Whereas Italia is still the country I would eventually like to live in for extended periods of time, Vietnam is the nation I would most like to wrap my arms around and give a great big hug to. And the main reason is the people . . .
The people we worked with and met in Vietnam are some of the kindest, warmest, sweetest, hardest-working, ingenious, and Industrious I have ever met with a love and culture full of music and song. Wherever I wandered taking pictures, young children as well as adults would yell out "hello" with a big smile on their face; it was probably the only English word they knew, and they wanted to make sure to share it with me. The students we worked with were amazing (more on my educational experiences in a later post); going to classes seven days a week with little time off, genuinely respectful without being militaristic about it, and full of joy, music, and enthusiasm for life. (Barb said she has never had students like this, her two visits here have been her best teaching experiences in her entire career.)
Many ask me if there was a hostility to visitors from the US as a consequence of the American War (as it is called in Vietnam). My experience is totally the opposite: the Vietnamese have a special affection for Americans. Keep in mind that a huge segment of the population (who we would call "baby boomers") were killed in the war (1 to 2 million) and that a big part of the population is young and anxious to learn more about the West and the US in particular. Even the communist government is very welcoming of American people and business, hoping contact will further the economic expansion of their country. (I will write a post later on our visit to the War Remembrance museum in Ho Chi Mihn City; this was the main place we encountered anti-American propaganda and criticism, and I can't say some of it wasn't deserved.)
Two people in this photo album deserve special mention: Mai was Barb's main go-to at Can Tho University. Although a graduate student, not a professor, she was the one that ran the show and made sure everything was taken care of. She looked after Barb like a big sister; procuring antibiotics and other medicinal products when her shoe irritations blossomed into badly infected sores, scheduling visits to the floating markets and the silk store, organizing transportation, and arranged dinners for all of us to enjoy. Reserved and tough at times, yet fun-loving, she will go a long way in her career and in life.
Minh Lan is a young college student that befriended Barb while standing in line at the supermarket next to our hotel. She began talking to her in very broken English, and they sat down together and communicated by gestures, pictures, and written word as well as verbally. She was a girl from the country who lived in Can Tho, studying at the technical university to become a tour guide. Barb was more than willing to help with her English and Minn Lan reciprocated by bringing her little gifts of traditional Vietnamese food from the community, leaving her house very early in the morning just to pick them all up before their get-togethers. She also had quite a sense of societal class structure; intially having to be coaxed into the hotel and to be Barb's guest at my concert, she could not believe that someone as "prestigious" as Barb would befriend her. I must admit, when I first heard about Barb's meeting with her (before I was introduced to her), I wondered what the angle was - is she trying to get us to take her to the US? Does she want money? Will Barb end up in an alley with her vital organs cut out? But after spending just a few minutes with Minh Lan, I realized that she is probably the kindest, most sincere person I have met in my life, ever. I would not hesitiate for a second to find some way to help here come here to MSU and study if that would be what she wants and she would be more than welcome to live in our home. I hope we are able to stay in contact with her over the years, it will be very interesting to watch her grow and blossom. (Hopefully Barb will make a detailed entry on her experiences with Minh Lan - there really is a special story here.)
The more I travel, the more I find out how alike we all are. Most people in every country just want to make their lives better and work hard toward doing it. The Vietnamese are economically poor by Western standards, but exceptionally rich in culture, personality, and spirit. Give them a hug, they deserve it! (Click here or on the title of this post to view the photo album, go to my YouTube site to see videos of the people and places I visted in Vietnam.)
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