Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Photo update
Being in Honolulu for only one day did not allow me enough time to find an internet cafe to upload my photos from Japan. I will do it in Costa Rica next week, if that is a possibility.
Japan
Konichiwa! Karaoke will never be the same. I had never done karaoke in public before, and the last time I ever did it was about thirteen years ago. But, Japan had a lot more than singing and good fun to share with me.
My favorite experience in Japan was my homestay. I stayed with a family that had two daughters. They got along really well; a lot better than I remember getting along with my sister at that age. Momoka was 10 years old and Misuzu was 6. They were very adorable and excited to host me. Noriko, the mother, was very welcoming. Although she spoke little English, was a pleasure to get to know and made my time with her family an unforgettable experience. Her husband, Jyunya, speaking even less English, was very humorous and also enjoys karaoke. He was fun. While I was with them, we made a delicious strawberry desert, shared pictures, and stories about our cultures. There was also a big welcome party for me and two other homestay guests from the ship who were staying at homes nearby. I had a great time at the party trying new foods, drinks, and getting to know more about their intricate culture. There were so many people at the party; it was really a great time. Part of the Japanese culture that I experienced it was “bath time.” Although my experience was not as traumatic as some others that I heard about, their bath routine is quite different from ours. It was relaxing though, outside of worrying if I was doing something wrong or offensive. The next day, my host family took me around some sites in Kyoto. Doing that, I was able to enjoy tea in a traditional garden. The gardens in Japan are so beautiful… you just have to see them to know. I found them very peaceful as well. I also was able to see the infamous Cherry Blossoms. They were so pretty that I couldn’t stop taking pictures of them. They smelled good too! For lunch, my host family took me to a sushi restaurant… the kind with the conveyor belt. Knowing I was not a fan of seafood, including sushi, they encouraged me to try a few things as they secretly ordered my noodles. It wasn’t bad, but sushi isn’t something you can say “it tastes like chicken” about. During desert, Misuzu lost a tooth! She was very excited, as was I. I don’t think that the tooth fairy is part of Japanese culture, thought. I had a difficult time trying to ask about that one with the language barrier. I had a wonderful time meeting my host family. It was a pleasure of mine to share a little of my culture with them, while learning about theirs. I was also proud to be their first homestay child. Their family and friends were very welcoming and made me feel like a privileged guest in their home. I would be more than happy to visit them again.
The rest of my time in Japan was spent in Kobe where I was intrigued with the idea of giving yet again. I realized that it was the culture of the Japanese, and perhaps Asia in general, to give of themselves no matter what the cost to them. I was deeply impressed by the giving of a particular taxi driver. After I left Japan, I thought about him and this reoccurring value. Here is what I concluded: It is an aspect of American culture to be individualistic and for us to think about ourselves. Japan, or Asia perhaps, puts the idea of the group first. In America, we raise children to think they can dream anything, do anything, and be anything they want. We encourage each one another to put our own happiness above others and seek out success for ourselves. Japan doesn’t work like that and because they don’t, they have produced some of the most hospitable, giving, and genuine people I have ever met. I am truly an American girl. I feel now, that I have spent enough time being concerned for my own well-being. I have worked, earned, and provided things for myself because I felt like I had to. I did things that I wanted to because I wanted to do them and didn’t give a second thought as to how those things made my family feel. I do not feel wrong for doing those things. At the time and presently, I have justified it with my own happiness. However, I can see now that it is because I am American and I don’t quite know how to feel about that. When I compare this part of me to this aspect Japanese culture, I see myself as a little selfish. I have tried to justify it as a reflection of the culture that raised me, but I will no longer think about myself within in the limits of American ways. As I try to be more giving and a little less focused on my own needs, I am learning. I have traveled the world. I am a daughter of this world.
