Ho Chi Minh City....

Hello from Vietnam!

I'm currently in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) which is a city of 8 million that is literally pulsating with energy...in fact...it's almost palpable. It also contains more moterbikes than I ever thought possible. It's like an icon here. There is something about the energy of this city that I absolutely love. The people are outgoing and friendly, the food is diverse and fantastic, and there is color everywhere. The first evening I arrived, I met up with my Swiss friend I met in Kratie and explored a festival that was going on in a nearby park. The trees were completely illuminated in sparkling white and blue led lights and there were various performances going on from traditional dances and songs to tacky American karaoke (Santana I believe) to awesome performances by two guys on stilts dressed up as dragons! There were also countless food stalls selling everything from pho to sugarcane juice. There was also a Vietnamese version of a pinata which was really amusing until the person who was blindfolded, dizzy, and yielding a big stick started heading for the crowd instead of the target! :)
The next day, I headed off to the War Remnants Museum which documents the atrocities committed against the Vietnamese people during the Vietnam War. Most of the documentation is done through photography. Many of the photographs were taken by men and women who died while completing their work for the sake of presenting the true face of war to humanity. The pictures were horrific yet powerful and I walked out of that museum ashamed to call myself an American in many ways. We learn about the Vietnam War in school from a distance and are aware of the great public outcry and antiwar sentiment that was present. However, I don't remember learning about the atrocities we committed against innocent civilians; particularly women and children. Nor do I remember any discussion of our widespread use of chemical agents that has left generations of Vietnamese families plagued by serious birth defects and paralyzing abnormalities. War is such an ugly part of humanity. It is difficult to believe that we as humans are capable of such evil, hate, and senseless killing. Anyway, needless to say, it was a powerful experience that has left me deep in thought. Today, I went to the Cu Chi tunnels which are an extensive underground tunnel system used by the Vietnamese during the war. During the tour, we got to climb inside the tunnels which are so small that even I had a difficult time moving through them! There are portions of the tunnels which are completely dark and if you're claustrophobic....a complete nightmare! It's amazing to me that the Vietnamese would spend entire days down in these tunnels! I also learned a bit about the tactics used against the Americans during the war....again war is an ugly thing.

Vietnam seems to be completely different than Cambodia. It is much more "high-paced" and it took some getting used to after being in laid-back Cambodia for a month! I really enjoyed my time in Cambodia and in many ways in helped me put a face to the people I had previously spent so much time learning about. However, in many ways it also left me with new questions and areas for thought and research. On my last day in Cambodia, I visited the Killing fields which are located approximately 15 km outside of Phnom Penh. As you first walk through the entrance, you see a giant pagoda. As you approach it, you realize it is full of human skulls that stare back at you; communicating the sense of horror that this place represents. There is also a museum documenting the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge. As you walk through the Killing Fields themselves, you find yourself walking along a narrow trail surrounded by large holes in the ground. These holes are mass graves that have been uncovered. The largest mass grave contained 450 bodies. There was also a mass grave full of the bodies of women and children. I found myself returning to the hundreds of photographs on display at the S-21 genocide museum; photographs of men, women, and children. Some stared back at you with raw fear while others looked defiant and angry. Regardless, though, they all represented a face of someone who suffered and died under the Khmer Rouge and whose bodies were callously thrown into the mass graves at the Killing Fields. I could honestly go on for pages about what I've seen and experienced at these sights, but I'll spare you the horror and give myself more time to really think through these experiences. Again, the true face of war is not what you see on television. The true face of war would depict average civilians, women, and children and the harm that has come to them.
Aside from these experiences, I also visited the Royal Palace and National Museum in Phnom Penh. These were beautiful and impressive sites showing the rich history and culture of the Cambodian people. I also spent a day at the Royal University of Phnom Penh which was arranged by my thesis adviser from college. I had the opportunity of attending a conference held by the psychology students in recognition of World Mental Health day. I even had my own interpreter as the presentations were given in Khmer. Afterwards, I had lunch and spent time with some of the directors and professors in the department which was really interesting. Finally, I got to sit in on a masters student's class which was covering counseling techniques used with clients suffering from PTSD. It was really cool to get to interact with the students and professors in this setting. I was also really impressed with the work the department is doing within the community. It is the first and only psychology department in the whole of Cambodia and is actively educating and training up mental health professionals who are beginning to meet the huge mental health needs within the country.
I also had the opportunity to see the beginnings of a huge boat racing festival that takes place along the Mekong River in Phnom Penh annually. People come from all over Cambodia and the world to take part in and/or observe the races. The boats are extremely long, lavishly decorated, and contain approximately 50-80 people who must all row simultaneously and furiously if they are to have a chance at winning. It was really an impressive and unique sight!
Alright, that's all I have time for at the moment, but I'll keep you updated on my travels in Vietnam! Love and miss you all!
~Rachel