A country, not a war
02/08/2009
It's really rather amazing how many Americans are at Nha Trang University this semester. Two volunteers from the VIA program arrived here late last summer, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant came two weeks after that, I arrived in early January, and a Vietnam veteran who has been returning to Vietnam annually for the past ten years will be moving into the dormitory tomorrow. Last night one of my dinner companions was a vivacious retired woman from New York City who came to Vietnam five years ago as a volunteer teacher in Danang. The first visit was for her brother, a vet--she wanted to say thank you for his safe return. Since then she has returned to Vietnam once a year for several months. Why? When people ask her what she loves most about Vietnam, she tells them: "Look in the mirror." What a great answer!
Earlier today I Googled the words "volunteer" and "Vietnam" and up came countless opportunities to teach English, care for orphans, work with special needs children and people with disabilities (including those still suffering from the legacy of Agent Orange), and help with soup kitchens. People come here for a host of reasons. There are the altruistic and the philanthropic, the veterans seeking closure and reconciliation, the seekers and adventurers, the tourists who want stunning beauty at affordable prices, the businessmen, and those like myself who are here for cultural exchange.
A developing nation, Vietnam is changing rapidly. The dirt and gravel outside my dormitory when I arrived last month is now paved, and sidewalks are being laid. Income tax has been instituted. Around the university I hear "buzz words" very similar to what I would hear back home--words like assessment and active learning. At the same time, there are many challenges. I haven't been here long enough to comprehend what they all are--poverty, the influx of western ideas that accompany trade, infrastructure, etc. The pace of change is beyond comprehension. If I return in 3 years, the Vietnam I see today will be a thing of the past, and yet there also are continuities. I consider myself fortunate to be here now, a witness to the energy and commitment to change that makes this place--Vietnam--"a country, not a war" (as the veteran's business card says).