My favorite experience in Japan was my homestay. I stayed with a family that had two daughters. They got along really well; a lot better than I remember getting along with my sister at that age. Momoka was 10 years old and Misuzu was 6. They were very adorable and excited to host me. Noriko, the mother, was very welcoming. Although she spoke little English, was a pleasure to get to know and made my time with her family an unforgettable experience. Her husband, Jyunya, speaking even less English, was very humorous and also enjoys karaoke. He was fun. While I was with them, we made a delicious strawberry desert, shared pictures, and stories about our cultures. There was also a big welcome party for me and two other homestay guests from the ship who were staying at homes nearby. I had a great time at the party trying new foods, drinks, and getting to know more about their intricate culture. There were so many people at the party; it was really a great time. Part of the Japanese culture that I experienced it was “bath time.” Although my experience was not as traumatic as some others that I heard about, their bath routine is quite different from ours. It was relaxing though, outside of worrying if I was doing something wrong or offensive. The next day, my host family took me around some sites in Kyoto. Doing that, I was able to enjoy tea in a traditional garden. The gardens in Japan are so beautiful… you just have to see them to know. I found them very peaceful as well. I also was able to see the infamous Cherry Blossoms. They were so pretty that I couldn’t stop taking pictures of them. They smelled good too! For lunch, my host family took me to a sushi restaurant… the kind with the conveyor belt. Knowing I was not a fan of seafood, including sushi, they encouraged me to try a few things as they secretly ordered my noodles. It wasn’t bad, but sushi isn’t something you can say “it tastes like chicken” about. During desert, Misuzu lost a tooth! She was very excited, as was I. I don’t think that the tooth fairy is part of Japanese culture, thought. I had a difficult time trying to ask about that one with the language barrier. I had a wonderful time meeting my host family. It was a pleasure of mine to share a little of my culture with them, while learning about theirs. I was also proud to be their first homestay child. Their family and friends were very welcoming and made me feel like a privileged guest in their home. I would be more than happy to visit them again.
The rest of my time in Japan was spent in Kobe where I was intrigued with the idea of giving yet again. I realized that it was the culture of the Japanese, and perhaps Asia in general, to give of themselves no matter what the cost to them. I was deeply impressed by the giving of a particular taxi driver. After I left Japan, I thought about him and this reoccurring value. Here is what I concluded: It is an aspect of American culture to be individualistic and for us to think about ourselves. Japan, or Asia perhaps, puts the idea of the group first. In America, we raise children to think they can dream anything, do anything, and be anything they want. We encourage each one another to put our own happiness above others and seek out success for ourselves. Japan doesn’t work like that and because they don’t, they have produced some of the most hospitable, giving, and genuine people I have ever met. I am truly an American girl. I feel now, that I have spent enough time being concerned for my own well-being. I have worked, earned, and provided things for myself because I felt like I had to. I did things that I wanted to because I wanted to do them and didn’t give a second thought as to how those things made my family feel. I do not feel wrong for doing those things. At the time and presently, I have justified it with my own happiness. However, I can see now that it is because I am American and I don’t quite know how to feel about that. When I compare this part of me to this aspect Japanese culture, I see myself as a little selfish. I have tried to justify it as a reflection of the culture that raised me, but I will no longer think about myself within in the limits of American ways. As I try to be more giving and a little less focused on my own needs, I am learning. I have traveled the world. I am a daughter of this world.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Shanghai
It was raining... you had to take a taxi to get anywhere despite the rain, and the taxi's were expensive and they didn't speak English. So when me and my friends Ashley, Eddie, and Kadero found Hooters in Shanghai, we parked ourselves in front of some good food, beverages, and six hours of rain free fun. Next time you need something to do on a rainy day... might I recommend Hooters in Shangai. Those girls were great!
China Man
I wanted to take this man's photo so we played the game I had been playing all along... Celebrity. I asked him though if I could take his picture, though. He agreed to it which. I will have to play poparzzi with someone else.
Summer Palace
This scenic view was my favorite. I just love the way it looked particularly with the fog (or whatever you wanna call it). The trees were beautiful and I love looking at bridges for no real reason. It was very peaceful and calm and a great spot for thinking and reflecting.
P.S. China did nothing benefical for my already bad hair days. I should have shaved it.
Peking Opera
There were many more actors and singers with many more colorful and different costumes. Despite the English translation on the big screens on the sides of the stage, I still had no idea what was really going on. Someone should really teach me some Chinese lingo.
