It’s been a week since I’ve returned from Vietnam. I am still suffering from dragon fruit and Vietnamese coffee withdrawal, but my sleep schedule is back to normal.
I toured Vietnam with the Minnesota Ag and Rural Leadership (MARL) program. We’re a mix of 30 people from across Minnesota, involved in ag and rural development. We have been meeting for 18 months so we are familiar with each other, but could we survive two weeks together in a foreign country? We did more than survive; we thrived!
Our group didn’t choose where to go, the MARL board selected our country. I was hesitant about Vietnam. I was certain the war would overshadow our trip. I was nervous about being a U.S. citizen in communist Vietnam.
I toured Vietnam with the Minnesota Ag and Rural Leadership (MARL) program. We’re a mix of 30 people from across Minnesota, involved in ag and rural development. We have been meeting for 18 months so we are familiar with each other, but could we survive two weeks together in a foreign country? We did more than survive; we thrived!
Our group didn’t choose where to go, the MARL board selected our country. I was hesitant about Vietnam. I was certain the war would overshadow our trip. I was nervous about being a U.S. citizen in communist Vietnam.
The pineapple farmer that welcome us into his yard Our group in Northern Vietnam visiting a pineapple farmer and his family. I'm on the far left, and felt really tall. I don't say that very often.
It turns out Vietnam has moved past the war. The north calls it the War of Reunification, and the south calls it a Civil War. There are distinct differences between north and south Vietnam. It sounds silly, but the size of people is dramatically different. In the north, people are tiny. In the south, they look much more “Western” size. Not overweight, but taller and fuller. Our group stood out in northern Vietnam. We weren’t quite so obvious in the south. We were giants in the north. Attitudes are also different. In the north, we were taught a song about their "uncle" Ho Chi Minh. In the south, they still call it Saigon. We have political differences in the U.S., and so does Vietnam, even though they are communist.
In the north and south, we were welcomed with open arms. During a visit with the U.S. embassy, they told us the U.S. has an 80% approval rating in Vietnam. One Vietnamese person joked he wished he could have been on the final plane to the U.S. so he could be wealthy and living in the U.S. They don’t hate us, they want to be more like us. It’s a communist country but think of it as “communism light.”
Since many on the trip were farmers, we took time to visit Vietnamese farms. A pineapple farmer in the north told us his biggest concerns were weather and prices. I could get that same answer in the Stephen café! We traveled around the world to find a farmer just like us. The family was so generous. They saw a bus load of people viewing pineapple fields, and invited us into their yard for tea.
In the north and south, we were welcomed with open arms. During a visit with the U.S. embassy, they told us the U.S. has an 80% approval rating in Vietnam. One Vietnamese person joked he wished he could have been on the final plane to the U.S. so he could be wealthy and living in the U.S. They don’t hate us, they want to be more like us. It’s a communist country but think of it as “communism light.”
Since many on the trip were farmers, we took time to visit Vietnamese farms. A pineapple farmer in the north told us his biggest concerns were weather and prices. I could get that same answer in the Stephen café! We traveled around the world to find a farmer just like us. The family was so generous. They saw a bus load of people viewing pineapple fields, and invited us into their yard for tea.
Our tour guide interpreted for this rice farmer We ambushed a rice farmer too. The bus made a rest stop, and while we were using the WC and grabbing snacks, the bus driver ran across the road to see if the farmer was interested in visiting with us. We lined up along the muddy field border while she showed us how to transplant rice. A few group members hopped into the rice patty and tried their best, but the farmer just laughed and laughed at us. Rice planting by hand is an art we don’t know.
In the north, nearly every undeveloped piece of land is devoted to rice production. There were more bare patches of land in the south.
Water buffalo are common throughout Vietnam Labor is cheap and plentiful, and we were reminded of that throughout the country. Most field work is still done by hand and with the help of cattle and water buffalo. We saw rice planting in the north, by hand, and harvesting in the south, by hand. There were a few tractors, but they were exceptions and not the norm.
Banh Ty Hog Farm We were able to visit a modern hog farm. We had to shower in to prevent disease, and the barns were new and clean. The farmer even has a website and youtube video to help market his pork. Our group spent a disproportionate amount of time examining his manure recycler. Only a group of farmers would travel to Vietnam and spend time looking at pig poop. Visit his website and scroll all the way to the bottom. What other pig farmer hires a tattoo artist? http://traiheobanhty.blogspot.com/
MARL at TCIT Shipping Port The infrastructure of Vietnam cannot support American agriculture. They don’t have major freeways, or railways. Logistics are still very rustic. They do have an extensive river system, and a brand new sea port. With 93 million people living in small country, they cannot give everyone a car or pickup. Scooters are the main source of transportation, even for livestock and crops. There’s just not room for cars, and the pollution would be horrible. Their resourcefulness on scooters was incredible. Look at the pigs and garlic being hauled on scooters, and the rice on river barges.
Piglet transportation. We also saw full size hogs on the back of scooters
Hauling garlic around Saigon
Shipping rice in the Mekong Delta
Ha Long Bay And the beauty of Vietnam cannot be overstated. We started in Ha Long Bay. I never thought I’d be cruising through Ha Long Bay. The tourist town of Hoi An was beautiful with lanterns everywhere at night. We looked longingly out the bus window at China Beach in Danang, but we had no time to stop. I’ll save that for the next trip.
This trip really changed my opinion of Vietnam. The only thing preventing Vietnam from becoming a major tourist destination is the flight. It really is a killer. You can visit Vietnam on a shoestring budget for hotel and food. If you can afford it, splurge for first class, or even premium economy. I’m only 5’3”, and my knees were hitting the seat in front of me on the American Airlines flight home. It was a brand new plane, and nothing extra was spent for comfortable seats or leg room. We flew Japan Air to Vietnam, and I’d recommend that airline. The few extra inches of leg room are well worth it.
You can even visit via a cruise ship. Your one star budget will get you a 5 star vacation. Enjoy a hot stone massage for $10, or a pedicure for $3. A beer for $.75 (also available for $.25 but pay for the can or bottle, not the local brew), a big plate of spring rolls for $2, and all of our hotels included a big breakfast buffet with fresh fruit, croissants, pho (Vietnamese dish), omelet bar, fresh juice, and best of all Vietnamese coffee. Enjoy your trip!
Monks and lanterns in Hoi An
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