Another Trip

Last week Khue had to visit Heifer project participants to prepare her newsletter. I finally received permission from the local authorities to visit the projects, so I tagged along.

Since the project with which I’m involved has nothing to do with livestock or agriculture, I was thrilled to finally visit some traditional Heifer projects. Not only because I have followed Heifer and its work for so long, but also because, as some people know better than others, my project has been a little frustrating at times. This is largely due to the fact that the handicraft workshop is a completely new project area for Heifer Viet Nam, so it will take time before it can run smoothly. Conversely, Heifer Viet Nam excels in integrated and sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture focuses on ensuring a farm’s ability to produce food indefinitely without harming its surrounding environment. Integrated agriculture essentially means that the project participants use every piece of their farming outfit. For example, the cow manure is used to fertilize fruits and vegetables they grow and also to raise earthworms. The earthworms can also act as fertilizer and be fed to chickens and geese. The chicken coop may be built above a fish pond, so that the fish can eat the chicken droppings that fall into the pond, etc.

I visited a dairy cow project and a swine project. These programs are truly accomplishing the goals that they aim to achieve. During my trip, I was reminded of something a Heifer employee once told me: Most people associate Heifer with animals, which is how the organization initially attracts supporters. However, Heifer is really about people. The income that the animals bring into families provides them with countless tangible assets such as a greater amount of protein and income to pay for better housing, clothing, etc. In addition, the income from Heifer projects often has an amazing trickle down affect that into education and gender equity.

For example, before joining the Heifer Project, Ms. Len said that she was ashamed about often asking her relatives for rice and monetary loans. She has now been involved in the dairy cow project for 3 years. Because of her hard work and involvement with Heifer, Ms. Len can give her son fresh milk each day, buy his school supplies and add meat and fish to her family’s meals.

In addition, Ms. Len has also gained self-assurance and self-respect. Since joining the Heifer project, she told us with a smile that she has not once asked her relatives for financial support. Furthermore, three years ago, she said she rarely voiced her opinion. During the monthly Heifer project participant meetings, however, she gradually began sharing her ideas and offering advice to her neighbors. She soon became known as the local expert on dairy cows. Her neighbors greatly respected her knowledge and her concern for others. The members of the cooperative recently recognized Ms. Len’s expertise in animal husbandry by electing her the vice-president of the cooperative.

A woman who 3 years ago did not know how to put food on the table, now provides three full meals a day for her family, was recently able to purchase a bike for her son to travel to school and plays an important leadership role in her community.

In another village, I met Ms. Sau who is raising pigs. Since joining the project, Ms. Sau has used her additional income to pay for her son’s high school education (the Vietnamese government only provides five years of free public schooling). While I was sitting in her home, she pulled out a certificate. Khue told me that the certificate recognizes Ms. Sau’s son for receiving the third highest GPA in his class last semester. When she sells 6 piglets next month, she will have saved enough money to pay for their son’s tuition at Can Tho University in the fall.

A few minutes later, her son came home. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the look on his mother’s face as he practiced English with me. There is no real point in trying to describe it. I do not possess the words to convey well enough the pride that beamed from her eyes and immensity of the smile that stretched across her face. I had to clench my teeth to keep my eyes dry and continue to smile.

Heifer International would not function without the cows, pigs, bees, rabbits, goats and chickens, but Heifer is most certainly about people and not animals. I felt privileged to interact with families that, until that point, had only read about online or in the Heifer magazine. Furthermore, I was once again blown away by the hospitality extended to me. In each home that I entered I was not only welcomed with warm smiles and Vietnamese greetings, but also with a cup of coffee or a coconut they had just cracked open. Ms. Nhu used a micro-credit loan from Heifer to purchase some Vietnamese strawberry trees whose fruit she sells in the market. Just before I left, she went out to one of those trees. She cut a huge bunch off and then placed them in my purse.

She placed them in my purse. My purse with the digital camera. My purse with the cell phone. My purse with the ipod. My purse with the boarding pass from my little pleasure trip from the weekend before. She put part of her livelihood in my purse, the contents of which amounted to more than she makes in a year.

I knew that I couldn’t refuse this gift. She was happy to share what she had, especially, since, a couple of years ago, she may not have been able to do so. I said thank you and sampled one of the strawberries.

It turns out that the Vietnamese strawberry is like many other Vietnamese fruits in that after going through the hassle of peeling it, you find that the fruit is tasty, but then bite down on a huge pit that is larger than the amount of fruit surrounding it. As I stood there eating the strawberry, I didn’t know exactly what to think or to feel. As I mentioned above, the efforts of Heifer and similar organizations to empower people and the subsequent hard work of the project participants has, in fact, provided wonderfully sweet rewards for those involved. Still, as I stood in front of her house with the thatched walls, the dirt floor and no indoor plumbing, there was a Vietnamese strawberry pit in my mouth and an even bigger pit in my stomach because the disparity between her life and mine overwhelmed me. There are so many positive things taking place, but there is still so much more left to do.

