Holy Cattle...:)
Hello Everyone,
This will be my first and possibly my last post until I get back to the U.S. due to the demanding schedule we are enduring. The internet service is spotty at best where we are at.
All I can start with is wow, what a culture shock! Vietnam has been an amazing and eye opening experience so far (currently 6 days up til this blog). From the moment we arrived and got off the airplane, my senses were completely overloaded. I felt like i was walking the red carpet at the Oscars while departing from the Saigon airport. There were hundreds of people standing, watching, waiving and smiling as we transported our luggage from the terminal to our taxi. The feeling on the air was a quiet strange that reminded me of communist russian movies. We were soon after met by Tinh's cousin who was very gracious and helpful. Everyone smiles in Vietnam. The people are amazing!
Without getting into too much detail, I'll just make some observations. You might want to read the other blogs posted by Caitlyn, Luke and Tinh.
My purpose for this trip primarily is to document every aspect on videotape. Tinh and I have been working on a documentary for some time now, and footage shot here in Vietnam is crucial for the movie. I'll blog more about the details in the future. When I get back home, I will be editing together a brief over view to explain what the movie will be about. My second purpose for being here is my involvement with the Village School Foundation which is an organization that Tinh started to raise money and build schools for poor children. Today (Monday the 28th) we visited the school for the first time and met the children, staff and some parents. Words can't describe how happy these kids are, and how much education is changing their lives by giving them choices. Before I came here, I didn't know a whole lot about the school or the kids, only that there was a need. After today, i was completely blown away. I will continue to help fund raise and build more schools because it makes such a huge impact here. The kids are so grateful and loving. Whether it's here, Bankok, Australia the US.....where ever, kids need help. After all, all of us share the same planet, please don't let sterotypes or governments keep you from helping children om a far away land.
Observations...
Enough said, I'm getting some crushing video footage! Everything is so INEXPENSIVE here. Thats one reason to help with teh VS Foundation, your money goes REALLY far. Motorbikes are the preferred choice of transportation and everyone drives them like there is no tomorrow. I think there are traffic rules here, but I've yet to see them practiced. For example, if you want to drive anywhere in any direction, just go for it and dodge traffic. The language of the HORN riles on the street. Everyone honks, all the time. The crazy thing is, thos all works. Sane with crossing a street on foot, there are NO rules. Just walk, stop, dodge, jump, run, wait and run again....or just leisurely walk and everyone drive around you. I've taken video footage of what i'm describing...it will blow you mind! The food....I'm picky, so you might want to read the other blogs. In general, it's fresh, full of meat and bland, I like spicy food, and you won't find much here. I also don't eat red meat or pork which leaves me with chicken as a choice....except right now with the bird flu explosion, that's not an option. So, white rice with a few vegetables that all taste the same. THE PEOPLE ARE AMAZING! Everyone smiles and is so friendly. Tinh's family in particular have been great, I feel like i've known them for many years and i look forward to long friendships! There is a lot of poverty in all parts of the country, everyone rolls with the punches and makes the best of it. Family life is real tight. They like Americans (good because our global reputation sucks in so many places) Crime is LOW, police don't carry guns (i think the penalties are real stiff for criminals). In every town, you are greeted with music in the morning playing through old horn speakers on electicity poles. It's nice and creepy at the same time. Capitalism is alive here! People operate business from everywhere....the front yard of a home might be a cafe or an auto garage. Kids sell books on the street, everyone wants to cut deals....I''m having a good time negotiating with the vendors.
There is so much to tell and this internet service here is slow at best, so I'll log off for now and send another blog real soon. Please check out the photos that Luke has been posting.
Sham on,
Jason
P.S. I had a nice time hanging out with Herbie Hancock last week. He has been a big influence musically on my life and we had a great talk about Vietnam, the American Dream and a bit of politics.
This will be my first and possibly my last post until I get back to the U.S. due to the demanding schedule we are enduring. The internet service is spotty at best where we are at.
All I can start with is wow, what a culture shock! Vietnam has been an amazing and eye opening experience so far (currently 6 days up til this blog). From the moment we arrived and got off the airplane, my senses were completely overloaded. I felt like i was walking the red carpet at the Oscars while departing from the Saigon airport. There were hundreds of people standing, watching, waiving and smiling as we transported our luggage from the terminal to our taxi. The feeling on the air was a quiet strange that reminded me of communist russian movies. We were soon after met by Tinh's cousin who was very gracious and helpful. Everyone smiles in Vietnam. The people are amazing!
Without getting into too much detail, I'll just make some observations. You might want to read the other blogs posted by Caitlyn, Luke and Tinh.
My purpose for this trip primarily is to document every aspect on videotape. Tinh and I have been working on a documentary for some time now, and footage shot here in Vietnam is crucial for the movie. I'll blog more about the details in the future. When I get back home, I will be editing together a brief over view to explain what the movie will be about. My second purpose for being here is my involvement with the Village School Foundation which is an organization that Tinh started to raise money and build schools for poor children. Today (Monday the 28th) we visited the school for the first time and met the children, staff and some parents. Words can't describe how happy these kids are, and how much education is changing their lives by giving them choices. Before I came here, I didn't know a whole lot about the school or the kids, only that there was a need. After today, i was completely blown away. I will continue to help fund raise and build more schools because it makes such a huge impact here. The kids are so grateful and loving. Whether it's here, Bankok, Australia the US.....where ever, kids need help. After all, all of us share the same planet, please don't let sterotypes or governments keep you from helping children om a far away land.
Observations...
Enough said, I'm getting some crushing video footage! Everything is so INEXPENSIVE here. Thats one reason to help with teh VS Foundation, your money goes REALLY far. Motorbikes are the preferred choice of transportation and everyone drives them like there is no tomorrow. I think there are traffic rules here, but I've yet to see them practiced. For example, if you want to drive anywhere in any direction, just go for it and dodge traffic. The language of the HORN riles on the street. Everyone honks, all the time. The crazy thing is, thos all works. Sane with crossing a street on foot, there are NO rules. Just walk, stop, dodge, jump, run, wait and run again....or just leisurely walk and everyone drive around you. I've taken video footage of what i'm describing...it will blow you mind! The food....I'm picky, so you might want to read the other blogs. In general, it's fresh, full of meat and bland, I like spicy food, and you won't find much here. I also don't eat red meat or pork which leaves me with chicken as a choice....except right now with the bird flu explosion, that's not an option. So, white rice with a few vegetables that all taste the same. THE PEOPLE ARE AMAZING! Everyone smiles and is so friendly. Tinh's family in particular have been great, I feel like i've known them for many years and i look forward to long friendships! There is a lot of poverty in all parts of the country, everyone rolls with the punches and makes the best of it. Family life is real tight. They like Americans (good because our global reputation sucks in so many places) Crime is LOW, police don't carry guns (i think the penalties are real stiff for criminals). In every town, you are greeted with music in the morning playing through old horn speakers on electicity poles. It's nice and creepy at the same time. Capitalism is alive here! People operate business from everywhere....the front yard of a home might be a cafe or an auto garage. Kids sell books on the street, everyone wants to cut deals....I''m having a good time negotiating with the vendors.
There is so much to tell and this internet service here is slow at best, so I'll log off for now and send another blog real soon. Please check out the photos that Luke has been posting.
Sham on,
Jason
P.S. I had a nice time hanging out with Herbie Hancock last week. He has been a big influence musically on my life and we had a great talk about Vietnam, the American Dream and a bit of politics.
