Day 1:We went to the Cu Chi tunnels where the Vietnamese hid and lived during the war.It was very interesting to hear their side of the war and the tactics they used during that time.After the tunnel tour we got to shoot a gun at the range.(I think it was kind of strange they had this as a part of the tour, but it was still cool to do.)After that we came back to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and explored the area.
Day 2: We left Saigon at 6am to head to Hanoi in northern Vietnam.We had the day free to explore the city.We tried to go to the Ho Chi Minh Museum, but it was closed on Mondays.We also tried to go to a market, but they were all closed as well.The language barrier was pretty hard in trying to get around.We kept asking how to get places and would get a different answer from everyone we asked.We gave up seeking anything and just explored the rest of the day.We just wondered and saw what the city had to offer. We ended up having a fun time just people watching by the lake.
Day 3:In the morning we left for Ha Long Bay.It was beautiful!We went on the junk boat and did some sight-seeing of the bay.Then we went in one of the caves.After that we went kayaking.That night we had a relaxed night of having dinner and talking until about 2am about our experiences and thoughts on what we’ve been seeing.
Day 4: Today was a travel day.In the morning we traveled back to land from the boat.After that we had about a 5 hour bus ride to the airport.Then we had an evening flight back to Saigon.
Day 5:Today I went to the War Remembrance Museum.I actually enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.I’m usually not much of a museum person, but seeing picture after picture in the museum really got to me.It was so interesting to see those things.The museum was definitely their side of the story, but it was still a really cool thing to see.After that I finally found a market that I’ve been looking for the whole time I was here.I got to explore the market for a few hours before having to return to the ship.
Reflection: I am very happy that I got to go to the museum the last day.Not that I didn’t enjoy Vietnam, it was a very interesting experience here, but I felt that the museum and learning about the war made my experience here.I am not a big history person and seeing these things, in this port and others, has definitely sparked an interest in history in me.That is yet another thing I wanted out of this trip and I am glad that it is happening.In school the history classes go so fast and just skim the surface and it is hard to grasp and understand what has happened in the past.This trip has given me an opportunity to slowly learn the history of these places and in more detail and better understanding of what I have had in the past.This port has been not so much about learning about myself as learning about other people and cultures.I can get many different answers about our side of the war, and history in general, but it is a unique experience to be able to talk first hand with the other side of the story and get their views.I am still learning about the war, so I don’t have much to say about it at the moment, but I will be asking some questions about it when I get home to those who were around at that time :]
“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” -Aldous Huxley
We started our short adventure in Singapore by going to the botanic gardens.I wasn’t that excited for it at first, but it was actually pretty cool.It was very relaxing and nice to be surrounded by nature for a little bit.It had reflexology paths that you walk on bare foot that I got really into.On the way out of the gardens I tripped over a rock and broke my sandal.Of course that would happen to me. So we headed back to the subway with me lagging behind dragging my foot so my shoe didn’t flop about and went to go to a shoe store.When we got on the subway we asked a group of people that looked our age where to go to find shoes and they said a mall that was a few stops down.So we went to the mall (which took about a half hour to find, with me dragging my foot the whole time…and it was loud) and found a Payless shoes and got a new pair of sandals.After that little detour, we grabbed a quick lunch and headed to Little India.(Yes, I realize I was just in big India, but I was outnumbered on the decision to go there.)We wondered around the markets for a while, just exploring what they had to offer.My friend, Sahana, has been saying she wanted to get her nose pierced this whole trip and me and my friend, Haley, told her today’s the day and we got her to do it.It was…an experience…for her.We went to a store that sold jewelry and asked if they knew where they did piercing.They said they did it and had much experience with it.She picked out her jewelry, they sat her down on a chair in the middle of the store, cleaned the jewelry, and just went in for the kill with what looked like a nail.None of us were expected that, but what’s done is done I guess.(We went to the doctor on the ship right when we got back and he gave her stuff to clean it with and said it should be fine.)After that interesting experience it started to poor so we went to an inside market to get a snack while the rain died down.Then we headed to the Harbor Front to meet Sahana’s cousin from India, whose studying here in Singapore, for dinner.It was cool to be able to talk to a person who lives here and learn a little more about Singapore while we were here.After dinner we headed back to the ship, with many things left on our Singapore to-do list.
