After months of learning about the Mekong Delta region, it was finally the day we hopped on the bus and drove to two hours to it. My initial reaction when we got out of the bus was how wide and long the Mekong was. Also, the color of the Mekong Delta was brown which also made me question the health of the region.
During our day at the Mekong Delta, we experienced so many different activities that enhanced our understanding of the local people and the way they live. For me, the most fun thing we did was the different activities on the first island. On the first island, we saw different vendors selling stuff from coconut water to food to purses. Then, we rode on horse carriages across the island and tried fresh honey mixed with hot water and be pollen which tasted incredible. We then learned how the local people on the island make coconut candy which was really interesting because I have seen candy be made before in a factory, so I enjoyed seeing the difference. Then we got to take turns holding a 40lbs snake. It was absolutely terrifying to get the courage to do it, but with the help of my friend Sydney we did it together. The last thing we did on the first island was eat a plate of fruit, drink tea, and listen to performers sing. The variety of experiences on the first island was the most fun to me because it allowed me to see all the different aspects of the island and the way the locals live.
When thinking about the socioeconomic aspect of the Mekong Delta, specifically focusing on the livelihoods of the people who live there, the first word that comes to mind is behind. The way they do daily tasks for example making the coconut candy or getting across the island by horse carriage feels like they are living years behind compared to the people in the Ho Chi Minh City. I see this as a problem due to the environmental harm the Mekong Delta is currently experiencing with the pollution and global warming. If the people who live on the islands are living in a way that is not utilizing technological advances, then how is knowledge supposed to spread about environmental issues and how are they supposed to help be a part of solving it?