Cao Dai & Cu Chi

Vietnamese school girl

Vietnam is filled with history, tradition and culture! When I travel through the streets the vendors greet me with smiles and laughter as I attempt to practice my Vietnamese. We take a three-hour Vietnamese class everyday and I am trying to learn the language as best as I can but the tones, accents and pronunciation have proven very difficult to learn!

Cao Dai Temple

Cu Chi Tunnels

In the past few days we’ve travelled, explored, and seen so many incredible things. However, even the gorgeous, elaborate temples, or Cu Chi tunnels cannot compare to the beauty of the streets. Even though garbage, cigarette butts, and dirt often line the streets, I have seen so much more happiness, generosity, and kindness than I was used to in America. It seems as though the less people have, the more appreciative they are of others. 

Today, Hoang Anh took me to her pagoda (Buddhist temple) and her humble apartment. The people who worshiped at the temple and children of the adjoining orphanage were shy but inviting. Sometimes it seems as though I am getting a taste of fame while I am here; wherever I walk people stare, point, giggle, and try to touch me! Yesterday at the Cao Dai temple and old woman gently took my hand and smiled up at me (yes, up, everyone is even shorter than I am!). She mumbled some Vietnamese and laughed. My tour guide translated and told me she was saying “I want to touch her—she’s so white!”

I am looking forward to furthering my language skills, befriending more Vietnamese and trying more of their delicious food!