Thursday, September 23, 2010
Mid Autumn Festival
This week Vietnam is celebrating the Mid Autumn Festival, the country's biggest holiday for children. The celebration is filled with many song and dance performances for children, fire breathing dragon dances and drum troupes (see video above) and lots of candy and moon pies (a special sweet cake filled with meat and eggs that is only available during this holiday -- sounds completely unappetizing as a dessert but I actually really liked it).
I had many opportunities to take part in the celebration from joining the Hope Center youth (I am really going to miss them when I leave!) at a community wide Mid Autumn party to tagging along with my translator and following her church's dragon crew around several Hue neighborhoods.
In a sense, the dragon troupes act in a similar way to trick-or-treaters on Halloween, except they are trying to receive money notes versus candy and they have to work a lot harder to actually obtain the money. Each dragon crew practices for about a month prior to the celebration learning the dances and drum beats, buying the costumes, etc.
Then, during the festival, each group dances around neighborhoods and performs for neighbors that offer them money. Yet, the neighbors don't make it as easy as simply opening the door and handing over the cash. Instead, most Vietnamese residents and businesses will try to hang money on a long pole or stick and dangle it from a second story window or from one of the highest points on their buildings. Next, the dragon crew will have to reach up and take the money using the actual dragon costume -- sometimes this is achieved via a ladder and other times, as was the case with the group that we were with, this involves about 10 or 15 guys making a stacked pyramid of sorts to reach the money.
Even though I was most likely the dragon crew's oldest "groupie", I had such a great time following my translator's church dragon crew around town, that we tagged along with them two nights in a row!
This whole experience was definitely a far cry from the well beaten tourist path, and that's what I loved most about it -- getting to live and breathe a vibrant, authentic Vietnamese celebration.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Karaoke - Vietnamese Style
Now that I have three months and counting left in Vietnam, I am starting to get a little nostalgic about some of the things that I know I will miss when I return to the US in December.
One of those things, strangely enough, is Vietnamese karaoke. First let me paint a picture as to what Vietnamese karaoke entails as I know that before arriving in Vietnam I, myself, always thought of karaoke as an embarrassing and sometimes painful activity in which case someone volunteers to get up on a stage and sing to a room full of strangers.
Vietnamese karaoke is very different -- your party receives an individual room complete with couches, a television and a karaoke machine. Once in the room, everyone takes turns picking out songs from a Vietnamese song book (and if you are lucky there are a few English songs -- if you are really lucky, there is a separate book full of English songs!), programming them into the machine and then singing the songs at the top of their lungs. Typically the karaoke machine is set to play at maximum volume and is accompanied by a colorful disco ball on the ceiling -- so, needless to say, it is usually a very LOUD and colorful experience.
People usually order drinks and food as well. At the mention of food you may be thinking of typical American snack food such as popcorn and candy. Yet, the Vietnamese typically serve fresh fruit with a chili and salt mixture (which is actually quite delicious!).
Now, let me take a moment to mention that there have been many occasions in which case I have said, "No. I cannot take any more Vietnamese karaoke!" Yet, now that I am on the verge of losing Vietnamese karaoke as a regular social activity when I return home, it has become much more special and something that I want to truly appreciate in my remaining months here.
In fact, that is the case now with many things here -- food, coffee shops, driving a bike, etc. etc. So, my next few blogs will be dedicated to sharing some of the things that I love about living in Vietnam overall, even if I have had some difficulty in adjusting to them along the way.
Below are a few recent pictures from a work karaoke party - we had a great time singing our hearts out and being silly together.
One of those things, strangely enough, is Vietnamese karaoke. First let me paint a picture as to what Vietnamese karaoke entails as I know that before arriving in Vietnam I, myself, always thought of karaoke as an embarrassing and sometimes painful activity in which case someone volunteers to get up on a stage and sing to a room full of strangers.
Vietnamese karaoke is very different -- your party receives an individual room complete with couches, a television and a karaoke machine. Once in the room, everyone takes turns picking out songs from a Vietnamese song book (and if you are lucky there are a few English songs -- if you are really lucky, there is a separate book full of English songs!), programming them into the machine and then singing the songs at the top of their lungs. Typically the karaoke machine is set to play at maximum volume and is accompanied by a colorful disco ball on the ceiling -- so, needless to say, it is usually a very LOUD and colorful experience.
