Blog Entry: March 27, 2008
Name: Courtney Tanaka

Before I begin I would like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to MISS MALIA and MR DOUGLAS!!! (Their birthdays were celebrated later in the evening with a cake Mr. Dang ordered from the hotel. Our group gathered around the poolside to watch them blow out candles and to wish them well!)

So while on this Vietnam trip, I’ve realized that the smallest things in life can make someone’s day, or even a thoughtful gift can put a big smile on someone’s face. On the days we went to the orphanages, we donated lots of toys and hand-me-down clothing to the children. They appeared very happy! The people running these orphanages had an expression of gratitude. They gave us so much food and complimentary water in return; a nun even kissed me to express her appreciation! As we gave each child a toy I had the sense that I had done something good and it made me feel good about myself. While on the bus going back to the hotel, I reflected on how fortunate I was in my life. Many of the children we visited were not technically orphaned. Some were disowned by their families, due to economic reasons or due to abuse. Volunteering at the orphanage made me feel sad about the situation of these less fortunate kids. To see how these children were disowned and lived without a family was indeed sad.

Besides volunteering at the orphanages, I’ve done some things that you could say “made someone’s day”. While on our bus, others in our group and I would wave at the locals on their mopeds, or in their trucks. Whenever we did wave, they smiled and waved back! This turned into a fun game that I think made their day and ours as well! There was also this one time during the trip, when we stopped at a little shop for snacks for the long bus ride to the resort, I bought the bus driver this yummy green desert that looked like green mochi layered with yellow mung bean. I knew it would be thoughtful and I could see that he was happy when I gave it to him. But, sometimes being a little too friendly can lead to something a bit scary. For example, this one time in Saigon, when we were at this big super market inside a mall, we said hello to this guy who then said hi back. It was a friendly thing to do, but it turned out to be a wrong move. He started to follow us, which was a bit obvious, so we started to run because we were scared. Fortunately, we quickly lost him and learned our lesson! Another time when friendliness didn’t seem to generate the expected appreciative response, was at the sand dunes in Mui Ne*. The kids there were like mosquitoes! They would not leave us alone. They were pretty vicious too. They would curse and rudely gesture to the people who didn’t pay the amount that they wanted for plastic mats to ride down the dunes. These mats were simply used for the ride and returned to the kids, yet some of the kids wanted 15 or 20 USD for the loan! I was pretty terrified of these kids, but then again I thought that maybe their parents were tough on them in order for them to survive and they too had to be tough in order for them to get their way and make some money for a living.

In conclusion, we should all do something thoughtful for others now and then and have some consideration for those less fortunate. We should be more appreciative of what we have and be grateful. This trip made me think a lot about life and its harsh realities. I want to go back to Viet Nam on this trip again. If I get the chance, I will!


*Footnote from Mimi Dang: Please see Vinh Dang’s footnote to Chris Lum’s Essay for further information about this incident.