From Cambodia to Lake Norman, life has changed a lot
Sun, Dec. 02, 2007
JOE DEPRIEST
The Charlotte Observer (North Carolina, USA)
The world keeps changing.
But for Cambodia native Ratha Needham, 51, it has changed too much too often.
Growing up in a well-to-do Phnom Penh household, she'd never shopped at a grocery or cooked a meal or held a job. Then, at 19, she lost her home country and privileged lifestyle.
When the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in 1975, fanatical leader Pol Pot turned the land into a killing field, where nearly 2 million people died. Among them was Needham's father, a high-ranking official in the Cambodian ministry of commerce.
Far from any comfort zone, she had to clean tables, work in factories and do whatever it took to survive in the new cultures of Europe and the United States. And survive she did.
Needham and I talked about her journey recently in Denver, where she lives on Lake Norman with her husband, Ron. In a few weeks, she'll graduate from Gaston College with a two-year degree in office systems technology.
College had been a long-standing dream, but there was never enough time for it. Needham had to work. And when you don't speak the language that well, just learning how to function in a new place takes considerable effort.
For years, Needham lived in Oostende, Belgium. Then she moved to Long Beach, Calif., and worked on the production line with Cox Technologies, a manufacturer of temperature monitors.
Needham was promoted to a supervisory position. In 1994, the company relocated to Belmont and she came to North Carolina. She met Ron Needham, who was working with the same company, and they married in 1996.
Changing worlds, new challenges: They soaked up most of Needham's time.
It's strange the way things happen. The break that opened the door to college came with the closing of Cox Technologies. Needham had to learn a new job skill. So she enrolled in Gaston College.
One lesson Needham has learned: Don't ever get too comfortable with things.
The world is fragile and can be easily shaken up.
Keeping family together
In the years before the Khmer Rouge takeover, Needham was a teenager immersed in Beatles music and dreams of being a flight attendant. Political rumblings were all around, but she didn't hear them.In the spring of 1975 her father mentioned political trouble was brewing as he packed the kids off to their uncle's place in Bangkok, Thailand. The unrest will blow over in a few weeks, he told them. You'll be back home soon.
But two days later, the Khmer Rouge seized control and Cambodia was off-limits to outsiders. Nobody knew what was going on inside the country.
Needham phoned home, but got no answer. It would be years before she'd learn about the Khmer Rouge's brutal reign of torture, starvation and execution.
Meanwhile, Needham and the children -- all on tourist visas -- were stranded in Thailand, which wasn't accepting refugees.
They'd been robbed of their own country. They didn't know what to do next.
She wanted to keep her little family together. They would eventually settle in Belgium where, at 19, she became head of household.
The years ahead would be full of hardship and self-doubt. By 1980, Needham's mother and sister made it out of Cambodia, moved to Belgium and later California, where the mother died in 1999.
Meanwhile, Needham left Belgium and began learning a new culture in California.
Major step forward
In 2004, Needham returned to Cambodia with her husband.
She felt like a stranger there. The realization really hit her: The old paradise had been lost.
Needham focused even more on the future. When she enrolled at Gaston College, everything came hard for her. She knew little about computers and often felt frustrated. She studied late at nights and on weekends while working a part-time job at the college registrar's office.
On Dec. 14, Needham will get a degree that represents a major step forward. She's gained a new skill. And she's gained more confidence that will help her find a good job and maybe start work on a four-year college degree.
I wish her good luck.
Sun, Dec. 02, 2007
JOE DEPRIEST
The Charlotte Observer (North Carolina, USA)
The world keeps changing.
But for Cambodia native Ratha Needham, 51, it has changed too much too often.
Growing up in a well-to-do Phnom Penh household, she'd never shopped at a grocery or cooked a meal or held a job. Then, at 19, she lost her home country and privileged lifestyle.
When the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in 1975, fanatical leader Pol Pot turned the land into a killing field, where nearly 2 million people died. Among them was Needham's father, a high-ranking official in the Cambodian ministry of commerce.
Far from any comfort zone, she had to clean tables, work in factories and do whatever it took to survive in the new cultures of Europe and the United States. And survive she did.
Needham and I talked about her journey recently in Denver, where she lives on Lake Norman with her husband, Ron. In a few weeks, she'll graduate from Gaston College with a two-year degree in office systems technology.
College had been a long-standing dream, but there was never enough time for it. Needham had to work. And when you don't speak the language that well, just learning how to function in a new place takes considerable effort.
For years, Needham lived in Oostende, Belgium. Then she moved to Long Beach, Calif., and worked on the production line with Cox Technologies, a manufacturer of temperature monitors.
Needham was promoted to a supervisory position. In 1994, the company relocated to Belmont and she came to North Carolina. She met Ron Needham, who was working with the same company, and they married in 1996.
Changing worlds, new challenges: They soaked up most of Needham's time.
It's strange the way things happen. The break that opened the door to college came with the closing of Cox Technologies. Needham had to learn a new job skill. So she enrolled in Gaston College.
One lesson Needham has learned: Don't ever get too comfortable with things.
The world is fragile and can be easily shaken up.
Keeping family together
In the years before the Khmer Rouge takeover, Needham was a teenager immersed in Beatles music and dreams of being a flight attendant. Political rumblings were all around, but she didn't hear them.In the spring of 1975 her father mentioned political trouble was brewing as he packed the kids off to their uncle's place in Bangkok, Thailand. The unrest will blow over in a few weeks, he told them. You'll be back home soon.
But two days later, the Khmer Rouge seized control and Cambodia was off-limits to outsiders. Nobody knew what was going on inside the country.
Needham phoned home, but got no answer. It would be years before she'd learn about the Khmer Rouge's brutal reign of torture, starvation and execution.
Meanwhile, Needham and the children -- all on tourist visas -- were stranded in Thailand, which wasn't accepting refugees.
They'd been robbed of their own country. They didn't know what to do next.
She wanted to keep her little family together. They would eventually settle in Belgium where, at 19, she became head of household.
The years ahead would be full of hardship and self-doubt. By 1980, Needham's mother and sister made it out of Cambodia, moved to Belgium and later California, where the mother died in 1999.
Meanwhile, Needham left Belgium and began learning a new culture in California.
Major step forward
In 2004, Needham returned to Cambodia with her husband.
She felt like a stranger there. The realization really hit her: The old paradise had been lost.
Needham focused even more on the future. When she enrolled at Gaston College, everything came hard for her. She knew little about computers and often felt frustrated. She studied late at nights and on weekends while working a part-time job at the college registrar's office.
On Dec. 14, Needham will get a degree that represents a major step forward. She's gained a new skill. And she's gained more confidence that will help her find a good job and maybe start work on a four-year college degree.
I wish her good luck.
2 comments:
I'm very very happy for her. To Neddham, please don't feel bad. At least you did not have to go thru great pain of Pol Pot Era. It's a different type of pain, but just so you know that you still way above those that were never again see Cambodia or Phom Pehn. Good Luck and best wishes!
Hello Ratha,
Even in Belgium we read the american newspapers.Much succes with your studies and of course your family.
i was glad to read everything is ok for you.
Greatings from Belgium,
Marc Vandewiele
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