People usually order drinks and food as well. At the mention of food you may be thinking of typical American snack food such as popcorn and candy. Yet, the Vietnamese typically serve fresh fruit with a chili and salt mixture (which is actually quite delicious!).
Now, let me take a moment to mention that there have been many occasions in which case I have said, "No. I cannot take any more Vietnamese karaoke!" Yet, now that I am on the verge of losing Vietnamese karaoke as a regular social activity when I return home, it has become much more special and something that I want to truly appreciate in my remaining months here.
In fact, that is the case now with many things here -- food, coffee shops, driving a bike, etc. etc. So, my next few blogs will be dedicated to sharing some of the things that I love about living in Vietnam overall, even if I have had some difficulty in adjusting to them along the way.
Below are a few recent pictures from a work karaoke party - we had a great time singing our hearts out and being silly together.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Cambodia
Since arriving in Vietnam nearly eight months ago, I have heard a great deal from other volunteers and passing travelers about the grandeur of the Angkor temples near Siem Reap, Cambodia. Many commented that the temples are breathtakingly spectacular and that the Cambodian people are warm and friendly.
As such, I was anxious to visit and take in the sights and culture for myself. And last week I had the opportunity to travel to Siem Reap for a week's vacation with my good VSO friend, Pat.
The Cambodian people are in fact very warm and friendly, although a little reserved in comparison to the boisterous and feisty culture I have become accustomed to in Vietnam. The temples are indeed grand as well, although I found myself drawn to the very atmospheric temples that are still very much intertwined with nature as opposed to the manicured and somewhat sterilized temples such as Angkor Wat.
However, my favorite experiences in Cambodia were centered upon simply getting to interact with the people there and drink in God's natural beauty outside of the manmade monuments. We had ample opportunity to interact with the local people by way of the tuk tuk drivers around town (a cart with benches that is pulled by a motorbike and driver -- a great way to get around!) who all spoke English very well. Pat and I were also able to take a long horseback ride into the countryside at sunrise over rice paddies and rich green fields. Along the way we were constantly greeted with friendly waves and hellos.
I think the most challenging part of the trip was the fact that Cambodia is still wrought with incredible poverty and we continually encountered begging throughout our trip which was difficult to handle emotionally. Yet, amidst their poverty and the incredible turmoil and instability that was present in this country a mere decade ago, the people are very hospitable and open.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Cambodia and am glad I had the opportunity to experience another corner of this side of the world. However, I found myself continuing comparing Cambodia to Vietnam -- the people, the food, etc. and am happy to be back home in Hue.
As such, I was anxious to visit and take in the sights and culture for myself. And last week I had the opportunity to travel to Siem Reap for a week's vacation with my good VSO friend, Pat.
The Cambodian people are in fact very warm and friendly, although a little reserved in comparison to the boisterous and feisty culture I have become accustomed to in Vietnam. The temples are indeed grand as well, although I found myself drawn to the very atmospheric temples that are still very much intertwined with nature as opposed to the manicured and somewhat sterilized temples such as Angkor Wat.
However, my favorite experiences in Cambodia were centered upon simply getting to interact with the people there and drink in God's natural beauty outside of the manmade monuments. We had ample opportunity to interact with the local people by way of the tuk tuk drivers around town (a cart with benches that is pulled by a motorbike and driver -- a great way to get around!) who all spoke English very well. Pat and I were also able to take a long horseback ride into the countryside at sunrise over rice paddies and rich green fields. Along the way we were constantly greeted with friendly waves and hellos.
I think the most challenging part of the trip was the fact that Cambodia is still wrought with incredible poverty and we continually encountered begging throughout our trip which was difficult to handle emotionally. Yet, amidst their poverty and the incredible turmoil and instability that was present in this country a mere decade ago, the people are very hospitable and open.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Cambodia and am glad I had the opportunity to experience another corner of this side of the world. However, I found myself continuing comparing Cambodia to Vietnam -- the people, the food, etc. and am happy to be back home in Hue.
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