Today, we woke up to another nice Vietnamese breakfast, where you could choose a meal as simple as an omelet and toast or as adventures as a half cooked duck fetus. We then departed for a two hour long bus ride; we passed by crowded neighborhoods, ornate temples, and water buffaloes in marshy fields. About an hour into the ride, we had entered rural Vietnam, which was never more apparent than when we used several roadside restrooms. Shortly afterwards we arrived at the home village of Kim Phuc, the famous young girl who was seen fleeing a napalm attack in one of the most influential photographs ever taken. Our bus pulled up on the exact strip of road depicted in the picture and we were suddenly immersed in a solemn piece of history. We then walked into her family's small noodle shop/home, where we met Kim's sister in law and other family members. This woman was the widow of Kim's older brother, who was seen running and screaming ahead of Kim in the famous photo. We were then shown a poignant and remarkable video detailing Kim's life story, as we sat just feet from the site where the napalm was dropped. Afterwards, we told her sister in law, through an interpreter, how meaningful it was to have met Kim at Poly earlier this year and how grateful we were to be welcomed into her home. She responded by saying she was honored to host visitors from so far away. We then walked a short distance down the street to an outdoor drink and snack bar owned by Kim's older sister. She was a very gentle and nice lady, who showed us where she stood in that same photo. It was so interesting seeing this incredible site and even more meaningful to meet the people who lived through it.
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| Unbelievable morning traffic in Saigon! |
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| With Kim's sister-in-law in the Noodle Shop |
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| The son of the "boy in the picture" |
After leaving the noodle store, we walked down the crowded highway to a Cao Dai temple. The Cao Dai religion is a combination of Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Christianity, which is clearly depicted by a totem-like statue of the heads of Lao Tze, Confucius, Buddha, and Jesus respectively. Kim Phuc practiced Cao Dai before converting to Christianity. We arrived at the temple shortly before 12:00, one of the four designated prayer times (6:00 AM, noon, 6:00 PM, and midnight). After observing people praying and taking photographs of the intricate architectural ornamentation, we spoke with a member of the temple. Our guide was able to translate our questions about the religion, and we learned about the Cao Dai lifestyle and traditions (including how to manage praying at midnight and 6:00 AM the next day). We enthusiastically expressed our thanks for the temple's openness to sharing.
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| In front of the Cao Dai temple |
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| Inside the temple behind Kim's Parents' Noodle Shop |
Feeling hungry after much traveling, our group drove to a riverside restaurant for a large lunch. The scenery of seemingly endless greenery and blue river was breathtaking. From the restaurant, we walked to the famous Cu Chi tunnels created by Viet Cong resistance forces in the south. Our tour began by watching a propaganda film describing American soldiers' theft of Cu Chi's peace. The Vietnamese people were forced underground to avoid American bombs and chemical weapons. Once the film ended, we examined a minuscule entrance to the tunnels, easily concealed by surrounding fallen leaves. We proceeded to observe slightly disconcerting mechanical Vietnamese people executing various daily tasks in the tunnels – filing down metal rods down to sharp points to create spike pit traps for Americans, disassembling unexploded American bombs, and creating makeshift land mines (we were careful not to stray from the beaten path for fear of remaining mines). We exited the exhibits and walked through the gift shop, which sold lots of bullet-related merchandise – bullet necklaces, bullet bracelets, and bullets to shoot at the somewhat questionable shooting range. Mustafa and I split the minimum 10 bullet purchase between us, each shooting 5 rounds from an American M16 rifle. The gunshot blast was the most jarring element of shooting the semi-automatic weapons, necessitating protective ear coverage. Others shot Russian-made AK-47s. The tour finally got to the most anticipated activity, actually walking (depending on one's definition of walking) through the Cu Chi tunnels. Most students chose to attempt to make it through the entire tunnel, but many students did not make it, opting to exit through a side opening. The tunnels were extremely cramped and dark, making us crouch or even crawl. Claustrophobia kicked in for many because of the low ceilings and people in front and behind. I began to feel a little panicked after the people in front of me stopped moving forward (possibly because they themselves felt claustrophobic). We were stuck for a minute or two, crouching In dim lighting below the 80 centimeter ceiling and in between the walls separated by 60 centimeters. To conclude the trip, we were treated to free ice cream, tea, and cassava root, which was consumed in the tunnels by Vietnamese soldiers. I know I speak for everyone by saying we are looking forward to Cambodia!--Peter and Jack
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| Check out these telephone wires! |
We were woken up again this morning by the crow of a bustling city. At breakfast, I was so relieved to finally be reunited with Sophia! Our first outing of the day was to Kim Phuc’s sister-in-law’s restaurant, which was a two hour bus ride northwest of Saigon. At a pit stop on the way, many of us faced (and struggled with) our first squatting toilet, a hole in the ground with a foothold on each side, which is very common in many parts of Asia. Finally, we arrived at the restaurant and watched a short film about Kim Phuc's life as a napalm victim, refugee, and mother. It was surreal visiting a town that was decimated by American troops only a few decades ago. Today, the town has hair salons and markets. During the Vietnam War, the village that stood where the town is now was completely leveled, and its residents were killed or severely damaged by the horrific effects of Napalm. We walked down the street to Cao Dai temple. After taking our shoes and hats off, we had the privilege of entering the temple and observing their praying. Cao Dai is a religion that combines many of the most prevalent religions into one monotheistic God. The walls of the temple were brilliantly colored and detailed. We learned that they pray four times a day and lead simple lives in near poverty for humility.