Tricycle things
Other than a tricycle, i don't know what this gadget was called. We rode through some really narrow streets on it thought and it was pretty neat. Izzy and me.
She's an American girl...
Playing celebrity in The Forbidden City. Notice how the child looks scared... confused... maybe a little nausiated.
Forbidden City
This place is absolutley gigantic. The Emporer's Garden near the North gate is absolutely beautiful though.
Peking Duck Dinner
After climbing The Great Wall, we headed back into town for a traditional Peking Roasted Duck Dinner. It was delicious. I wonder if I will be able to eat American Chinese food again. The real stuff was pretty good. Really though, I don't think I will having problem going back.
The Great Wall
Here I am at The Great Wall of China. It was one heck of a hike and comparable to Table Mountain in Cape Town at some points. From where we started, we climbed all the way to the top. I don't know if it was where the wall began or where it ended. Either way, I was there. I bought a t-shirt when I got back to the bottom. This experience was fantastic and I can't wait to talk more about it and share some more photos.
Pretty Yellow Tree
At the Ming Tombs, we spotted this gorgeous yellow tree so we stopped for a photo by it. Left to right is Vanessa, Coretta, Izzy, me, and Cara. There are several beautiful flowers and trees randomly scattered around Beijing.
Beijing 2008
One World One Dream. Beijing 2008 Olympics. This is The Nest. It is the stadium for the Olympics this year. From the looks of the surrounding area. There is still a lot of work they will need to do to be prepared for all the people. It really does look like a bird's nest, don't you think?
CHINA!!!
*China, including Hong Kong, was very cloudy, foggy, smoggy, polluted, etc… whichever one is your favorite word to describe to constant gray sky we had tainting our views and photos while we were there. Because everything looked gray all of the time, when you saw things with color, they just looked that much more vibrant and beautiful because the grayness of everything else made them pop visually.*
So I left the ship in Hong Kong with a Semester at Sea group. We left on a trip to Beijing where we were able to meet and interact with students from Renmin University. The international flight from Hong Kong to Beijing was a pretty incredible flight compared to the Southwest ones I usually end up on. The plane was absolutely gigantic, we were served a full meal (it didn’t even taste too bad AND it came with free wine and soda), then Haagen Daz? ice cream for desert. It was pretty nice.
When we arrived, we checked into our hotel… not nearly as nice as the flight, to say the least. Actually, my friends and I made a funny video highlighting its downfalls… all of them. From the bus we took to the hotel, we were able to see the stadium and aquatic building for the 2008 Olympics. Beijing is really excited to be hosting them!
The first night in Beijing, we had dinner at Renmin University with several of the students. It was fun to interact and eat with them. They learned a lot from us and we learned a lot from them as well. Afterwards, a few of us went out for some karaoke with them. THAT was really fun and quite an experience. Culture at its best!
The next day, we went to the Ming Tombs. I took a lot of pictures there and it was a lot of walking around. China is not only gray, but also a lot colder than the other ports we have been to so far. I knew it would be chilly, but I wasn’t as prepared as I should have been. Cold humidity doesn’t really help an already bad hair-do. I pretty much look like a bad-hair-day bum wearing the same sweatshirt in all of my gray pictured from China! Oh well… what can you do. After lunch, we went to The Great Wall and I hiked to the top (it was either the beginning or the end of it) from where we started (I don’t really know where we started, but it wasn’t at the other end!) Hiking The Great Wall of China was incredible. My legs are still soar. It was a little bit different from hiking Table Mountain, but much of the same effect… I felt really out of shape, it was a lot of stairs, I was out of breath 5 steps into it, and the finish line couldn’t come fast enough. However, once I finished, nothing could match the feeling. The view, although quite gray and cloudy, was still unbeatable. I met some interesting people, from all over the world and people from the U.S., at the top of the Great Wall and had a good time taking some fun pictures. (Maybe I was stalling because I knew the only way down was the same we I got up… more stairs.) After about 30 minutes at the top of The Great Wall, I started heading down. When I got tired of the stairs, I started sliding down the railing. It was pretty fun, but I got the biggest wedgie ever. Don’t worry, my friends got it on video. (Not the wedgie, but the sliding.)