So, I’m totally going to copycat Chandle here and encourage everybody to do what you can. When you do your holiday shopping this year, go to http://www.heifer.org/ and buy an animal in someone’s name. If you are like Dr. Baldwin and have already purchased all of your holiday gifts, then go to http://www.cwish.org.np/. Children-Women in Social Service and Human Rights (CWISH) is an organization working for women’s and children’s rights in Nepal. Chandle, who despite a parasite, has been doing amazing things there this summer on child labor issues. They have a sponsorship program and, by giving approximately $20-25/month, you can provide a child with a place to stay, food to eat, school tuition, and immediately stop that child from working. The child you sponsor will send you letters throughout the year.

If you don’t have money, then go to your local Boys & Girls Club or any other organization you prefer and donate your time. If you don’t have time or money, then just share what you know, because, like Chandle says, awareness is important.

If we can all work together, then slowly but surely we can bridge the gaps that exist in this world so that everyone not only has food, water and shelter, but can also have access to a solid education, a sense of dignity, a safe working environment with a fair salary, and the enjoyment of the fruits of their labor.

Picture 1: Mr. Anh and one of his new piglets.
Picture 2: Crossing the bridge to Mr. Anh’s house [Dad, don’t look at this one :-)]
Picture 3: Khanh’s certificate from school recognizing his academic achievements.
Picture 4: Lua. Her family participates in the Binh Thuy beef cattle project. Just try and tell me that smile is not worth working hard for.

P.S. If you want to learn more about integrated agriculture in Vietnam, pick up the latest issue of World Ark, the Heifer International magazine. The cover story is about Heifer Viet Nam’s work in integrated agriculture...alright, I'm stepping off of my soapbox now. Thanks for reading.

Dreamy Dalat

I stole away to Dalat this past weekend. It’s only about a 45 minute plane ride from Ho Chi Minh City, but there’s still that pesky 4 hour bus ride between Can Tho and HCMC. It was a quick trip, but, as I’ve already told a couple of people, I’m not going to travel half-way across the world and stay in one place the whole time.

Dalat is in the central highlands of Vietnam. It was a favorite spot of the French in the first half of the 20th-century because of its cool temperatures. I actually needed my gray hoodie and didn’t have it with me for once!

Dalat is known for the mountains, lakes and waterfalls that make up the city’s landscape. It is also famous for its strawberries, flowers, wine, hot soy milk and pastries…so it is a happy place…very touristy, but happy.

I tried all of the edible items mentioned above and visited the local Chinese pagoda, some of the waterfalls and lakes and the botanical gardens. I also visited Lat Village, a local ethnic minority village, which is about 12 km from Dalat. I sampled some of the wine that they make in large jars, which you drink out of with a tube. I saw some of the women weaving, a traditional Lat handicraft, as well. I had a motorbike guide take me to the village. I learned that one of his favorite rock songs is Night Ranger’s “When You Close Your Eyes.” I know this not only because he told me, but also because he began singing it for me on the way back to town.

I stayed in the fabulous Dreams Hotel. The women who owns it is great, and I met some fun kids from the US, France and Sweden who were also staying there as well. For $10 a night, I got a queen-sized bed, a private shower with hot water, TV, free internet access and a full breakfast including eggs made to order. Gotta’ love it!

I don’t have a lot of time to write, but there are some pictures up above!

Picture 1: Datanla Falls

Picture 2: Dalat landscape

Picture 3: Dalat orchids

Picture 4: Buddha at the local pagoda

Picture 5: Drinking wine Dalat style

Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Alright, anyone who has been reading this thing knows how cheesy and cliché I can be, so I’m not going to stop now. I’d just like to say how much I love traveling and cultural differences.

Now don’t get me wrong. I definitely have my moments when I think that if I have to witness one more person hawking a huge spit ball on the sidewalk, I will scream. Furthermore, there are some differences with which I will never be comfortable, particularly concerning work, but I may have to write about those on other day. Right now, however, I’m talking about the differences that make life interesting…in a good way, as Isha would say.

For instance, sampling street food, or perhaps visiting projects in different provinces by riding 75 kilometers in a xe loi across paved and unpaved roads, but loving the open air and learning all about the driver’s family. Even the part of the trip that takes place during the down pour is amusing, since two extra passengers whom you happened to meet on the ferry (and were kind of enough to have their picture taken with Flat Stanley) ask to pile in and be dropped off at their house. You have room and the driver pulls out the complimentary plastic tarp, so why not?

