"Don't Know Much About History..."

But I do know that I am intrigued...

No matter how many episodes of China Beach or scenes from Good Morning Vietnam you've watched, nothing can prepare you for Vietnam. The dichotomy of the frantic rickshaw filled streets and surreal countryside will undoubtedly intrigue you. History books and research may help acquaint you with the past, but nothing sinks in more then actually seeing the sights and hearing first hand accounts from locals. As we make our way down the coast from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon) we are collecting bits and pieces of the history that has survived in Vietnam . Forced to defend their sovereignty from the French to the Chinese, Vietnam has proved both resilient and optimistic. The "American War" history is rather daunting, though the years of depression and recovery were just as grueling.

One evening, aboard an old Junk sailboat in Ha Long Bay, we got to visit with a Laos women. With a tear in her eye she described her mothers strength as she fled with four young children during the Viet Cong invasions. We also learned that her mother's two brothers had fought on opposite sides during the Vietnam war. Later, we were shown around Hanoi by two local students who recounted stories from the Subsidized Economy Era (1975-81 Food-stamp depression) which their parents endured. They told us of how their grandparents had raised pigs in the house and grown vegetables in the bathtub of their one-room flat because the government could not issue enough food stamps to feed the whole family. The wee glimpses we've obtained can only give us a small idea of how war and hardships can change a country forever. However, little bitterness or resentment is felt as the country bounces back time and again.

During a tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels we got to speak with a man that worked for the South Vietnamese as a translator. He worked side by side with US troops from 1962-72 and then spent the next ten years in a correctional facility also know as a re-education camp. He pointed out an inscription on a US Army issued Zippo lighter that read "The unwilling working for the unable, to do the unnecessary, for the ungrateful," (Saigon 1970) A heavy quote, but one of the many sentiments felt at that time. Physically entering the tunnels, made this war a reality for us as members of a generation who have limited realization of what war can do. This man was very wise and understanding as he saw so much during the war and yet has a very optimistic vision for peace throughout the world.

The streets are crowded, dirty and pushy and can be very frustrating at times, but once you figure out how to maneuver your way through the chaos you'll find treats hidden within the madness. A distinct flare is left over from the French occupation as a baguette is never hard to find, and much of the architecture has a colonial flavor. The Chinese have left their fingerprints everywhere as well. We see Pagodas and Cantonese writing throughout the country. Perhaps the biggest treat of all is viewing the traditional conical hats dotting the rice paddies or previewing a water-puppet show, proving that the culture has maintained its own unique identity. Vietnam is a little overwhelming but we will leave with a whole new appreciation for the resiliency of the human spirit.

An everyday saying heard throughout Indochina and printed on t-shirts says "SAME SAME... but different." This really sums up the attitudes and lack of animosity the people feel. We all have differences in culture, but the base values of every society do not seem to vary. The complexities of war and history are hard to grasp and I am no buff on the subjects presented here but at the end of the day people are people, same-same.

"...what a wonderful world it could be."