I’m en route to the Philippines- I have an 8 hour layover in Singapore right now. I can’t believe that I have left Vietnam “for good.” “For good” in the sense that I don’t know when I will return, but I plan to someday. It is really difficult for me to put into words how I feel about this country. I love it, but there are some cultural values, norms, and differences that I will never be accustomed to and to be honest, will enjoy distance from them. For example: public urination. The pungent smell found at dumpsters across the city will not be missed. On a more serious note, I won’t miss the Vietnamese inability to say no. If you ask them a favor, they’ll say yes- even if they know they cannot do it. Then they will come up with an excuse later so they can get out of whatever they agreed to. As a straightforward, tell it like it is, no bullshitting American, this drives me absolutely crazy. Just be honest! They mean the best though; they only lie because they don’t want to let anyone down. It is easier for them to say yes and then back out later. Or just lie if they actually don’t know the answer. If someone is asked directions and they actually don’t know, they will just point in a random direction. In the eyes of the Vietnamese this is much better than saying, “Sorry, I can’t help you.” Okay, well that was a detailed side note. The point is– I won’t miss that. But speaking in the greater scheme of things, I will miss Vietnam so incredibly much. I have fallen in love with this country. Even in the past two weeks while traveling in Cambodia and Thailand I missed Vietnam. I constantly found myself comparing everything to it and whenever I was with other travelers I always was saying, “Well this one time in Vietnam…” If I missed Vietnam while in its neighboring countries– I’m in for a big shock come April when I fly to America.
Time for the cliché, “I can’t believe how much I’ve learned in the past four months” bit. Sorry, but it is necessary. I need to reflect. The biggest change I’ve experienced is understanding the value of money. I clearly remember the first lunch I had in Vietnam and being amazed that for $4 I could get a main course, a drink, and dessert. Now, I can’t fathom spending $4 on a lunch, especially for the low quality of that particular restaurant. I am used to buying all three meals for under $4 a day, usually around $2!
One of the first assignments we had was to interview a local about living in Saigon. I met a girl at a smoothie vendor and began talking to her about her experiences. As we were discussing the traffic I asked her how she commuted to and from school. She said the bus, but she didn’t enjoy it because it is hot, slow, and crowded. I naively asked, well why don’t you just take a taxi or xe om? She laughed and responded by explaining it is too expensive. I thought, it’s only $2 or $3. Well yeah, it’s only 2 or 3 dollars but she doesn’t think in dollars- why would she when her currency is dong? Why spend $3 to get to school by hiring a xe om driver if she can spend $0.15 with her student discounted bus ticket? Everything needs to be put into perspective of how far money can get one in Vietnam. Yes, in America 2 or 3 dollars isn’t much, but in Vietnam the girl can live on that for 2 or 3 days. Live. Seriously, that’s all she needs.
I also have a much better understanding of the sense of unity in Vietnam, in terms of family and nation. I thought it was so odd when I first met Vietnamese youth and learned that as University students they still lived with their parents. Weren’t they embarrassed by that? Of course not! Family is incredibly important– and it economically makes sense to live with parents or other
family members. Why would young adults spend money to move across the city just so they could say they own their own place if they can live with their parents for free? Besides the convenience of it, students want to live with their parents because they love spending time with them. Families are a unit, just like the nation. The sense of national pride is unbelievable. Probably one of the things I found most shocking upon arriving is that nearly everyone loves and admires Ho Chi Minh. Prior to my travels to Vietnam, I had a relatively small idea of what he did for this country, and I definitely was not aware that all the people cherished him. I had
naively thought that the Vietnamese who had lived below the 17th Parallel would be against him and his realm of government. However, I quickly learned elsewise. One of the first conversations I had with a BELL club student was about Ho Chi Minh. We were walking in the city and as we passed a statue of him I asked her if she liked him. She gave me the weirdest look and said of course; she must have thought I was so stupid. The conversation continued and I asked her if the people that don’t like him– do they keep their oppositions to themselves in fear of the government? Again, she gave me a crazy look and said, “I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like him.” That was my first introduction to Vietnam History 101- written by the Vietnamese, not the Americans. I learned that most Vietnamese admire Ho Chi Minh for his dedication to liberating the Vietnamese people. Basically, what I took away from this experience was to keep my mouth shut unless I really know what I’m talking about, especially with a local. Really, I must have sounded so stupid when I was talking with her.
