Chào các anh các chį!

The Village

On Saturday we went to a village outside of Ha Noi. It was originally scheduled to be a field trip for my politics class, but our director Gerard made it available to everyone in the program. So we got there, and visited local pagodas and temples. In the process, we talked to many people.
Our bus couldn’t fit through local alleyways, so just walking to and fro, we met many people. Mostly they were local children that were so happy to see us. We also met local shopkeepers that sold us bottled water and frozen yogurt (yes, literally frozen yogurt, not the nice soft stuff that is topped on a cone). During this, I took pictures with many kids…(You go to any non-metropolitan area in Vietnam, and the number one form of entertainment for the kids is using the modern technology of the “camera” with them, and letting them look at the digital results), but didn’t get to know any of them well. I also talked to a local shopkeeper for a while and was interested in her life. She often (twice a month) goes to Ha Noi to buy supplies, but also works in the fields. We also talked to people who manufactured furniture…which seemed to be a village trade, among the more well to due villagers.
Then came the part I will remember most (and certainly am reminded of every time I take a step today)…we harvested rice with villagers. I’m so sore!! We got through a whole field of rice. I probably only did it for 45 minutes to an hour since we all took turns, but it was certainly an intense 45 minutes! I do not know how those little ladies can do it. I mean, carrying the rice in…was impossible for me. It was simply too heavy. Oren, a strong guy on our program almost couldn’t do it…carrying the rice in was difficult, and bending over to cut the stalks, not easy on the muscles. Anyways, it was a great day.
Afterwards, we had dinner at another nearby village, a village which is famous for their water puppet theatre. Unfortunately (but fortunately) I didn’t actually get to watch the water puppet show the village put on for us. This is because about 10 village kids were talking to me, and teaching me new Vietnamese during the show. They wouldn’t let me watch!! But I definitely loved hanging out with these kids more. I sat down to watch the show, and before the show starts, the cutest, most adorable 7 year old I have ever seen comes and plops down right next to me, grabs my hand, and will not let go for the rest of the show. All she wanted to do was hold my hand and talk to me. I kept telling her “khong hieu em”, “I can’t understand you little girl”, but she kept holding my hand and talking to me. And all the other kids fought over my right hand. They taught me a lot of Vietnamese!
Anyways, it was great, and I’ll post plenty of pics of my experience as soon as Noah gives me my camera back!!!!!!

posted by Steffanie @ 1:23 AM