Help Us Get Back Home To Laos
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Josephine and my wife's name is Vonmany. We started this campaign to try and get help and support to enable us to return to Laos, my wife Vonmany's country of birth. Four years ago we traveled from Bangkok, Thailand to Ecuador in hopes of applying for a U.S. Visa for Vonmany. We had been living in Thailand for eight years, when I was advised, since I have both U.S. and Ecuadorian citizenship, that if we were be married here in Ecuador, in about two years Vonmany could apply for an Ecuadorian passport.
She would then be able to reapply for a U.S. visa as a nationalized Ecuadorian citizen. Unfortunately that idea would not be possible for Vonmany since she does not have what would be considered a valid birth document/certificate. In Laos, most if not all families have a "Family Book" as proof of their birth. 
This book is a thin a blue notebook with the National Seal on the cover. The inside consists of a handwritten listing of each and every member of a particular family, sometimes with a photo next to each name listed. This is not an accepted birth document by U.S. immigration standards and neither by The Ecuadorian Ministry. As a result, Vonmany can neither get full Ecuadorian citizenship, nor can she ever vote in a national or local elections, she cannot apply for a Ecuadorian passport, nor can she travel back to her home because now, her Laos passport has expired. There aren't any Laotian embassies here in Ecuador and the Laotian embassies in the U.S. are unable to assist her in attaining a new passport so that she may leave Ecuador and travel back to her home in Laos. What we are asking for is to help us to have the means and funds to get emergency travel documents for my wife Vonmany and help us to fly back to Laos to begin our lives again.
My first and foremost concerns are for my wife, my love Vonmany. I owe her a great deal more than can be put into words, and I want to see her reunited with her family. This campaign, however is not solely for Vonmany, but for myself. I wish to live where I consider home too.
I was born in 1967 here in Guayaquil, Ecuador, but my family emigrated to the the U.S. in 1972. I for the most part tried to assimilate myself to the way of life in America in the early 70's. As early as seven years old I knew I was different, but it took me a long time to learn about and understand why I did not identify with the boy I saw in the mirror. I wanted to see a little girl looking back. Even during the 80's, there were few resources of information or support for trans youth. I came out to my mother at 19, in hopes of receiving support or understanding, love and possibly guidance. I did not receive anything other than "DO NOT EVER SAY ANYTHING TO YOUR FATHER ABOUT THIS, HE WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND". Without her support, or understanding I fell over the years deeper into depression and made many attempts to live a functional life as the son my parents wanted me to be.
I have had several failed relationships and was married and divorced by the time I was 36 while falling deeper into depression because I could not be the woman I had always felt to be or live the life that I wanted to live. At 19, I had made the decision to honor my mother's request and never fully live my life for her sake. Now at fifty years of age, I finally realized that I do have the courage, strength and the love for myself to make my own choices, and having the love and support from Vonmany were essential to this realization. So I decided to come out again but this time to the world as being a transgender woman who wants to live as a transgender woman.
Over a year ago we asked my family for help to return to Laos but our plea has been ignored. My parents have not accepted me since coming out and it seems that they would rather keep us here against our wishes in a country without a future for us and deny Vonmany's freedom to return to her home country. In the future, I would like to have the chance to possibly have surgeries in Thailand to help me transition to a woman, but it is just not an option for me here.
Please help us to free ourselves from this situation that has already taken four years from our lives. We know that life can be extremely difficult and challenging at times and everyone has their own problems in life. If you can help us in any way and in any amount possible, we would be extremely grateful. If you can't afford to help us right now, please share our story with others and encourage them to possibly help us.
Estimated costs for travel and new start in Laos:
$2,000 - 2 One-Way tkts. Ecuador to Thailand(pricing for travel in late September 2018)
$400. - 2 one way tkts. Bkk to Vientiane, Laos
$??? Emergency travel documents for Vonmany
This is what we need to travel at the End of September 2018 when the prices are at their lowest this year.
If we are successful and are able to raise the travel expenses and you would also like to help us get a new life start in Laos. We appreciate any and all kindness and generosity.
