When Broken Glass Floats

In November 1979 Athy and her family arrive in Khao I Dang, a refugee camp in Thailand. Ra marries Vantha, and Athy decides to use the gold she still has to pay for English lessons. Ra bumps into one of Pa’s cousins, Eng, in the market and discovers their Uncle Seng is living in America and willing to sponsor them to emigrate there. While they wait, Than helps smuggle Cambodians into the camp to earn money. Athy admires “his bravery and his help in acquiring more food” (291) but worries he will be caught and executed.

Athy studies English, at first in a classroom and later on her own. The family learns they must move to a different camp in preparation for going to America. Vantha wants to leave Savorng behind and take his uncle, but Ra disagrees. In response, Vantha becomes angry and cruel, insulting Ra and instigating physical fights between Map and Savorng. Nonetheless, they all board the bus to the new camp, Sakeo II. Athy is delighted to realize that she can understand the English words to a song playing on the radio as they travel.