After the Great Wall, we went to a nice restaurant for a traditional Peking Duck dinner. I’ve eaten duck once before, when I lived in Oregon. It really does taste just like chicken. After dinner we had free time to do whatever we wanted to. I went back to the hotel and got some rest.
The next day, we went out to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. They were great to see, but it was still cloudy, actually raining, and still cold. There were also about a million people because we were in China visit tourist attractions! The most unforgettable thing was being treated like a celebrity among Asian people. They love seeing Americans and everyone wants a photo of themselves taken with one. People would run up to me, throw their baby in my arms, and then step back ten feet to take a picture and never say a word. Others would put their camera in your face and say “Photo?” and as you say yes… they instruct their family to gather around you. And others will tell their kids to stand by you and just take your photo, but then their kids look scared and confused in the pictures. It was really funny.
After lunch, at another really nice and yummy restaurant, we rode on bike rickshaws through the narrow streets in Beijing. It was interesting to see the narrow streets and fun to ride. Our driver was repeating the last word of everything we said, so we started repeating what he was saying and then we were all laughing and having a riot. It was really fun. After that, we went to the Silk Street and Pearl Market to do some shopping. It was really hard-core bargaining and there were so many people in the market. It was packed, the shop owners were pushy, and bargaining skills were in high demand. I got some good deals on a few things, but didn’t want to spend too much money shopping.
After dinner, again it was nice, and again, it was rice, we went to a Peking Opera. It was my first opera experience and it was spectacular. There was a lot of tumbling and dance. I expected more singing at a ridiculous octave, but either way… I had no clue what was really going so I think I got it. I learned that the Peking Opera was one of the four aspects of Chinese culture and I was glad to have seen it.
The next morning, we checked out of our hotel and went to the Summer Palace. There wasn’t much explanation about the significance or history of it, but again, I took a lot of pictures and it was a lot of walking around. Good times. After another lunch with rice (9 meals of rice in a row), we visited the Temple of Heaven. It finally got a wee little sunny and even a little warm for the three layers of sleeves I had been wearing for the rest of China. I fixed that predicament by splurging on a popsicle that tasted like sweet pudding.
After the Temple of Heaven, we went to the airport and flew to Shanghai. We got to the airport 5 hours early…plenty of time to get a bite of some KFC (you know… American food!).
When we arrived in Shanghai at the ship, 500 other students were arriving back from Beijing which made for a long line of waiting people to get their bags checked and back on the ship. And it was midnight, really cold, and still cloudy. I showered and went straight to bed because I had to get up 4 hours later for some Tai Chi. Again, and because it was so early in the morning, it was cold. Just like snorkeling, I’m not any good at Tai Chi because it’s a little like dance, but I had a great time doing it regardless.
Later in the day, I went out with Eddie, Ashley, and another guy, Kadero. We had no agenda; we just got in a cab and went to the other side of the river. There was a tall tower, sight seeing thing, but it was still so cloudy that it wasn’t worth paying to go up in it. After meandering aimlessly, we found Hooters in Shanghai and invited ourselves in. We spent the rest of the day there because it was happy hour and we got 50% off for being college students. We didn’t mean to spend the whole day there, and time went by fast so we hadn’t even realized that we did, but we wrapped it all up by singing and dancing to the YMCA with the Hooters girls. Well, Eddie and I danced and sang while Ashley and Kadero got it on video and took photos. Hooters is better in the States… and bigger.
It was back to the ship by curfew (in the pouring rain) and early to bed for class the next day. Asia just keeps getting better and better. Now on to Japan… Konichiwa!
So I left the ship in Hong Kong with a Semester at Sea group. We left on a trip to Beijing where we were able to meet and interact with students from Renmin University. The international flight from Hong Kong to Beijing was a pretty incredible flight compared to the Southwest ones I usually end up on. The plane was absolutely gigantic, we were served a full meal (it didn’t even taste too bad AND it came with free wine and soda), then Haagen Daz? ice cream for desert. It was pretty nice.
