MAY 22: began the long walk to Tinh Gia. At breakfast that day, Bao Anh's mother read my palm and told me that I would live a very long life (good), that I had alot of protection (better) and that I would grow happier and happier with each passing year (best). This was a good way to start the day. I walked on this day with Phuc and Bao along a narrow and dusty section of Highway 1. It was overcast that morning but later became unbelievably hot. It was so narrow that at times we had to walk single file with traffic passing at very high speeds. For those reading this who have been to Vietnam, you know there are no rules for driving. And although there is a method to the madness, it was still intimidating. We eventually welcomed a wider section of highway through the beautiful countryside. There were amazing trees with brilliant red blooms called "Fire flowers'-they are considered "the people's flower" and symbolize the coming of summer because they bloom in May. We stopped for luch and I was lucky enough to find pickled eggplant, which is a treat, especially at stand along our walk. I was tempted to order the "swimming bladder" but opted for the eggplant and a little rice. Nothing to drink except for bird's nest, made with the saliva of a particular bird. There are actual flecks of the nest in the drink. I just can't drink it but hopefully will summon the courage before I leave Vietnam. We walked into the Province of Thanh Hoa in the early afternoon. our hotel was decent until the middle of the night when I was awakened by mosquitos. I turned on the light and the air conditioner had a slow but steady leak and half of the floor of my room was covered with water. Mosquitoes were coming in through the bathroom window, which wouldn't close, no one at the desk, so I did not sleep much. I was able to get coffee the next morning, which made it all ok.
Dead snake count:38
Also learned at lunch to never try to teach a Vietnamese person to say "peanut".
The VAVA called and asked us to return to Vinh to see more AO families. We are unable to backtrack and had to tell them no. We have more families to see in the next few days.
TODAY: A very interesting day. Walked with Bob and Phuc part of the time. About an hour into our walk, a woman came out of nowhere, screaming, crying, grunting, dancing, hitting my hat, growling, undressing (seriously) right in the middle of this village. This experience was frightening because she would not leave us. She stayed right with us for over a mile. She looked to be about 50 years old. We gave her our water and kept ducking into into little stands along the way trying to get people to help us and they just laughed at this woman, who at this point had almost no clothes on and was trying to hit a woman in the head with a large rock. The woman's husband ran and got a walking stick and began trying to beat the woman with the stick to get her to leave. She kept trying to come over to us and I was scared of her but felt so bad for her. She was just so ill and people were either laughing at her or trying to hit her. I just sort of lost it and started crying because it was so painful to watch and then this sweet man let us go into his place for awhile. He was really nice. Bob knows a little Vietnamese and kept asking people to call the police, but it is just a different world here. It seems like EVERYONE falls through the cracks. No one would call anybody and soon a crowd gathered and just watched her. All day I thought about this woman, what could have happened in her life? how did she survive this long? Maybe she is a messenger, as corny as it sounds. When we finally left the people's house, we could see her half naked in the middle of the road, just standing completely still and watched us walk away. I couldn't talk for the rest of the afternoon.
We are now in Thanh Hoa...and as I write this, I am struck by the realization that each of us has a story to tell.
We start tomorrow at 6 a.m. Love to all of you.
2 comments:
Hi Karla!
I'm so sorry about your camera...and of course, your tootsies. I wish I could send you my Krocs. At least they would help to announce your arrival. Squeak squeak...As far as the camera, tuck the new one in your ample bosom. I'm sure that it's so hot that you'd need to put it in a zip lock bag first.
The photos you've posted are awesome. Me thinks there should be a photojournalism event in your future...don't stop short of the Nobel Prize. You've got the material on your website alone. You can brush it up when you're safely back in your home sweet home.
Hang in my darling...and thank God that you have nice straight hair so that you aren't scaring off the local people.
I've sent your blog to some people on my email list so that they can read about what we didn't even know existed.
Keep well...debbie
PS. I thought of you when I read this...
Isaiah 58:10
10. and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
Dearest Karla.....YOU MADE IT!!! I am so proud of you. I know it was hard but you actually did it. What an increadable accomplishment. Most people just talk about doing it...you did it. You are my hero. Now there is nothing you can't do. I can't wait to hear all the stories.
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