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| How could someone not love a country with places like this? |
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| a delicious meal for under $1. That's what I call a bargain. |
I also have a much better understanding of the sense of unity in Vietnam, in terms of family and nation. I thought it was so odd when I first met Vietnamese youth and learned that as University students they still lived with their parents. Weren’t they embarrassed by that? Of course not! Family is incredibly important– and it economically makes sense to live with parents or other
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| The Trans. What a family!! They are incredible!! |
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| Good old Uncle Ho |
There are smaller, jovial, and humorous things such as crossing the streets, using chopsticks, learning a different body language, and understanding that certain subjects aren’t rude- like asking about money and costs of items. These are all things that I struggled with at first, but have come to accept as part of my daily life and routine. When going through my notebooks at the end
of the semester I found a shopping list on the back page that I made my first few days in Vietnam. It listed some toiletries, a few wardrobe additions, and… a pillow! I thought the mattress and pillow at the guesthouse were too hard. Since then I’ve slept on bamboo mats, floors surrounded by nuns, and most recently a hammock in the mountains (stay tuned for that detailed story). I don’t consider my life back In America as pampered, but after four plus months in Vietnam I feel like I really have lowered my living standards. I definitely have become more flexible and accepting of different lifestyles and realized that I just need to go with the flow and accept things the way they are. The environment isn’t the thing that needs to be changed– I need to be the one making adjustments to my life to adapt to new surroundings. I’ve come so far and have learned so much since September. It wasn’t really the traditional textbook semester- but nevertheless I have learned.
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| Who needs air mattresses? |
What I am going to miss so much about Vietnam, well that is hard for me to put my finger on. I’m going to miss the people obviously, my friends in Hue who I said goodbye to a month ago, Co Thanh and the Vys, and my homestay family. Everyone has been so welcoming and accommodating, always willing to help (or so they say hehe). I’m going to miss the traffic and the way it just swerves around me, really I missed that while in Thailand, they don’t swerve. They
stop- it confused me so much. I’m going to miss going to the fruit lady and seeing her huge smile when she looks up and recognizes the American girl while she grabs a pineapple without even asking me what I want, because she knows. I’m going to miss how there is always a flourish of activity in the early morning. The shouts of competition from the badminton matches always encourage me to get out of bed in the morning and go running amid all the powerwalking grandmothers and grandfathers. I’m going to miss dinner with my homestay family and just sitting there and listening to them speak Vietnamese while happily slurping away at whatever is in my bowl. I’m going to miss chopsticks. I’m going to miss the little girl who lives in the house adjacent to mine. She always squeals with delight and runs over to say hello to me. I’m going to miss che, ‘nuf said. I’m going to miss going to the market and wowing vendors with my Vietnamese (not saying its good but it is definitely better than all the other foreigners). I guess what I’m going to miss the most is the comfort and confidence that I have gradually built. It takes time to adjust to living in a foreign country, especially a developing one. I obviously don’t comprehend half of what is said or done around me but I have an idea because I have a general understanding of the way things work, and that, I will sorely miss.
These past 4 ½ months that I’ve spent in Vietnam have been incredible and I wouldn’t give them up for anything. I’m so sad to say goodbye. A few tears actually rolled down my cheeks when the plane took off. I really did fall in love with Vietnam. But lucky me, I have the Philippines. And if I like it there half as much as I like Vietnam then I’ll be all set. So on that note, bring on the Philippines. Goodbye Vietnam, I love you.
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| Yesterday I went to the fruit lady and was successfully able to communicate to her (in Vietnamese!) that I was leaving Vietnam the next day. So she gave me a second box of fruit for free. What a nice lady |
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| I once was terrified of this. |
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| I usually scoff at people who take photos from the plane but it was my final glimpse of Saigon– my wonderfully crazy sprawling city. |
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