On September 18, 2002, my husband, Jan, and I arrived in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
It was a rainy day... quite typical for the tropics. Still, thousands of
beeping motorcyclists and bicyclists wove their way organically through seemingly
chaotic streets. How did two Asian Americans come to live here? We were peace
activists in the '70s. Now, nearly 30 years after the war has ended, Jan
accepted an assignment as Chief Technical Advisor for the International Labor
Organization, a non-governmental organization (NGO) of the United Nations. As a
journalist and grief counselor, I tagged along with my laptop, tape recorder and
camera. After one year, we feel incredibly blessed to live and work among those
building bridges of peace and friendship in a new century. Today, Viet Nam is a
nation on the move. More than 60% of the population was born after 1975.
As a bereaved mother, I have also found Viet Nam to be a very compassionate nation. Not a day goes by without being inspired and rejuvenated by the courageous wise elders and ardent youth. Whenever I see a Vietnamese family enjoying a Sunday afternoon in Lenin Park, I can't help but think that the 30-something parents didn't enjoy such moments when they were children. They probably ran toward bomb shelters, instead of flying their kites under a blue sky. Whenever I see a middle-aged Xe Om (motorcycle taxi) driver, it's very likely that he was a soldier during the war. Whenever I see an older woman with betel-areca nut dyed teeth, I wonder how many family losses she has endured? This is why I invite you to the Southeast Asian wing of my website. I hope it will open your heart and mind to Viet Nam's culture and people, particularly in the realm of grief, spirituality and healing. Welcome.
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