Reflection: Singapore reminded me a lot of Chicago.It made me miss home, but also realize how cool of an experience this is and a part of me never wants it to end.Me and the friends I’ve made have had so many experiences together that we won’t even be able to explain when we go back home to our normal lives.I can start to really see the change in myself that these past couple months have put in me. I’m so happy with life and the opportunities God has blessed me with.One reason I wanted to do this program was to learn things about the world-their history, culture, ideals, etc.-and I feel like that it happening.Seeing these places spark an interest and I want to learn more about their history and culture.For those who know me well, you know I am terrible at history, so I’m glad my experiences I’ve been having has sparked an interest for me to continue learning about the world long after this is over.
Reflexology path
My favorite shoes :(
"What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do-especially in other people's minds. When you're traveling, you are what you are right then and there. People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road." William Least Heat Moon
Day 1:Today I explored Cochin for most of the morning and afternoon.We tried to go to a place to ride elephants and the rickshaw (photo below) drivers told us it would be 45 minutes.That was perfect timing since some of us had to get back for travel that night.About 45 minutes into the ride we asked about how much longer and the driver said “oh just about another hour.” :/ So we had to turn around since we didn’t have enough time for the traveling there and back.We learned quickly this is pretty much what travel is like in India.In the evening I left with about 40 other students to go to Cibi’s, a student that is on the ship and from India, hometown.We didn’t sleep at all on the 8 hour bus ride because they honk their horn about every 10 minutes…
Day 2: …We arrived to a holistic spa retreat at 5:30am.We were all very tired and didn’t really know where we were.Cibi told us that we could not all fit in his home, so he surprised us and had us stay at this retreat.His dad’s friend owned it so we got it rented out for our group for two nights.It was beautiful and definitely unexpected! We had to get freshened up and eat breakfast right away to get ready for a filled day.We first went to a really nice school.We all separated into different classrooms.The teacher asked what I was going to school for and I said I hope to get a degree in nutrition.She said “Ok, teach the children about nutrition then.”So I taught them some basics about nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle.After that, a few other SASers came into the classroom and we talked with the students.They asked us so much questions and were so curious about everything.I asked a group of girls (in the picture) what their favorite school subject was and they all said math, except on who quietly said I hate math.I asked her what her favorite was and she said anything but math.We all thought it was pretty funny.After that school we headed for a school for mentally challenged children.It was harder to communicate because the children and most of the teachers didn’t know much English.It was still fun to play with the kids though.We gave them stickers and they freaked out.They were so excited and kept showing off the stickers.Next we went to a temple.It was such a beautiful and big temple.After that we went to an elderly home and ate lunch there.The residents didn’t speak any English.So Haley and I watched them play a game and they had us sit down and roll the dice for them.We had no idea what the game was but apparently they were betting and I won my partner a dollar.After the elderly home we went to Cibi’s family farm where they grow spices.After that we went back to the place we were staying at.We had a traditional style Indian meal and then all passed out from exhaustion.
Day 3: We woke up early to head to Cibi’s home for breakfast.His mother cooked the meal for all of us.We got to meet his family and take a tour of his home. After that it was back on the road again.We took a bus from about 7am-2pm.Stopped in Coonoor to get lunch and then grab the train for 3pm-7pm. We saw a bunch of moneys on the way!Then onto another bus, stopping for dinner, and then continuing until 3am.The scenery was so beautiful with whole way, but man that was a lot of traveling for one day!
