Almost 50 years ago, Thieu and Thi To Cao made a choice to leave Viêtnam in search of a better life for themselves and their four children.

A Packet of Cigarettes traces the hurdles they faced growing up in a country that seemed permanently at war - first with the French, then the Communist NVA and Viet Cong.

Their journey follows the important - but calculated - decisions they made to leave Viêtnam and not only settle in a country that was thousands of miles away, but one that had almost no common cultural norms and values.

This book shows that despite a language barrier and limited formal education, their determination gave their children a solid foundation to thrive in a foreign land.

This is their story.