When we arrived, we checked into our hotel… not nearly as nice as the flight, to say the least. Actually, my friends and I made a funny video highlighting its downfalls… all of them. From the bus we took to the hotel, we were able to see the stadium and aquatic building for the 2008 Olympics. Beijing is really excited to be hosting them!
The first night in Beijing, we had dinner at Renmin University with several of the students. It was fun to interact and eat with them. They learned a lot from us and we learned a lot from them as well. Afterwards, a few of us went out for some karaoke with them. THAT was really fun and quite an experience. Culture at its best!
The next day, we went to the Ming Tombs. I took a lot of pictures there and it was a lot of walking around. China is not only gray, but also a lot colder than the other ports we have been to so far. I knew it would be chilly, but I wasn’t as prepared as I should have been. Cold humidity doesn’t really help an already bad hair-do. I pretty much look like a bad-hair-day bum wearing the same sweatshirt in all of my gray pictured from China! Oh well… what can you do. After lunch, we went to The Great Wall and I hiked to the top (it was either the beginning or the end of it) from where we started (I don’t really know where we started, but it wasn’t at the other end!) Hiking The Great Wall of China was incredible. My legs are still soar. It was a little bit different from hiking Table Mountain, but much of the same effect… I felt really out of shape, it was a lot of stairs, I was out of breath 5 steps into it, and the finish line couldn’t come fast enough. However, once I finished, nothing could match the feeling. The view, although quite gray and cloudy, was still unbeatable. I met some interesting people, from all over the world and people from the U.S., at the top of the Great Wall and had a good time taking some fun pictures. (Maybe I was stalling because I knew the only way down was the same we I got up… more stairs.) After about 30 minutes at the top of The Great Wall, I started heading down. When I got tired of the stairs, I started sliding down the railing. It was pretty fun, but I got the biggest wedgie ever. Don’t worry, my friends got it on video. (Not the wedgie, but the sliding.)
After the Great Wall, we went to a nice restaurant for a traditional Peking Duck dinner. I’ve eaten duck once before, when I lived in Oregon. It really does taste just like chicken. After dinner we had free time to do whatever we wanted to. I went back to the hotel and got some rest.
The next day, we went out to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. They were great to see, but it was still cloudy, actually raining, and still cold. There were also about a million people because we were in China visit tourist attractions! The most unforgettable thing was being treated like a celebrity among Asian people. They love seeing Americans and everyone wants a photo of themselves taken with one. People would run up to me, throw their baby in my arms, and then step back ten feet to take a picture and never say a word. Others would put their camera in your face and say “Photo?” and as you say yes… they instruct their family to gather around you. And others will tell their kids to stand by you and just take your photo, but then their kids look scared and confused in the pictures. It was really funny.
After lunch, at another really nice and yummy restaurant, we rode on bike rickshaws through the narrow streets in Beijing. It was interesting to see the narrow streets and fun to ride. Our driver was repeating the last word of everything we said, so we started repeating what he was saying and then we were all laughing and having a riot. It was really fun. After that, we went to the Silk Street and Pearl Market to do some shopping. It was really hard-core bargaining and there were so many people in the market. It was packed, the shop owners were pushy, and bargaining skills were in high demand. I got some good deals on a few things, but didn’t want to spend too much money shopping.
After dinner, again it was nice, and again, it was rice, we went to a Peking Opera. It was my first opera experience and it was spectacular. There was a lot of tumbling and dance. I expected more singing at a ridiculous octave, but either way… I had no clue what was really going so I think I got it. I learned that the Peking Opera was one of the four aspects of Chinese culture and I was glad to have seen it.
The next morning, we checked out of our hotel and went to the Summer Palace. There wasn’t much explanation about the significance or history of it, but again, I took a lot of pictures and it was a lot of walking around. Good times. After another lunch with rice (9 meals of rice in a row), we visited the Temple of Heaven. It finally got a wee little sunny and even a little warm for the three layers of sleeves I had been wearing for the rest of China. I fixed that predicament by splurging on a popsicle that tasted like sweet pudding.
After the Temple of Heaven, we went to the airport and flew to Shanghai. We got to the airport 5 hours early…plenty of time to get a bite of some KFC (you know… American food!).
