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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2001
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Due to extenuating
circumstances, news available for inclusion in
the Online Edition of the McKenzie Banner is limited this week.
We apologize for any inconvenience
- The Editors
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Chinese Kitchen Reopens under New Ownership - Long
wait continues for three children still hoping for
visas in Vietnam |
By Deborah Turner
The Chinese Kitchen's always tasty menu has
undergone several changes since new owners Xuan
(pronounced Suan) Lam and wife, Eng Tan, took
ownership of the restaurant formerly owned by Eng's
brother, Huy Tan, and his wife, Veasna Heng.
Reopening on Thursday, September 27 after a bit of
remodeling, a more authentic oriental décor plus
background music from Hong Kong, China provide an
enjoyable experience for both regulars and newcomers
to the restaurant, which is located at 135 South
Main Street in McKenzie. Former owners, Huy and
Veasna, will be leaving for Los Angeles, California
next month.
The new menu lists some of Xuan's own specialties
while keeping many of the favorites customers have
come to expect. Xuan and Eng operated a restaurant
in Vietnam until their arrival in the United States
in 1999, after which they worked for Eng's other
brother, Tony, at his China King Restaurant in
Covington before their recent move to McKenzie.
The family's touching story of immigration stretches
over a period from 1981 and continues into the
future, with three of Xuan and Eng's children still
awaiting approval of their immigrant visa
applications.
A victim of war-torn Cambodia, Tony was a young
refugee in the NW9 Refugee Camp in Thailand for
several months before being transferred to another
camp in Bangkok, then to the refugee camp in the
Philippines that was his last stop before being
admitted to the United States.
While in the refugee camp he was able to choose from
among several countries where he wanted to go.
"I choose USA as my first priority (because it) is
best for all," he said.
In the Philippine camp he was educated in the ways
of America for three months before entering the
United States on November 23, 1981.
The 18 year-old refugee attended the Job Corp Center
in Biloxi, Mississippi for one and one half years
where he obtained his GED and earned trophies in
welding, leadership and kitchen duties. He then took
on a part-time job at the Hunan Restaurant in Biloxi
for a short time before moving to Louisiana where he
found full-time employment at the Hong Kong
Restaurant.
In 1984, he became the sponsor for his family
members' immigration efforts, promising to provide
financial assistance to the new immigrants, if
needed. Even with a sponsor, the waiting time for
visas is extensive, and time limited variables
reduce the chance of a family being able to enter
the country at the same time. |
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Tony sponsored his parents, his brother Huy, and his
sister and brother-in-law Xuan and Eng, who had four
children. His mother and father arrived in the
United States in 1989, with his brother Huy
following five years later in 1994. Huy later met
his wife, Veasna, herself a Cambodian refugee who
came to the United States in 1996.
Still in Vietnam was his sister's family. At the
time of their initial sponsorship, Eng and Xuan's
youngest child, Cindy, was six years old and their
oldest was eleven. By the time they received their
notice of approval to come to the U.S. in 1999, the
wait was too long for three of the children; they
had already reached the age of 21, the age at which
immigration law changes their status from a "child"
to "son or daughter", disallowing their immigration
as a part of their parents' family.
Their youngest child, Cindy Lam, who works at the
restaurant in McKenzie with her parents, barely
slipped past the age barrier; the family arrived in
the United States on September 28 and Cindy
celebrated her 21st birthday eight days later on
October 6.
Because marriage further decreases one's chance of
being able to immigrate to the United States, the
three children remaining in Vietnam have avoided
marriage, although the oldest, born in 1970, is now
around 31 years old. "They want to come as soon as
they can," Tony says, who expects the wait to
continue another two and one half to three years.
Still, Tony believes it is a worthwhile wait. He
moved to Nashville in 1986 where he worked at the
August Moon Restaurant as captain/manager. In 1989,
he married his wife, Heang Chuong, and the couple
now have two precious daughters, ages five and two.
Tony and Heang established their first restaurant in
Covington in 1990 and today have two restaurants,
having added a second in Atoka, and own over ten
rental properties.
"The financial has been strong," says Tony who
retains a touch of accent, "It's been a very
successful years since I live in the United States.
We continuously work hard."
Asked if the family had any regrets about coming to
the United States in light of the current crisis,
Tony said he and his family were talking that very
day about how lucky they were to be in the United
States, which he says is the "number one great
country in the world."
"We never regret that we are here. We definitely,
totally support our country in America. We love this
country, therefore we do what we can. I believe
American people work hard as well to keep a strong
country going."
His only regret lies in the "amount of time waiting.
We don't get here soon enough," he says. |
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or
Fax (731) 352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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