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thecultureconnection-blog · 6 years

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Forgiveness Wins

In the past 48 hours from arriving to Vietnam to now, we have traveled to Bac Giang, one of Vietnams industrial Provinces, to where we are now, at the exploration of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and a calling to most tourists for its historical sites, museums, and pagodas. And all of this is just a precursor for the reason we chose Vietnam to start our travels in. It gets better, so make sure you’re following.

What are we doing here? Well, Mom and I decided after spending a decent amount of time traveling Southeast Asia last year (Thailand and Cambodia) we couldn’t well go on this year without another trip to tour and give-back in Asia.

So I did what any Beauty Queen who recently passed on her crown would do, I purchased a one-way ticket, sold my possessions and left the space I was renting to explore the unknown on a continent that is a sight for sore eyes, a feast for the heart, and for a culture that has become my muse.

My kind mother who I will refer to commonly as “Mama Bear” has joined me for the first month here in Asia and in specific, Vietnam.

With only 2 full days under our belts, I can say the adventure has been worth all the material possessions I opted to release to embrace this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Self exploration is the best gift we can give ourselves, and as Whitney Houston would say, the Greatest gift of all is LOVE.

(What brought us here in the first place last year? Well, elephants, naturally. You can read that story here. )

Today, Mama Bear and I spent time visiting the Vietnamese Women’s Museum just 4 blocks away from our AirB&B residence. As we walked up the stairs leading to the entry of the beautiful museum and purchased our tickets and tour travel headset, we were stopped in our tracks and greeted by this Mother Goddess, a reflection and symbolic representation of what it is to be a Vietnamese Woman: Empowered, Innovative, and Dedicated to their families, their children and their country.

(”In the museum’s lobby on the first floor, visitors are memorized by the statue called "Vietnamese mother ". This statue won the first prize in a sculpture competition organized by the Museum and the Fine Arts Association of Ho Chi Minh City in 1995.”)

*Source: http://vovworld.vn/en-US/discovery-vietnam/vietnam-womens-museum-198267.vov Photo Credit: Lauren Hubbard.

The museum is composed of 3 themes on 3 floors. Each floor dedicated to a theme:

Vietnamese Women in Family

Vietnamese Women in History

Vietnamese Women’s Fashion

I want to tell you everything about this tour but the information is so obtuse and and while I took notes during my tour, I think this is a visit you must take as an active participant in this life. The Culture Connection I experienced here proved to me to be more meaningful than any history class I have ever observed.

I learned more about the French Revolution and American War today than prior to coming to Vietnam. I can still hear the bombs dropping over my host country via my tour experience today.

Vietnamese Women played a pivotal role on their country as they came in unity during a time where Famine, Illiteracy, and Imperialism was as the forefront.

They are the reason this country was able to reunify and recover, and brought relief when Vietnam was violently quashed and freedom was a mere hope, a dream, a liberty not even to be ideated. Wishes for Peace and a group of strong Vietnamese Women came together and served their country. Death knocked at every tomorrow but instead of hiding they counteracted and served. Many of them were just young girls, ages 17-24. This is only a fragment of the tour, but it is the part I remember heavy. I walked down the stairs after returning my headset, with tears in my eyes, bitterness, and sorrow. I did not have pity, I was mortified at what “the enemy” did and furthermore, ‘who’ the enemy was. Choked with feelings, I returned to my homestay to hug my host-mama and apologize for Americas behavior. I thanked her and and her country for their forgiveness and kindness -- without forgiveness, I would not be here able to share this laudable tour experience with you now.

Travel to Vietnam and explore this culture -- you will not regret it.

#ForgivenessWins

Vietnamese Women’s Museum (Hanoi, Vietnam) Focuses on the contribution of women to Vietnam's history and culture, this museum highlights their roles in Vietnam's many military conflicts as well as in commerce, including features on female street vendors, women's role in the family, and more recently, single mothers in Vietnam. A must see when visiting Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

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