Day 4 was incredibly hot and water seemed scarce. We started the day off with meeting Tuan, our comedic and humorous tour guide for the day. Tuan showed us everything from new names for the bathroom and the act of using it (the happy place and singing a song) to the history and navigation of the Cu Chi tunnels. The entire land was beautiful. With acres of rubber and fruit trees, and beautiful rivers in addition, this has been a gorgeous place to take pictures and explore.
We started the journey off with a quick trip to Nat Viet, a wonderful establishment that gives a place for those handicapped by the effects of Agent Orange a place to work.They make all kinds of art from duck egg shell and pearl canvases, to vases, plates, and cups. The art was BEAUTIFUL. I knew I had to pick up a piece for my apartment next year along with souvenirs for family. I even got to help a worker with some pearl cutting and he was ecstatic to have someone by his side and catch a break from working.
As Tuan guided us through what we would see at our destination, we pulled in and were instantly greeted with American tanks, a huge plane, and a helicopter. Everyone took a photo. While I was in the helicopter for a brief moment, I imagined myself as a part of a platoon of soldiers flying over a foreign country most did not want to be in at the time and launching missiles andn bombs on people that spoke a completely different language and strangers I would never have the opportunity to meet. The scale of the vehicles and machinery was eye opening and very real, but also sad and almost depressing.
Moving into the actual Cu Chi tunnel section, Tuan guided us to sit and listen to a short informative lecture and documentary on how the Vietnamese utilized the tunnels during the French and American wars. Listening to Tuan speak and watching the documentary made me feel spoiled. I had no idea the hardships soldiers on both sides faced, and how the Vietnamese lived and fought in these tunnels because of the constant bombardment in Cu Chi.
Whenever I did not feel melancholic, I felt hot and sweaty. I made sure to ration my water between each tunnel and route. Speaking of the tunnels, I was in awe. The idea of digging the tunnels with tools from US bomb shrapnel was incredible but also made me feel uneasy. The Vietnamese mind was so intuitive when it came to making breathing holes that look like termite hills and hidden entrances in the leaves. The tunnels were made with the Vietnamese in mind, so my American frame needed to crouch, almost at a 90 degree angle to waddle my way through. It was very hard to breathe and was incredibly dark in the tunnels, and we only went on the first level. We witnessed where soldiers would eat, sleep, and get medical care.
Looking at the history of Vietnam, with addition of the knowledge I know now, I would love to remember one thing: the people. But more specifically, their resilience, ingenuity, and love for each other and their country. From Tuan, we were taught that the Vietnamese treated each other like brothers during the war. Even if they had never met, I believe that the soldiers would get along quickly and create chemistry, just like the American soldiers on the other side of the world. Soldiers would never give up. Instead of moving away from the conflict, families stayed and joined the battle. Even when things got rough, Vietnam families stayed resilient to fight for their country. The Vietnamese are ingenious. From the way they created massive underground tunnels to adapt and hide from enemy combatants to the many different traps they assembled with bare materials, the Vietnamese used all of their brain power to create quick solutions to problems they may have never faced before and protect their nation. Even as I travel around Ho Chi Minh City, and now to Cu Chi, I notice and admire the Vietnamese patriotism they have for their country. I know for a fact that after a long history of fighting with foreign invaders and during the war with America, patriotism was high and everyone was fighting for their cause. Tuan told us that even little girls were fighting and would become Vietnamese war heroes based off of how many enemy soldiers they could kill.
I have a new perspective on the Vietnam and American war, along with the people who both fought during it and live in the repercussions and aftermath of it. The love they have for their country may be unmatched by anyone else in the world. As I spend the next week here, I am very excited to see firsthand how my trip to the Cu Chi tunnels has affected my perspective on Vietnam and the country as a whole. I am incredibly grateful to have experienced this day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels, and to have Tuan as our informative and humorous tour guide.