Vietnam ephemera (Jennifer)

I have been reading The Girl in the Picture by Denise Chong, the story of Kim Phuc, who was the subject of a famous photo from the American war (she's running down the street naked, her arms out, clothes burned off by napalm). As it happened not far from Saigon, it's particularly poignant reading at this point in the narrative.
There's a copy of the photo in the War Crimes Museum. Quite the gut wrenching museum. A lot of attention is paid there to the photographers of that war, especially to those who died in it. It really was their war, the first where their craft played a pivotal part to the West's knowledge and opinion of it and to war in general. Ironic that "we" are still waging wars that get it wrong - that get on the wrong side through some ideological fear.

Fear really is the worst attribute a government or a people can have. Fear plays on ignorance and all sorts of horrible things result. It was the knee-jerk fear of communism that put the US in Vietnam, when Ho Chi Minh was mostly about uniting his divided country.

I am amazed at the lack of bitterness we see in the people here. They are open and friendly and welcoming to all visitors no matter their nationality. Even after a generation would there be many other countries so forgiving? The Vietnamese very much look to the future, and see the past mostly as an opportunity for making money and moving forward. They are extremely proud of their country and any praise is warmly received, as is any knowledge outsiders might have of their history no matter how rudimentary.

It is a country in transition. Demographically young, entrepreneurially inclined and hard working. The business opportunities afforded by tourism have lead to some pretty aggressive behaviour. Hawkers are quite demanding, although not abusive. You can't stop on a street, look at a map or sit in a cafe without several offers for moto rides, cyclo rides, taxi rides, private tours, watches, books, maps, gum, zippo lighters, postcards, shoe shining (even while wearing flip flops!) - it's never ending and can be quite annoying, but a smile, clear shake of the head and a few words in Vietnamese dissolves any unpleasantness. And really who can blame them? We really are rich, able to travel and stay in hotels and eat in cafes.

Tourism is a way out of poverty. And there are countless buses, tour companies and private operators. We've found it much easier than we expected to get where we want to go, although not necessarily with any flexibility. Ford's mantra ("you can have any colour of car you like as long as it's black") fits here - all sorts of tours, but they are all the same. You can't make any sort of adjustment. That will no doubt change before long.

Life is mostly about work and family. There's not much recreation, although we have seen impromptu badminton and soccer games in the parks in Saigon and Nha Trang. Gambling is popular, and everywhere you see groups of men playing cards or a local version of checkers in the streets for hours at a time. Lottery tickets sell well, and I imagine casinos abound if you look hard enough.

Women don't play so much, although we've seen young women in tailor's shops playing cards to while away the time. The women do seem to be the economic engine of the family. It's a status symbol to have a husband with enough free time to read, pursue scholarly pursuits, converse with other men, and gamble. Hard for a westerner to watch these women work so hard, before dawn to long after dusk, in order to allow their husbands time to laze away the day!

Other status symbols cropping up are new houses. You still see the old thatched and wood slatted shacks, but also new concrete boxes with false fronts. Height is more valued that girth (architecturally speaking) so a house that is one room wide but four storeys high is prized higher than a wide, low house. A new house, with a western toilet, an open top floor (with a huge statue of either Buddha, Bodisatva, or the Virgin Mary depending on religious inclination) and painted plaster decorations (usually doves or flowers) on the front facade means stability for the family - the most highly prized attribute money can buy. The most lavish houses we saw were in the countryside near Dalat. It made me oddly satisfied to see that the richest people in Vietnam we've seen are farmers! (Couldn't take any pictureas of them though - the bus ride was too bumpy!)

Prized possessions among the youth are cell phones and motos. These have multiplied so rapidly in recent years that resultant behaviour is wild. Poor courtesy regrading cell phone use is just as rampant at home, because we've discovered cell phones at about the same time and have yet to bring in controls. Having a motor vehicle however is new to the Vietnamese and they drive with complete lack of awareness of anyone else. Along both sides of the road, up sidewalks, parking whenever and wherever, horns blaring, blocking up the roads and passages. No one ever looks around to see who is behind or beside or in front - it's a complete free for all - just start it up and go. No wonder there are so many accidents (we've seen 8 alone). It's like children on morotcycles - millions of them!

There are signs of concern for the environment (rivers are quite polluted - Saigon is reckoned to be the 5th most polluted city in the world) and of endangered species (normally prized as a lavish course at dinner) and care for those that are underpriviledged or disabled. We succumbed to a Western style breakfast (bacon and eggs, coffee, mango joice) in a cafe that employs, trains, houses and cares for physically disabled youth, and which teaches them English and sends them off to elderly homes to meet with those who have no one, or who can not be supported by their families. There are several restaurants and cafes that promote this kind of action, mostly set up with outside initiatives (Australian predominantly it appears), so with tourism being such a big money earner it is hoped that there will be positive noises sent about these other issues - sooner rather than later.

Education is prized, and there are large schools in every tiny village. And if you look up just right, you can see children playing on computers in a house that has dirt floors and no plumbing. It's likely to be a computer game, though, but at least that's something!