The Heat is on in Saigon.

Chao Doc Temple.
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I must admit that when we entered Saigon, for the first time in two and half months, I had a block.  Here we were coming from this incredible journey throughout rural Cambodia and entering an overpopulated city of eight million.  We went from ox carts on dirt roads to four million motos.  A bit overwhelming.

Both Laureen and myself were feeling under the weather and just not up to the big city scene.  I felt trapped and completely overwhelmed by the amount of people that want every penny I have.  Motos, cyclos, vendors, guesthouses, travel agents, restaurants, etc.  They all had someone walking beside us trying to sell us, within minutes.  Sure, it's been like this in every city that we have been to but for some reason... this time I was ready to crack.  Ready to scream at the next person that tried to approach me.  I wanted to be back in Phnom Penh where I was greeted with tuk-tuk drivers yelling, "good morning, teacher.  How are you today?"  I needed to have some sense of an entity within the city other than a wallet.

I want to walk around as an embassador for the U.S.

crawling down into a set of original tunnels. tourists can't go through these tunnels bc they are so small (we westerners are far too big).
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Needless to say, the first two days in Saigon were hell.  I heard the slaughtering of puppies.  I couldn't get the sound out of my head.  A sound that will haunt and forever be an imprint in my mind when I think of Saigon.  I know, I know, I can't judge people for eating dog, but I can still feel compassionate for an animal that we only see as pets.

The click.  It happened.  You didn't think that I'd have a completely negative experience somewhere, did you?  Vietnam had it's click where things started to feel right when we got moving outside of the city to see and experience some history from the Vietnam War (or American WAr, as it's referred to here).

photo of women trying to grab fresh air from inside the tiger cages.
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For the last few months I have been taking a mental census/observation on the amount of persons with disabilities.  It began within the first week of being in Thailand.  I noticed that I wasn't seeing the amount of disabilities that we often see in the states.  I thought it could be one of a few factors a) I'm accustomed to seeing it from working in schools where we cater to all types of learners and now I'm in a new element,  b) perhaps there aren't as many disabilities in SE Asia, due to different diet and chemicals,  c) maybe there are just as many cases, but it could be that it's somewhat hidden or socially unacceptable.

a copy of the tiger cages set up by the saigon regime at con dao island. cells were used for detention of "Stubborn" political prisoners. size of cell: 2.7 M x 1.5 M x 3 M. warm season, each cell held 5-14 prisoners. cold season, each cell held 1-2 prisoners.
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I inquired about my observations with my handy dandy pocket-sized Bateman.  She confirmed what I was seeing in Thailand and added Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Nepal to my census.  All SE Asian countries that she hadn't seen any significant number of disabilities.

Six weeks in Thailand and I saw two persons with disabilities.  Cambodia, a great wealth of maiming caused by landmines and other ordinance... still not seeing any disabilities from birth.

Vietnam.  Within minutes of entering Saigon, I was caught off guard by the number of disabilities/defects that we were seeing.  The first woman that I saw was crawling down the road with shoes on her hands bc she had no use of her legs.  The owner of our guesthouse, his growth was stunted causing him to have extremely short legs and arms.  The list goes on.

poster reads, "nixon, pay for this blood debt."
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It wasn't until we walked onto the grounds of the "War Remnants Museum" that I put two and two together.  Agent Orange.  Here we stood in a country that has had many years of warfare, one of which happened to be the Vietnam War.  We've seen remnants of war in the sights of buildings, damaged land, economies, maiming and now birth defects.  It is mind blowing to realize that a chemical used thirty plus years ago is still effecting people of many ages.  It's maddening.

the cu chi tunnels were dug by hand shovel and basket.
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I could use this little blog to step up on my political platform and speak out against our current administration.  It would be all too easy. (Don't worry mom, I will try to avoid doing this).

I find myself confused as to what the saying, "proud to be an american" really represents.  I'm thankful for my family and the opportunities that the states have provided me.  But, there have been so many instances here that I have heard foreigners from all over the world just bash and talk of America with great disgust and anger.  I have to admit that their sentiments aren't that far off and it leaves one feeling completely lost and confused about where they come from.  I could go insane trying to distinguish the feelings that I hold for our country.  I have so much anger and it only seems to  be growing, yet I think about our children and I'm hopeful.  Scared, but hopeful.  I want to walk around as an embassador for the U.S. and let people know that there are good people in the states.  Then I remember that I'm from Canada.

small scale of vietnamese communist tunnels.
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It's difficult to swallow when you are walking around a museum dedicated to the destruction that your country has caused.  To hear the conversations of hate and disgust murmuring around the room.  The sad part is that this isn't the first or the last time I will find myself in such a situation.  When do we, as a collective whole, realize that it isn't just about us.  The world doesn't revolve around one country.  We are a part of the bigger picture.  As a third grade student once asked me, "Miss. P, why does the U.S. look so small on that map?"  I wish that more people could see what that little boy saw that day.  Perhaps, we wouldn't have these museums built around destruction and greed.

one of many ant hills, this one was built as an air bubble for the tunnels.
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In the guest comment book there wasn't one positive thing written about americans.  Laureen was reading the comments when a man grabbed the book to write his own comment.  His freshly written comment read, "The americans are criminals.  Someday they should all receive just punishment."

We should all receive "just punishment."  What am I supposed to feel?

Chao Doc.  Religious temple that houses a religion that shares beliefs from Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Catholocism\.  This is the only temple in the world that practices this religion.  Beautiful.  Harmonious.  Peaceful.

booby trap.
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Cu Chi Tunnels.  The longest and most intricate set of war tunnels in the world.  At least, that's what the pamphlet tells me.

Phenomenal.  You get to this jungle in southern Vietnam, just east of the Cambodian border, and you walk through a past war zone.  Ironically, for tourist draw, they have included a shooting range on this historic spot.  While you walk through the woods, you hear live rounds being shot.  It's an incredibly eerie sound as you stare at guerilla traps and bunkers.

booby trap that would rest behind doors.
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We were able to climb through some of the tunnels.  Smaller than you could ever imagine.  Our guide was sure to share that the tunnels have been slightly enlarged, so that tourists can crawl through.  I was fortunate enough to lower myself into one of the original holes.  I realized the second I got in that I would never be able to crawl through the original tunnels bc they were so small.

It's remarkable to think that anyone could build such a network with a hand shovel and a basket.  No wonder the communists kicked a little a$$.