Another example was a couple of weekends ago. Thanh’s family commemorated the anniversary of his grandfather’s death. On Saturday morning, the whole extended family came over and spent the entire morning cooking. We then went upstairs, placed several different dishes in front of his grandfather’s portrait, lit incense, made the sign of the cross, chanted a prayer, and then headed back downstairs to a feast laid out on the kitchen floor. We then proceeded to throw back some Vietnamese pancakes, snails, fish sauce and whiskey at 10:30am. A little bit of American culture was thrown in as well, since the grandfather and I did take in some of WWF Smackdown as is the usual Saturday custom. East or west, it’s always a party with Jack Daniels and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

As another example, a few weeks ago Khue, Truc and I visited different handicraft workshops throughout the Mekong Delta. For part of our trip, a Heifer project partner accompanied us. They were carrying on in Vietnamese, so I had tuned out until I heard laughter. I looked over at Khue for an explanation. She hesitated, but then said, “Mr. Hai was telling us about one of the village groups here. They originally agreed to work with Heifer to raise pigs, but then they changed their minds and wanted to know if they could raise dogs instead.”

Her face was filled with expectation as she waited for my reaction. “Oh, Khue…,” I said, “You mean for the meat?”

“Well,” she responded, “the cute ones could be sold as pets, perhaps, but the not so cute ones….You know dog meat is very popular in Vietnam.”

I did know this. I have seen the restaurants. I knew that some people were forced to eat it out of necessity especially following 1975, and many people today simply like the taste. Although people here have gotten snail down me, I don’t think that I could mentally handle dog meat.

After recovering from the initial shock, it occurred to me that one thing for which Heifer is famous is working within the cultural context of a country. “Khue, would Heifer Viet Nam let people raise dogs to be used as…a source of income?” I asked.

“Well, this group decided to stick with the pigs, but, I don’t know, it might be possible,” she said.

Then another thought struck me. I love visiting the Heifer web site to choose a flock of ducks or tree saplings to give as gifts. It is fun to learn how the animals help families and to see a picture of a child holding a baby chicken or something of that nature. Here’s an example of the information the web site provides:

Sheep: Shear Joy
“…Struggling families use sheep's wool to make clothes, or sell it for extra income….”

I now imagined a new addition to the Heifer website: a basket of bright eyed, floppy eared puppies. I imagined loyal Heifer customers clicking on the link to read about why in the world puppies would now be included in the gift section and seeing the looks on their faces as they read:

Puppies: More than Just Man’s Best Friend
“Faithful canines not only provide companionship, but are also a source of much needed protein…”

I really don’t mean to offend any animal lovers (i.e. my sisters), and I’m not making fun of people who eat dog meat. Still, I couldn’t help laughing as I explained my marketing idea to Khue and Truc. More importantly, I couldn’t help but be amazed yet again by the differences between cultures and the variety they can impart to life. They make you thankful for the spice they can add to your life [just like Mr. Antonio says, K :-)], but also make you appreciate the aspects of your life that provide a certain sense of security resulting from the familiarity that is your day to day existence.

It reminds me of the final scene in Adam’s Rib when Katherine Hepburn’s character [who, for those of you who don’t know, is not as attractive as my grandmother Lu Lu, but does resemble her :-) ]concedes that there is a difference between men and women. Spencer Tracey’s character replies, “Vive la difference!” which, he goes on to explain, means “hurrah for that little difference.”

I wholeheartedly agree…hurrah for all of those little differences.

I also love the literal translation of the phrase as well: live the difference. If the opportunity presents itself, I think it’s important to live the differences. I don’t flatter myself by thinking that just because I am staying in Vietnam for a few weeks I have a profound understanding of the culture. I will never be anything but a tourist. Nonetheless, I value all the people who are willing to answer my litany of questions and “introduce me” to their culture. While I may not adopt the customs to which I’m introduced while I’m in Vietnam, I like to think that when I return, I will at least appreciate that the differences exist.

So vive la difference. Live the differences and let the differences live. They make life a million times richer.

Picture 1: The xe loi Khue and I took from Ben Tre to Vinh Long. Xe lois are pulled from the front by a motorbike. They are unique to the Mekong Delta.
Picture 2: Flat Stanley and I in a cyclo in Ho Chi Minh City. The driver pedals from the back.
Picture 3: Some nice gentlemen repairing my tire. For anyone who’s counting, I’m on flat tire #5.
Picture 4: Supermaket parking lot.

P.S. Here’s a tip of the week from me (à la Glenda Schmidt): When you’re in the supermarket parking lot detangling your bike, watch out for the tail pipes of motorbikes. They are extremely hot and will burn a hole in your leg if you’re not careful.