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March 17th 2007

Published: March 17th 2007

Hello once again to everybody,

It seems like an absolute age since my last post, although that's probably mainly because I've been doing so much. For those of you that don't know, I have now begun my volunteer project in northern Hanoi, and it's so interesting to see the difference between being here as a tourist and as a volunteer. And I've met so many cool Vietnamese people (mainly students) here, and the volunteers are great! Don't seem to have done much volunteering so far though...

When I left off last time I had just finished giving you guys my first impressions of Hanoi as a city, and I remember describing my trip to the Perfume Pagoda. I had a great time going around with a tourist group consisting of two suspiciously un-Canadian Canadians (the man was English and his wife from Hong Kong; neither had an even slightly modified accent despite supposedly living in Canada for 38 years) and a HUGE Thai family. The Pagoda was inside a giant stone cravass and featured crazy buddha statues with electric shows behind them; quite a sight in the midst of a beautiful mountainous landscape. Anyway, after trekking down the mountain I arrived to find everyone waiting at the boat (I was only 5 minutes late, and the only one out of the group who had been bothered to climb down the mountain rather than using the cable car; as those of you who know our family at airports will attest to, this must be a sign of my Elliott genes coming through - Dad!) and received a rapture of cheers from the Thai family and boos singularly from the suspicious Canadian woman. Anyway, it was a moment I'll never forget, and one I thought worth recording in my blog for future generations and when I go totally doolally and decide in middle age to read over these pages.

But on to what happened next! I left you guys with a taste of Ho Chi Minh (and his preserved body) and I absolutely intend not to disappoint. It was the first thing I did on Tuesday morning and it was certainly worth doing, even if I don't ever really want to do it again! After a plethora of queuing and security checks (making me feel right at home - well, the queuing anyway) we filed through the room containing his body, encouraged by the guards to stay two by two. Unlike the pictures I have seen of Lenin, Uncle Ho at least was tastefully presented - lying as if in state in the middle of the room, like in a bed. But he looked so pale and his beard was so long and wispish that he looked somewhat like a Chinese sage, the sort of magician that could sit up at any moment! I can't help feeling a little sorry for Uncle Ho - he only wanted to be cremated and scattered on the three highest mountains in North, central and South Vietnam, but now he must forever be there for strangers to stare at in an extremely well air-conditioned room, except of course when he's sent off to Russia in October and November for maintainance - and that's the sort of beauty care that money can't buy (although on a positive note he was preserved as a result of the Vietnamese peoples' love for him, which is nice).

After seeing Uncle Ho I was filed off to see the small house in the grounds of the Presedential palace where he worked and lived. All credit to him, he certainly wasn't corrupted by wealth and power, and as far as Communist leaders go, Ho Chi Minh was probably the best by far and away a long shot. He lived pretty frugally in a way not unlike his people, and this and the Ho Chi Minh Museum (not so much a museum as we would understand it - it featured a lot of artistic interpretations of the Vietnamese peoples' struggle) were a really interesting sight. After this I went to the Temple of Literature, which was over a thousand years old, absolutely gorgeous-looking and oddly serene in the middle of Hanoi. It's odd, but this is a city of so much historical variety and difference - in a way it's totally wonderful! Then in the afternoon it was off to the Museum of Ethnology, probably Hanoi's best musem, which has not only really informative explanations but interactive displays and life-size versions of the traditional Vietnamese ethnic-minority community houses in it's grounds, the likes of which I have never seen - thatched longhouses built on stilts, with really tall ornate rooves - it's a wonder they don't blow over! Also inside they do traditional handicrafts, and when I went back today with the SJ Vietnam Volunteers (ie from the project I'm doing) (my original look around was quite brief) we sampled delicious boiled sweet potatoes there. Also they have an interesting exhibition attacking the system of government in Vietnam from 1975-86, which shows that the government positively do sponsor criticisms of itself and good history - much more free than you guys may think. Definitely worth a look if you are ever in Hanoi.

The next day was a little less busy - I just went to the Military Army Museum, which had an interesting collection of captured and downed planes from the American war and a really interesting exhibition on worldwide antipathy to aggressive US policy in Vietnam during the war. Then in the evening I saw a total Vietnamese speciality -water puppets. In the hostel I had been told by some that they were "lame" but this is absolutely not true. The level of skill it must take to operate them - in the first act alone two Dragons appeared from out of the water, and, swimming around, started spewing fireworks from their mouthes! Other scenes were comical and representative of local history, and for 1 hours total entertainment , the 20,000 Dong (almost 60p) I paid was totally worth it.

The next day saw me off to start my volunteer project. The project I'm working with is called SJ Vietnam, and they help to provide education for children from families too poor to afford the normal education system. We help teach them English and cook for them, as well as playing with them. The children at the school come from what is euphemistically referred to as a "fishing village", but in fact the families there, despite living on wonderful (if small) floating houses on the Song Dong (red river; through Hanoi) live off collecting refuse. We went to visit the villages on Thursday, and although it's really sad they all seem really happy, and although very naughty the children are great fun to play with. On Thursday we also got to know our group. Strangely there are only 3 international volunteers; me, a Korean girl named Eunbi and a Japanese girl named Reina, but there are loads of Vietnamese people willing to help. I am the youngest, and loads of them are Uni students. There are also four Danish girls living in our house working on a different project - I'm the only guy! So far everyone has been really friendly to me, especially the project coordinator, a 21 year old guy named Son, and one of the women volunteers, Huie (pronounced closer to Twee), and the two guys assigned to take us out in the evenings and look after our social life! On Thursday evening they took us to see the Changing of the guard at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and last night took us to a night market in Hanoi that was really great!

Yesterday was supposed to be our first work day, but all the children disappeared in the afternoon, I think probably unexpectly, as Son had planned for me and him to teach them some English. Instead, we all got to know one another, and we sang songs and talked about our country. All these Vietnamese people think I'm a great singer, which is wonderful, and they keep asking me to sing them Yesterday by the Beatles! We have a lot of fun, and this project looks like it's gonna be good. The project house also have a load of new films and a DVD player, Hong Kong style, so I can see all of the newest releases. Today we went to the Hanoi main University, and Son seemed to be constantly trying to set me up with Vietnamese girls, and from the fact that the one who showed us around told me personally I was welcome to come back anytime, maybe it's working! (although I don't know if it is me or the fact that they keep asking where I am going to Uni and being amazed at Cambridge that is attracting them) It's all a little much for me though, and so I have come back to have dinner and an early night, with maybe a great Japanese film. I hope you guys are all having an as great and as busy time as I am, although I can't belive from the time I'm having that that's likely! Love to you all,

Richard

Good evening Vietnam!

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