When we arrived in Shanghai at the ship, 500 other students were arriving back from Beijing which made for a long line of waiting people to get their bags checked and back on the ship. And it was midnight, really cold, and still cloudy. I showered and went straight to bed because I had to get up 4 hours later for some Tai Chi. Again, and because it was so early in the morning, it was cold. Just like snorkeling, I’m not any good at Tai Chi because it’s a little like dance, but I had a great time doing it regardless.
Later in the day, I went out with Eddie, Ashley, and another guy, Kadero. We had no agenda; we just got in a cab and went to the other side of the river. There was a tall tower, sight seeing thing, but it was still so cloudy that it wasn’t worth paying to go up in it. After meandering aimlessly, we found Hooters in Shanghai and invited ourselves in. We spent the rest of the day there because it was happy hour and we got 50% off for being college students. We didn’t mean to spend the whole day there, and time went by fast so we hadn’t even realized that we did, but we wrapped it all up by singing and dancing to the YMCA with the Hooters girls. Well, Eddie and I danced and sang while Ashley and Kadero got it on video and took photos. Hooters is better in the States… and bigger.
It was back to the ship by curfew (in the pouring rain) and early to bed for class the next day. Asia just keeps getting better and better. Now on to Japan… Konichiwa!
Hong Kong Skyline
Hong Kong Skyline at night during the laser light show. It was very cloudy and cold, but still a nice view.
Disneyland!!!
Most of the pictures that I took were of other people so I will have to get the pictures of me from my friends. We had a really fun time there... even though it was small. For instance, can you see the magical castle in the picture on the top?
Sunrise
I lost my pictures of the Hong Kong sunrise but it looked strikingly similar to the one in Vietnam. No sun in Asia apparently!
Hong Kong
Hong Kong…
Disneyland!! I’ve never been and because there are so many people on this ship that are from California and Florida, and just so many other fortunate souls, people found it hard to believe that I had never been to a Disney theme park. Needless to say, I went while I was in Hong Kong. For a few hours on April 3rd, I got to be a kid again. I got a picture kissing Mickey, rode Space Mountain 4 times, spun around in a tea cup, and went for a magical ride on the flying elephant, Dumbo. Not that I had anything to compare it to, but the Hong Kong Disneyland is apparently the smallest one. It didn’t take too long to go through all the rides that I wasn’t too big for, but I still had a great time. I can’t wait to go to Disneyworld in the states. Apparently it is a million times better…and I already had a great time in Hong Kong.
My friends and I raced back to the ship to catch dinner (we made it just before the dining hall closed!) and then I stayed on the ship to watch the light show on the Hong Kong skyline as they all went out. Due to the cloudiness, the view wasn’t as spectacular, but the light show was still pretty neat to see. I was only in Hong Kong for one day because I left early in the morning on the second day to go to Beijing.
Disneyland!! I’ve never been and because there are so many people on this ship that are from California and Florida, and just so many other fortunate souls, people found it hard to believe that I had never been to a Disney theme park. Needless to say, I went while I was in Hong Kong. For a few hours on April 3rd, I got to be a kid again. I got a picture kissing Mickey, rode Space Mountain 4 times, spun around in a tea cup, and went for a magical ride on the flying elephant, Dumbo. Not that I had anything to compare it to, but the Hong Kong Disneyland is apparently the smallest one. It didn’t take too long to go through all the rides that I wasn’t too big for, but I still had a great time. I can’t wait to go to Disneyworld in the states. Apparently it is a million times better…and I already had a great time in Hong Kong.
My friends and I raced back to the ship to catch dinner (we made it just before the dining hall closed!) and then I stayed on the ship to watch the light show on the Hong Kong skyline as they all went out. Due to the cloudiness, the view wasn’t as spectacular, but the light show was still pretty neat to see. I was only in Hong Kong for one day because I left early in the morning on the second day to go to Beijing.
This one is for Bob!
Look familiar? I visited a guy's house who worked as a UPI photographer during the Vietnam War. He had many touching photos and a lot of war time articles outside and around his house. The jeep was one!
Watch Out!
