Saigon, we have finally made it!!! After 500 miles of biking and a couple of bus rides, we finally inch closer to the end of our journey in Vietnam.
When we arrived in the city, we were fortunate to be welcomed with a warm, homey, and comforting mini-break with Brandon, Brandon's Mom, and Hoàng Anh (Brandon's family friend). After an unfortunate motorcycle accident, Brandon has been extending his stay in Vietnam. Brandon, we are so glad we got to cross paths in Vietnam. From the late-night talks to gambling away our money together, I'm happy we made the best out of the situation.
We had a blast at Saigon, with Hoàng Anh planning things like ChamPong, karaoke, Phuc Long, Mai, and so much food. I will always remember Hoàng Anh's trash talk. FYI my favorite phrase in Saigon: “Dậy đi Lẹ lên mày lì hả?” (Wake up, hurry, you lazy??)
Fueled with milk tea, we decided that on Brandon's last day in Vietnam, we would stay up all night until he would need to leave for the airport at 4:00 AM. That night, right around midnight, Brandon's Mom gave us an incredible story about her story and experience in Vietnam. Saigon fell to the North Vietnam forces on April 30, 1975. During this period, Vietnam faced difficult living conditions, which included poverty, famine, and strict laws that obstructed daily life. Laws created distrust between friends, and currency that mattered just days before became useless overnight. That was when Brandon's Mom and her family decided to flee Vietnam. She escaped on a small boat with no clue of the destination or direction other than two compass degrees, which they would need to stay inside to be on course to reach land. Saying that this is a risky journey is an understatement, but this further shows the gravity of the situation during post-war Vietnam. Throughout five nights, on a tightly packed boat and through the pitch-black ocean, they continued sailing. Their ship managed to land in Malaysia, where they received further aid as refugees.
As I listened to the story, I couldn't help but think how fortunate we are now that we never experienced anything burdensome like that. Brandon's mom is so strong, and I couldn't help but admire her perseverance. I felt lucky to be in a situation to hear a unique story like this.
After this conversation, many questions popped up in my head. Do we need difficult times to build characteristics like this? Do we all need to face something like this to build strength as a human? Can you still be a great human being without facing difficulties?
This is my take; I think we need to face hardships to grow and mature as humans. It sounds so obvious of course, but for those living peaceful lives, does that mean we can't become strong, courageous, and persistent beings? Now, I'm starting to understand the importance of being aware of situations and experiences that happen to others. We can't (hopefully we never) experience these difficulties firsthand. However, if listening to or reading stories like these can expand your worldview and perspective by even a tiny margin, that's the best you can do to become a better person. To be more understanding, to have empathy, and to be open-minded is a complex thing. We should never forget and be ignorant about these stories since there's always something to learn from them. I'm getting more and more curious and want to learn more and more as I grow older. I feel as if a switch finally clicked in my head — I'm actively learning because I want to and not for someone or something else (college/grades). I think it's a good thing that I'm having these realizations, and I'm proud of that about myself!
Ok to continue…
We spend the last two days in Saigon going to the museums and walking around the city. The US did some terrible things during the Vietnam War. It made me feel ashamed that atrocities and massacres happened in the name of “defending democracy” and that it's my home country that committed all of these horrible acts.
We also got to hang out with Alex Yem from UCI!! I was inspired that you were following your path regardless of what others have been doing around you. It makes me question the path that I'm taking…! Good luck with life, and keep taking good pics of us!!
That concluded our time in Saigon. We have four more days till our visas expire. We head out of the city and head northwest to Cháu Doc to board the ferry to Cambodia!!!
Along the way, we visit Long Xuyên, Hoàng Anh's hometown!! We had a blast hanging out with Hoàng Anh one final time. It was the last night of comfortable Vietnam. We'll miss it. Thanks for being so kind and open to us. We hope we can see you again! Drink more water, less milk tea, and don't break too many hearts!!!
The month we stayed in Vietnam exceeded all my expectations. From the history I learned to all the people I met, it's been an amazing time here. It was the people's positive attitude and way of going about things that made me feel so comfortable traveling this country. Vietnam felt like home. I wanted to stay longer, but adventure is calling!! I'll be back for sure someday.
On our final day, 2/29, we head on our ferry to cross the border. We are now in Cambodia!! Country number TWO!!! We embark on our next leg after we take a break, then off to explore and make it to Thailand 😁.
Thanks for reading!!
P.S. Knowing that other people might read this makes me so motivated to write! Even though I'm writing this for myself, it's nice to have an audience. I put way more energy into prompting, writing, and revising these posts. I'm having a lot of fun doing so! Who knew writing could be this fun!
Ok bye! See you in the next one.
