A nan's first ever memory of Merseyside still makes her cry 40 years later.
Tieubinh Tien was a 23-year-old shoemaker in Vietnam when she fled racist attacks with her husband and two-year-old son in 1978. She grew up with American bombs falling on her country, and conflict continued between countries in the region after the withdrawal of American forces earlier that decade.
Within Vietnam, ethnic Chinese people faced discrimination and violence amid escalating tensions between the two countries. Tieubinh's family escaped to mainland China before making their way to a refugee camp in Hong Kong.
READ MORE: "Like a dream" - Refugees build new life after fleeing to Merseyside
They were among the nearly half a million people who fled Vietnam on boats or over the land border with China in 1978 and 1979.
With the help of a translator, the 68-year-old told the ECHO : "We were always in a very uncertain situation, so we kind of adapted to it and got used to it, but we just wanted something good to happen. We needed to hold on for a better future."
They were "very excited" when they were granted asylum in the UK three months after the birth of their daughter in 1986. But they were also concerned about how they'd overcome the language barrier and build a new life here. Tieubinh cried as she recalled the moment they were met off the plane by a government official who spoke both Chinese and Vietnamese.
Speaking of that moment, Tieubinh said: "I felt more confident and comfortable. We felt a little relief having someone who speaks the same language. It took our mind off the language barrier. We knew we had support and someone to speak to."
She and her family moved to Rock Ferry on the Wirral, where her then-husband's brother lived. They were among the first families of Pine Court Housing Association when it was founded in 1986. The social landlord now provides "over 500 quality homes" in Liverpool and Wirral, "with a specific focus on the Chinese and South East Asian communities", including in the heart of the city's Chinatown.
Tieubinh says she loves how friendly people are in the UK, but she struggled at first with parent-teacher meetings when her kids started school here. Fortunately, the family had an interpreter to help them settle in and go shopping, and Tieubinh did an English language course at Wirral Met College, which helped her secure a job in hospitality.
A second son was born in the UK, with both sons now holding "good jobs" and her daughter raising two kids of her own. Tieubinh is "really thankful" for everything she has now, particularly "for the education system in the UK, which helped us get so far from the refugee stage".
In retirement, Tieubinh is a member of Pine Court's customer empowerment panel, volunteers to support elderly members of Liverpool's Chinese community, and is part of a Chinese dance group, which performed as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. She said: "I feel really proud. I'm a citizen now and as part of my dancing group, I joined in with the celebration of 70 years of the Queen. I feel excited."
David Brown, director at Pine Court Housing Association, said: "We are all about creating opportunities and changing lives here at Pine Court, as we build diverse, inclusive communities where our customers can thrive. It is inspiring to hear all about Ms Tien's life and how moving to the UK was transformational for her family. We always enjoy attending events and seeing her dance group perform during community celebrations."
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