Tham let me get a picture looking like I was driving the motorbike. I was just posing. It would have been much too dangerous to actually drive. ***mom***note the helmet
Women wear the face masks as protection from dust and pollution. So I did as well.
Floating Village
This is a floating market in the village. All they sold was produce, but you always need your bargaining skills.
Ha Long Bay
I took a one day tour to Ha Long Bay from Hanoi. It was a beautiful place, but it would have been prettier if it hadn't been so cloudy. I met people from all over the world there (that seems ironic to say). This picture is of a floating village in the bay.
Duyen
Duyen and I had a lot of fun together. I snatched this picture while were stopped at a red light in traffic. He took me around Hanoi on his motorbike (you have to do it if you ever go to Vietnam). He was a great host, a great guide, and I made a really good friend with him.
Tham
This is Tham. He is Duyen's cousin and he lives in Saigon. I met up with him in the afternoon of the second day in Vietnam and he showed me a great time. He was very generous and helpful as well. I stayed the night at his condo and met his girlfriend before he took me to the airport in the morning to fly to Hanoi and meet Duyen.
Another school for the deaf
The second day I was in Vietnam, I spent the morning at another school for deaf children. We played and they showed me around their playground. They were very energetic and quite cute. I felt inspired to learn sign language because I had no other way to communicate with them.
School for the disabled
These chairs were not used for anything but storage. If the kids lying lifeless in their cribs from the effects of Agent Orange didn't get to me enough, then seeing the lack of care and quality of life they were given definitely did. Out of respect, I don't really have pictures of the kids. And this place did not seem to be a school as much as it appeared to be a nursing home for disabled orphans.
School for the Deaf
Playing with the kids at a school for the deaf. The older kids put together a hip hop dance show for us then we played, colored, and blew bubbles with the younger ones.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Vietnam...
Vietnam is a country; it’s not just a war. That’s what I learned in my five day stay there. I experienced a rainbow of feelings in this country as I met some great local people, witnessed first hand the effects of war, and tried hard to justify things in my life as poverty stared me in the face yet again.
I had the opportunity to meet a man, Duyen, who has spent some time living the in the United States. In fact, he attended a college in Illinois and finished his business degree in St. Louis at my university. He returned to Vietnam and started his own traveling company. He currently lives in Hanoi with his wife. Together, they invited me to stay with them for two days and I had a truly wonderful time. Duyen showed me around Hanoi on his motorbike, treated me to some of the world’s best street food, shopped with me at a local fair/market, and took me to get a Vietnamese body massage. He was very generous and we shared excellent conversation about the differences between American and Vietnamese culture, as well as how they are both changing. He and his wife were very welcoming and took great care of me. Duyen has a cousin who lives in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon); his name is Tham. I met with him on my second day in Vietnam and he showed me around there, helped be get a plane ticket to visit Duyen, and invited me to stay with him at his condo for the night so that he could take me to the airport in the morning. From his condo, we walked to a nearby restaurant for dinner (I love Vietnamese food), and when we returned to find that the power was out :( I met his girlfriend and her family. I had a great time with both of them and greatly appreciate their generosity in treating me to an amazing experience in their country. They made it very personal and unforgettable. I can only hope to be able to return the favor someday.
I spent the first day in Vietnam, and the morning of the second day, visiting schools for handicapped children. Two of the schools I visited were deaf students and I had a good time interacting with the kids. It was difficult to communicate without knowing sign language, but Vietnamese sign language is a little different from American, regardless. I am still inspired to attempt learning to sign. It is one more way of communicating with people… why not give it a shot? The other places I visited were homes for handicapped children, most of whom are innocent (as most of them were) victims of Agent Orange. I cannot even put into words what it was like to see such a large number of children, lying helplessly and lifelessly in cribs and day beds as a result of a was that happened so many years before their life began. I was very intrigued while studying the Vietnam War in high school and was eager to visit Vietnam because of that. What I found was an eye opening experience that changed my perspective on associated things. Even as a nursing student and as healthcare worker in a hospital for two years, the site of these handicapped children, in the orphanage they live in with a pitiful excuse for care, still got to me. Sometimes, I feel like my experiences in Nursing have guarded me from feeling “normal” feelings at times and that they may have desensitized me to certain aspects of the world. However, Vietnam proved that wrong, but not right away. The idea of the Vietnam War still intrigues me but for very different reasons. Being there, and NOT because of the Vietnamese people, makes me nearly feel ashamed to be an American because of that war. I have developed new opinions and new perspectives. Better than that, and thanks to Tham and Duyen, I was able to see Vietnam as a country, a culture with heart-warming people, and not just a war.
