, no, no, no.
Q. Could you tell me just a bit about your son?
DU. My son has no job as well, because last year, he had to go to Hospital for [an] operation. He is over 50 years old, with a family, and the children are learning well.
Q. Do you think you’re better off living in Hackney than in Milton Keynes?
DU. Yes, I think so, because I am near my son, and near the community centre for the elderly, so Hackney is OK. I am getting old, and I cannot speak English, so here I can meet my friends, and near to my son.
Q. Yeah, that’s good, I can see that. Finally what do you like to do..., how do you pass the time..., what are your favourite things to do..., if you could do whatever you wanted, what would you do?
DU. I like travelling; to go to the seaside, or out... It is difficult for me to move, but I still like to go to, for example, Calais, or the seaside, or visit friends...
Q. So you travel around and do these things? OK.
DU. With the community.
Q. With the community? Oh, so you do it with the An Viet Foundation.
DU. Yes.
Q. Mr Dong, could you tell me how you came to arrive in Britain?
DU. At the moment I am quite old, so I am on income support, I am elderly... [incomprehensible....]
Q. OK. Why did you settle... did you come to Hackney... was Hackney the first place you came to live in in Britain?
DU. The first time I came to England, I lived in Milton Keynes, then I came to London; I lived in Lambeth, and from 1997 I lived in Hackney, so now I live in Hackney.
Q. So why did you move from Lambeth to Hackney?
DU. Because my son - my family lived in Hackney, so I moved from Lambeth to live in Hackney, near to my son.
Q. So you came to live with your son?
DU. Yeah. No, no...
Q. Or to live near your son. (Aside - “Yes”, OK). Right, could you ask Mr Dong what he likes about Hackney; what.. .why he likes.., does he think it’s a nice place to live?
DU. Yes, I like it very much, because at the moment I think as I am older, I would Iiked to move nearer to my son.
Q. OK, and how often do you go to this luncheon club [ie.at An Viet Centre].
DU. I come here three times a week - it is open three times a week. I also come two times with the Chinese Agency for Hackney.
Q. Right, OK. And what sort of things do you do here?
DU. I come here to meet friends, to have lunch, and sometimes, last year I made a film as well. So when I got a problem about the benefit for housing, it was here that someone could help - social help. Here they can help with everything.
Q. They can help with everything at the An Viet Foundation?
DU. Yes.
Q. OK. Erm, can I just ask if you are religious at all?
DU. No, no, no, no.
Q. Could you tell me just a bit about your son?
DU. My son has no job as well, because last year, he had to go to Hospital for [an] operation. He is over 50 years old, with a family, and the children are learning well.
Q. Do you think you’re better off living in Hackney than in Milton Keynes?
DU. Yes, I think so, because I am near my son, and near the community centre for the elderly, so Hackney is OK. I am getting old, and I cannot speak English, so here I can meet my friends, and near to my son.
Q. Yeah, that’s good, I can see that. Finally what do you like to do..., how do you pass the time..., what are your favourite things to do..., if you could do whatever you wanted, what would you do?
DU. I like travelling; to go to the seaside, or out... It is difficult for me to move, but I still like to go to, for example, Calais, or the seaside, or visit friends...
Q. So you travel around and do these things? OK.
DU. With the community.
Q. With the community? Oh, so you do it with the An Viet Foundation.
DU. Yes.