I had a truly wonderful experience in Vietnam. I only wish that I had been able to stay for the full school year. As I crammed in shopping and activities and hurriedly snapped photos on my last weekend, I was still finding new places to eat and wishing I’d had more time to go to those villages and that museum. I was wishing I’d had more Wednesdays to work on my service learning projects, and imagined the farm at the disabled children’s daycare foundering without us and the new website of the microfinance organization full of English grammar mistakes begging for my editing. I imagined the classrooms empty and bare without us. I imagined my host family eating dinner, playing badminton, practicing piano without me. And life goes on, for all of us. I miss Hanoi for many reasons, but I know I will be back there as soon as I can.
The program ended on December 21st, and as most people returned home to the US, I flew to Hong Kong, where I met my family for Christmas. What a shock! Although I was still in Asia, Hong Kong feels much more like New York City than Hanoi. My initial reactions were: “Whoah! Why are there so many white people??? Why does everyone speak English? Why is everything so fancy?” I felt out of place and confused. We visited elaborate clubs and restaurants, and I felt like I should be sneaking around because I wasn’t supposed to be there. After four months in Hanoi, the city had come to be home for me. I felt uprooted and transplanted into a city where I didn’t belong.
Of course I recovered after a few days, and began to really enjoy the amazing city that Hong Kong is. Skyscrapers tower over people rushing down sidewalks and red taxis zipping around corners to form orderly queues. I couldn’t help comparing it to Hanoi. Hong Kong is about a million times more organized and generally well off. Public transportation runs exactly on schedule; taxis all charge the same fares and don’t try to cheat you; no one leaves trash in the street or burning in haphazard piles. And Westerners walk about in abundance. Hong Kong is probably one of the most efficient cities in the world. I have a dream Hanoi and other cities across the developing world will someday be as prosperous. Perhaps Hong Kong can serve as a model for Hanoi. While cultures will remain unique, cities and people will live at a higher standard.
Reunited with the family, Discovery Bay, Lantau
Skyscrapers, Hong Kong
The program ended on December 21st, and as most people returned home to the US, I flew to Hong Kong, where I met my family for Christmas. What a shock! Although I was still in Asia, Hong Kong feels much more like New York City than Hanoi. My initial reactions were: “Whoah! Why are there so many white people??? Why does everyone speak English? Why is everything so fancy?” I felt out of place and confused. We visited elaborate clubs and restaurants, and I felt like I should be sneaking around because I wasn’t supposed to be there. After four months in Hanoi, the city had come to be home for me. I felt uprooted and transplanted into a city where I didn’t belong.
Of course I recovered after a few days, and began to really enjoy the amazing city that Hong Kong is. Skyscrapers tower over people rushing down sidewalks and red taxis zipping around corners to form orderly queues. I couldn’t help comparing it to Hanoi. Hong Kong is about a million times more organized and generally well off. Public transportation runs exactly on schedule; taxis all charge the same fares and don’t try to cheat you; no one leaves trash in the street or burning in haphazard piles. And Westerners walk about in abundance. Hong Kong is probably one of the most efficient cities in the world. I have a dream Hanoi and other cities across the developing world will someday be as prosperous. Perhaps Hong Kong can serve as a model for Hanoi. While cultures will remain unique, cities and people will live at a higher standard.
Reunited with the family, Discovery Bay, Lantau
Skyscrapers, Hong Kong