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| Victor Hugo and SunYat-sen are revered in Cao Dai! |
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| Prayer Ceremony for Da |
Next, we drove to the Cu Chi tunnels and ate lunch at a gorgeous restaurant overlooking the Saigon River. Lunch was vegetable and pork stew, beef and chicken in a spicy sauce, French fries, and white rice.
After lunch, we armed ourselves with bug spray and crawled our way through the Cu Chi tunnels, which were an elaborate underground refuge from the bombings. During the war, this area was littered its traps for American soldiers, most of which resulted in an impaling by sharpened bamboo sticks. As we continued walking above the tunnels, we reached a shooting range, and some students decided to practice aiming M-16’s and AK-47’s. We got to try a typical soldier’s meal of boiled tapioca roots and peanuts with tea. All residents of the Cu Chi valley served as guerilla soldiers, many of which were women and children. This experience allowed me to look at my life from a new perspective and recognize my own materialism. --Maya B-T
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| Practicing the hiding techniques |
Today was quite an eventful day. We took a 2.5 hour bus ride to Kim Phuc's home. We had the honor of visiting her sister in law's restaurant, where we watched a very moving and inspirational movie about her life. We were able to talk to her sister in law about her experiences with the bombings, and gain personal insight about the picture that touched the world, via our tour guide, who translated for us. Then, we walked down the famous street to her family's home where e were able to meet Kim Phuc's older sister, who was also pictured in the photograph. She was extremely warm and welcoming, and we were offered a fresh coconut that they chopped in front of us. After, we continued down the street to a temple that houses multiple different religions, including Christianity, Buddism, Confucionism, and Daoism. Luckily, right when we arrived a ceremony was beginning to honor the dead, and we were not only allowed to look around the temple, but invited to stay and watch the beginning of their ceremony. It was an incredible experience to see a temple that accepted all sorts of religions.
Next, we got back into the bus and drove through the country side of Ho Chi Minh City, excitedly watching Water Buffalos play in the fields and giggling about our large bus speeding down the bumpy roads, narrowly missing the hundreds of scooter riders and oncoming traffic. When we arrived at our lunch destination, a beautiful restaurant on the bank of the Saigon River, we sat down to a delicious meal to reenergize ourselves before our next adventure, the Cu Chi tunnels. Then, after spraying on layers and layers of heavy deet and sunscreen, we headed to the tunnels. After watching a short film on the history of the tunnels, we made our way through the jungle to see the history come to life before our eyes. Our guide told us to kick our feet through some leaves, and although we were at first confused, we suddenly uncovered a secret door in the ground! He explained to us how the soldiers would barricade themselves in these trap doors, and cover leaved on top so the enemies could not find them. We continued through the jungle, learning about various types of tunnels and traps the Vietnamese army would employ to trap the enemy. It was fascinating to understand the perspectives of the Vietnemese, by listening to our guides stories who was a former soldier, and we were able to learn about the war from a very anti-American point of view; shocking to many of us, not having experienced or learned in school the other side of the Vietnam War. Finally, we reached the tunnels themselves. As we filed down the steep and deep stair, into thicker air and darker spaces, we crawled through the tunnels, feeling very claustrophobic. Going through the tunnels, we felt very materialistic, for we learned how these solders had to survive in these cramped spaces with nothing but lights and each other's company for days on end trying to stay alive, when we could barely last for a few short minutes. After emerging from the cramped spaces sweating and shaken up, our wonderful guide treated us to a typical solider's meal: tapioca, peanuts, and tea.
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| cute puppy |
As we drove back to our hotel, we were able to reflect on the powerful experiences that our guide had shared with us. Sticky fro sweat, bugs pray, and chocolate ice cream; tired from walking, laughing, and witnessing powerful personal experiences, we headed back to our temporary home, laughing together all the way (hahahha)! The two of us had a particularly fun time laughing and joking with our friends, who we have become closer to throughout the trip, and who we look forward to continually bonding with. When we arrived back at our hotel room, exhausted, we flopped on our nice beds in our nice hotels, which again made us reflect on the contrast between our fortunate lives and the experiences we have had in this country.