Day 4: Today I went to the Chinese fishermen market in Fort Cochin.We were watching the fishermen and they flagged me and Haley to come over.They gave us a rope and told us to start pulling!They were very nice and told us about their fishing experiences, busy seasons, etc.They let us walk across a board and go right up to the net and look at what we caught.Walk to the net there was a log that I could hold on to that was a part of the lever that goes up and down with the net.They starting bringing it back up before I walked back and had to walk on one wobbly board back to the other side above the water.About half way through it started wobbling and I got nervous and just froze for I’m sure a minute long.Haley was telling me to just continue, but looking at the water I just couldn’t bring my feet forward.Then a guy watching us came over and gave me his hand and walked me across.We started talking to him after that.His name was Augustine, from France, and had been backpacking for the last 10 months.We went to a lunch place nearby and he told us his travel stories and he told us his.After lunch he had to head to the train, so Haley and I went about our day and explored the shops and temples around.That evening we went to a cultural show that had many of the traditional dances of Kerala.
Day 5: I started my day by going to a Muslim orphanage with a group of friends.It was really interesting.The boys and girls went to school there, but only the boys lived there.I was talking to the girls the whole time.They were shy at first, but quickly warmed up to us.They were so smart and interesting to talk to.We sang and danced for them and they did the same for us.They thought it was so funny.After that we walked around and explored the area.In the evening we went to dinner for Haley’s birthday.
Day 6: Today I went to the Chendamangalam Village.They warmly welcomed us.The men played the drums for us, and then the women did a traditional dance for us.After that they did a cooking demonstration and we had lunch.Then we got a tour of the village.This village has a high literacy rate for India.The women in the area started a women’s rights group and told us about that.Finally they took us to the factory that the women worked at to make their own money so they don’t have to fully rely on their husbands.
Reflection: I realized quickly I was getting a skewed view of the Indian culture.When you think of India, you are probably thinking about the “norms” in the North.I was in the South and had a very different experience than what I was expecting.Kerala, the state we were in, has the highest literacy rate and a low poverty rate.It was good to see that side of India, but I was also disappointed I didn’t get a chance to see the poverty that many saw when they traveled North to Delhi and the surrounding areas.While observing the areas I was in, I noticed that they placed religion and morals at high importance.I saw temples, mosques, and churches throughout Kerala.Talking to many locals about this, they stressed to me that these religions lived in harmony amongst each other and were respected.
I also got a chance to talk to a local about what he perceives American culture as.He said that most American’s he has met have been nice, but we are too fast paced and do not practice our values enough.I told him I agreed with him and that was one of the reasons I wanted to go on this trip.I know my life is too fast paced and wanted to surround myself by others who take more time to enjoy life and the people and things they are surrounded by.I know I am blessed for the life I live, but if I don’t make time to reflect on that it is easy to forget.He asked me what I thought of India and I said I genuinely think the “average people” I have encountered have been so nice when I’ve talked to them.They are all very curious and ask lots of questions, which I don’t mind answering.I like to answer their questions as honestly as I can to give them a “realer” sense of what it is like to be an American.I also told them I loved their culture.That is one thing I have grown to envy about some of these places.Their culture is so rich and interesting.And while the American culture is rich and interesting in its own way, it’s definitely a different one.They have so many traditions that get passed down from generation to generation from so long ago.I think it’s so cool how they make it a priority to pass on the traditions from one generation to the next.
“Adventure is a path. Real adventure - self-determined, self-motivated, often risky - forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world.They world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the Earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind-and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both.This will change you. Nothing again will ever be black and white.” –Mark Jenkins
Originally we were told we were not going to be able to get off in Mauritius due to weather.We were all so bummed, but I think people took it well and knew there was nothing we could do about the weather.So on our "Mauritius" day they planned a bunch of fun activities for the students all day to try to make up for it.We had brunch in the morning, a pool party (with no water in the pool), a barbeque, and a game night. But that afternoon that announced that we will be able to go to Mauritius after all for a few hours the next morning.So we all got up at 5am today, we cleared immigration by 6am and were out the door by 7am.Only problem that I didn't think of was that nothing was open at 7 am :/We explored the downtown area for a little bit, but they said nothing would be open until 10am, so we headed to a beach about a half hour away.It was very short, we left the beach around 10am, but nonetheless I'm happy to say I got to actually see a little bit of Mauritius…and it is beautiful!
"You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first, and then heaven, and that heaven was copied after Mauritius." - Mark Twain
