This woman was what was called an "unaccompanied female."

Houi had worked in the cafeteria of the US embassy in Saigon. She therefore realized that if she left Vietnam she would have an easy time getting past the dreaded American INS, Immigration and Nationalization Service. She was right—she told her story to the INS and was quickly accepted for resettlement into the US. Her family had been totally opposed to her leaving Vietnam, but Houi thought that her business could never survive the crippling taxes imposed by the new government so she had fled. Later, pleading family reunification, Houi's sister also left Vietnam.

As teachers we heard many stories like hers—refugees who had faked political repression when they were, in fact, economic refugees. Many people claimed to be the close relative of a person who was in reality a well-financed friend in the US. One of my students convinced the INS that his girlfriend was in fact his sister. Another one of my brightest students, out of sheer kindness, brought a poor family he had met on his journey with him as his family.

A few people brought fortunes of gold and gems with them, but most people were penniless.