VVRP Trip Notes: 4 Sept. - to Magic Mountain, Sebastopol, CA to "get acquainted" with other team members - Bob, Jim, and John. Two day team familiarization and indoctrination. Sharing experiences under the direction of a facilitator, answering questions such as: "Why are you going back?" Good to meet other folks wanting to return to Viêt Nam; apparently not many of us do. 6 Sept. - left from SF to fly to LA 8 Sept. - arrived in HK, 6AM-ish after a 15-hour flight from LA, Calif. HK Airport appears bordered on one side by cloud-covered mountains and beautiful green hills. The terminal is quiet with few people wandering about. Lots of internal anxiety regarding trip destination - Ha Noi. On the flight over I read The Holy Man by Susan Trott. I'm slowly learning that, "doing what is necessary in this world is all that needs to be done". Arrival in Ha Noi: 9 Sept. - Flying into Ha Noi? What is this, a test of resolve? Plane coming in for a landing - not shot at, green rice paddies. The exit door is opened - HEAT, instant sweat, DRENCHED. Good to have seasoned friends with me: it's Bob's second trip and John's fifth. Transportation vehicles use horns not brakes-the bigger vehicle the greater the use of the horn. Two way traffic in city but when one lane is clear of traffic, the other lane expands to fill the road. An almost continuous flow of traffic, bikes, motorcycles-they flow around you as you cross a street--weaving, slowing and honking. Ha Noi: Four Americans, two with beards - a definite curiosity. Quick looks, never a stare. Polite surprise. Street sweepers out at night using palm leaf brooms. Mostly women. The streets are clean. Kids still openly urinate in gutters. Kids periodically mob us asking us to buy post cards and maps. Two wire electrical systems running along buildings. Warning to the compassionate - not all amputees are the result of our war; not all deformities are the result of Agent Orange. Dragonflies by the thousands in the treetops. MOLISA - Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs
Discovered our "mission" - to build 5 houses in Quang Tri Province, one in each of five different villages or towns. The disabled soldiers are grateful for the (our) American soldier's assistance. Met with Nghiem Xuan Tue, Deputy Director of the Department of International Relations for MOLISA. Met in a room with Large Rose chairs, low to floor, and we sat on opposite sides of the table, VN on one side, us on the other. Discussion of future "stuff". Close of meeting - our work is highly appreciated, although small in dollar amount the symbolism is significant.
Visited 3 different homes that VVRP built 2 years ago. Met the folks living in them, all were for blind disable vets.
Second meeting - Thursday 8AM. Very happy and waiting for us. The Director of Quang Tri Department of Labor, war Invalids and Social Affairs drove up to Ha Noi to come to the second meeting with us. Again, our work is highly appreciated.
Walking the streets of Ha Noi; moneychangers everywhere with there calculators; cyclo drivers; map and post card sellers.
Visited Army Museum with particular interest in 1960-1974 Section on American war. There is a strong emphasis on The Women's Union. Many mothers lost 5-7 children in the war. Women were supplying the means by which to wage war - children. They also served as anti aircraft gunners and as a home defense league as most of the able bodied men were sent to the south.
Visit to Ho Chi Minh Museum - beautifully designed as symbolic quest for freedom.
Cyclo driver to/from museum. Weaving in and out of traffic - uses trolley bell as warning instead of directional signals.
Ha Noi to Quang Tri Province (Dong Ha) 14 hour trip with bamboo mat and pillow. Took pictures of mountains and small villages, et al that were near railroad tracks. Morning mist; I had thoughts of door gunner days. Some acceptance?
House building experience with VVRP Team.
Met villagers who lived though the American bombing from 1965-1972; those who were young and became regular NVA soldiers later in the war and those who were guerrillas early in the war. "The war is over," they said, "We were enemies once, now we can be friends."
Satisfying to be building, to sweat, and to be appreciated for the symbolism of our efforts. Reconciliation, re-connecting, sharing, support.
Met Vietnamese who were accepting and in fact loving. They are grateful of the symbolism of what we are doing. From their acceptance I've gained a little more of my own self-acceptance.
During "down time" swam in Eat Sea (know by us as the South China Sea) symbolically wash the 35 year-old blood from this body. Visited cemeteries. At least two of which had permanent sighs labeling the sites as soldiers of the McNamara War.
Hue
Declined tour of country and stayed in Hue for 10 days. I may have seen fewer people and less of the country; however I am enjoying an extended period with four different families.
While taking one of my many walks along the streets of Hue, many school children say hello; and, if they have time they stop and ask where you're from are you married, how many children do you have.
Got to discuss the reunification of their country and some of the difficulties they have had. It sounded quite a bit like our civil war.
Aftermath / Retrospective
The most significant event was going back in country; realizing that Viêt Nam has changed and facing the fact that the parts of my mind that were frozen in time 35 years ago are mine to repair. Yes, the return stirred the pot of memories of my war, January 1963 - August 1964, Medic 145th Avn. Btn. These are my monsters, they only exist in this mind. The Viêt Nam I visited in Sept-Oct 1998 is healing and the people are accepting - for them the war has been over for 20 years. It is now time for all of us to heal.
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