2008 Blogs

Understanding Vietnam

03/29/2009

I want to put in one more plug for my fall semester course, History A300, Understanding Vietnam, which is going to meet on Tuesday evenings from 5:30-8:15.  In case any of you think it is only going to be a course about the war, I want to correct that misperception.  Instead, we will explore Vietnam's history, international politics of the Cold War, the Vietnamese-American War, and its consequences on the land, the people involved, and Vietnamese-American relations.

 

And now, let me share a few miscellaneous thoughts.  It felt strange having my photo taken while standing in the entrance of a tiger cage (recreated in the War Remnants Museum).  I normally smile for a photo, which I did here, but it just didn't seem appropriate!  I had mixed feelings about visiting the museum because of its portrayal of Americans, but in the end concluded that the exhibits powerfullly reveal the horror of war, no matter what side you are on.  Perhaps they could rename it an Anti-war Museum.

  

As someone who loves to knit, I've been quite fascinated by watching ethnic minority women weave.  The woman pictured here was doing intricate Cham weaving, using silk threads.  She used foot pedals and a system of weighted bags to raise and lower threads before sending the shuttle back and forth.  While in Dalat I saw some women in the night market crocheting.  People think I'm fast, but they were like speed demons.  They would have to be, to make any money on the hats and scarves they were selling.  I took my knitting to the Ho Chi Minh City Airport while waiting for Deb's flight to arrive, and attracted a crowd of people who were seemingly fascinated with my sock knitting.  They would feel the yarn, touch the bamboo needles, and nod approvingly.

 

Deb's visit was the half-way point of my Fulbright, and my time here is already feeling very limited.  I have so much to accomplish in the remaining weeks, including a workshop presentation later this week, travel to Hanoi for a library conference, and much more.  So, I'd better get on with my day.