My adventure began when I was born in Saigon (Hồ Chí Minh City) on May 05, 1968, the year of the Earth Monkey. The monkey is the ninth position in the Chinese Zodiac sign. It is believed that monkeys are lucky, clever, mentally quick, resourceful, and mischievous. (Chinese Astrology: Exploring the Eastern Zodiac, by Shelly Wu, ©2005, Career Press Inc.) I believe the lucky sign of a monkey fits me very well. I am a very lucky person in many ways through my whole life starting from the day I was born.
An average Vietnamese house hold did not have telephones or televisions in 1968. Telegrams, letters, and/or word of mouths were the common form of communications. It was common that only a few homes in the neighborhood would have a television. Main TV programs were aired between 6pm and 9pm. All the neighborhood children would hang out at a house with a TV in the evening. Today, telephones and televisions are still not common appliances in all households. However, they are more available and affordable for the average Vietnamese.