Country/Region: Vietnam
Status: Completed

SUMMER 2004

My reflection glimmers off Hoan Kiem Lake as people look at me more confused than surprised. Foreign nationals here are few and far between, some to exploit, some to learn, and some to help. The environment feels entirely familiar to my previous travels, yet different because the culture here is proud and well-defined, with its distinct identity. Speaking the basics of this tonal language, my knowledge is just enough for survival and polite encounters. An old lady smiles as I purchase a kilo of lychee with my brother beside me, and a man curiously ponders as I eat a plate of bun cha gio in the alley. My purpose here is much less educational than it is experimentally developmental. With a 20 percent unemployment rate, the talk of money is nothing new. Behind the picturesque backdrop of pagodas, lakes, and palm trees lies another tragic tale of economic slavery. Prostitution, narcotics, child labor, and weapons of mass propaganda attest to the ravages of struggle much like any other developing nation. The country was once war torn, but the people are not heart torn. People here prosper, progress, and think of a future that is brighter than yesterday’s. With my eyes open and my frustrations focused, I walk into the sunset and wait for the next ‘xe om’ to offer me a ride back to my domain. But this is just a pretext with a conclusion to be determined; therefore tonight, Hanoi doesn’t sleep.