Vietnam was a very personal experience. I was having dinner with a professor on the ship as we were sailing to Hong Kong, and he asked me without knowing about my experiences there, “If you could go back to any of the countries we have been to so far to live there for three months, which one would it be?” I thought for a minute about the fantastic cultural experiences I had in Africa and how emotional I was when we left that port. I thought about how much fun I had in Malaysia just ‘going with the flow’ of things. And I reflected for a minute about Vietnam. If I had to choose a country to live in for three months, I’d pick Vietnam.
I had the opportunity to meet a man, Duyen, who has spent some time living the in the United States. In fact, he attended a college in Illinois and finished his business degree in St. Louis at my university. He returned to Vietnam and started his own traveling company. He currently lives in Hanoi with his wife. Together, they invited me to stay with them for two days and I had a truly wonderful time. Duyen showed me around Hanoi on his motorbike, treated me to some of the world’s best street food, shopped with me at a local fair/market, and took me to get a Vietnamese body massage. He was very generous and we shared excellent conversation about the differences between American and Vietnamese culture, as well as how they are both changing. He and his wife were very welcoming and took great care of me. Duyen has a cousin who lives in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon); his name is Tham. I met with him on my second day in Vietnam and he showed me around there, helped be get a plane ticket to visit Duyen, and invited me to stay with him at his condo for the night so that he could take me to the airport in the morning. From his condo, we walked to a nearby restaurant for dinner (I love Vietnamese food), and when we returned to find that the power was out :( I met his girlfriend and her family. I had a great time with both of them and greatly appreciate their generosity in treating me to an amazing experience in their country. They made it very personal and unforgettable. I can only hope to be able to return the favor someday.
I spent the first day in Vietnam, and the morning of the second day, visiting schools for handicapped children. Two of the schools I visited were deaf students and I had a good time interacting with the kids. It was difficult to communicate without knowing sign language, but Vietnamese sign language is a little different from American, regardless. I am still inspired to attempt learning to sign. It is one more way of communicating with people… why not give it a shot? The other places I visited were homes for handicapped children, most of whom are innocent (as most of them were) victims of Agent Orange. I cannot even put into words what it was like to see such a large number of children, lying helplessly and lifelessly in cribs and day beds as a result of a was that happened so many years before their life began. I was very intrigued while studying the Vietnam War in high school and was eager to visit Vietnam because of that. What I found was an eye opening experience that changed my perspective on associated things. Even as a nursing student and as healthcare worker in a hospital for two years, the site of these handicapped children, in the orphanage they live in with a pitiful excuse for care, still got to me. Sometimes, I feel like my experiences in Nursing have guarded me from feeling “normal” feelings at times and that they may have desensitized me to certain aspects of the world. However, Vietnam proved that wrong, but not right away. The idea of the Vietnam War still intrigues me but for very different reasons. Being there, and NOT because of the Vietnamese people, makes me nearly feel ashamed to be an American because of that war. I have developed new opinions and new perspectives. Better than that, and thanks to Tham and Duyen, I was able to see Vietnam as a country, a culture with heart-warming people, and not just a war.
Vietnam was a very personal experience. I was having dinner with a professor on the ship as we were sailing to Hong Kong, and he asked me without knowing about my experiences there, “If you could go back to any of the countries we have been to so far to live there for three months, which one would it be?” I thought for a minute about the fantastic cultural experiences I had in Africa and how emotional I was when we left that port. I thought about how much fun I had in Malaysia just ‘going with the flow’ of things. And I reflected for a minute about Vietnam. If I had to choose a country to live in for three months, I’d pick Vietnam.
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