Among the thousands of refugees fleeing communist Vietnam and seeking safety in the United States was Ly Doan, a parent of Palo Alto High School sophomore Jace Purcell. Forty years since her escape from Vietnam, her story comes to light in our cover story by digital editor Maia Lagna. Although Via Verde typically does not delve into stories such as this, we found Doan’s narrative to be a compelling story that illuminates a unique aspect of travel and the difficulty many have faced in order to escape from a place of oppression. For this reason, we selected “The Escape and the Return” to be the focus of our final issue as editors-in-chief. The story follows Doan on her many escape attempts from Vietnam, her ultimate success and her emotional reunion with her family when she finally travels back to her home country many years later. We hope you enjoy reading Via Verde’s final issue of the year, exploring student travel experiences and stories of various cultures across the globe.