$750. - rent for 5 months
$1,500 - food for 5 months
$1,300 - misc. gov. fees.
---------------------------------------------
$5,950.00 total USD.
Watch our video to know more about us and our need to return home in Southeast Asia.
She would then be able to reapply for a U.S. visa as a nationalized Ecuadorian citizen. Unfortunately that idea would not be possible for Vonmany since she does not have what would be considered a valid birth document/certificate. In Laos, most if not all families have a "Family Book" as proof of their birth. This book is a thin a blue notebook with the National Seal on the cover. The inside consists of a handwritten listing of each and every member of a particular family, sometimes with a photo next to each name listed. This is not an accepted birth document by U.S. immigration standards and neither by The Ecuadorian Ministry. As a result, Vonmany can neither get full Ecuadorian citizenship, nor can she ever vote in a national or local elections, she cannot apply for a Ecuadorian passport, nor can she travel back to her home because now, her Laos passport has expired. There aren't any Laotian embassies here in Ecuador and the Laotian embassies in the U.S. are unable to assist her in attaining a new passport so that she may leave Ecuador and travel back to her home in Laos. What we are asking for is to help us to have the means and funds to get emergency travel documents for my wife Vonmany and help us to fly back to Laos to begin our lives again. My first and foremost concerns are for my wife, my love Vonmany. I owe her a great deal more than can be put into words, and I want to see her reunited with her family. This campaign, however is not solely for Vonmany, but for myself. I wish to live where I consider home too.
I was born in 1967 here in Guayaquil, Ecuador, but my family emigrated to the the U.S. in 1972. I for the most part tried to assimilate myself to the way of life in America in the early 70's. As early as seven years old I knew I was different, but it took me a long time to learn about and understand why I did not identify with the boy I saw in the mirror. I wanted to see a little girl looking back. Even during the 80's, there were few resources of information or support for trans youth. I came out to my mother at 19, in hopes of receiving support or understanding, love and possibly guidance. I did not receive anything other than "DO NOT EVER SAY ANYTHING TO YOUR FATHER ABOUT THIS, HE WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND". Without her support, or understanding I fell over the years deeper into depression and made many attempts to live a functional life as the son my parents wanted me to be.
I have had several failed relationships and was married and divorced by the time I was 36 while falling deeper into depression because I could not be the woman I had always felt to be or live the life that I wanted to live. At 19, I had made the decision to honor my mother's request and never fully live my life for her sake. Now at fifty years of age, I finally realized that I do have the courage, strength and the love for myself to make my own choices, and having the love and support from Vonmany were essential to this realization. So I decided to come out again but this time to the world as being a transgender woman who wants to live as a transgender woman.
Over a year ago we asked my family for help to return to Laos but our plea has been ignored. My parents have not accepted me since coming out and it seems that they would rather keep us here against our wishes in a country without a future for us and deny Vonmany's freedom to return to her home country. In the future, I would like to have the chance to possibly have surgeries in Thailand to help me transition to a woman, but it is just not an option for me here.
Please help us to free ourselves from this situation that has already taken four years from our lives. We know that life can be extremely difficult and challenging at times and everyone has their own problems in life. If you can help us in any way and in any amount possible, we would be extremely grateful. If you can't afford to help us right now, please share our story with others and encourage them to possibly help us.
Estimated costs for travel and new start in Laos:
$2,000 - 2 One-Way tkts. Ecuador to Thailand(pricing for travel in late September 2018)
$400. - 2 one way tkts. Bkk to Vientiane, Laos
$??? Emergency travel documents for Vonmany
This is what we need to travel at the End of September 2018 when the prices are at their lowest this year.
If we are successful and are able to raise the travel expenses and you would also like to help us get a new life start in Laos. We appreciate any and all kindness and generosity.
$750. - rent for 5 months
$1,500 - food for 5 months
$1,300 - misc. gov. fees.
---------------------------------------------
$5,950.00 total USD.
Watch our video to know more about us and our need to return home in Southeast Asia.
Organizer
Josephine Bajana
Organizer