10 Things To Know About HCMC

 

#1. Although it may look dangerous, do not hestitate to cross the street! Just take that first step, otherwise you will be standing there for hours! 

#2. In the market never pay more than 60% of their original asking price. If you refuse and walk away they will eventually give in!

 #3. The two most common things you will be asked are “How old are you?” and “Are you married?”  Don’t be offended, apparently it shows they care!

 

#4. The food is delicious and cheap! You can get pho on the side of the street for $1! Just don’t watch it being made!

#5. When taking a cab, its common for tourists to get ripped off at least once a day (cabs are cheap to begin with so you only end up paying a dollar or so more)  

#6. If you ask someone if they speak English and they smile and nod their head, often they don’t really understand what you are saying.  Not many people speak English here even in the tourist areas.   

  #7. For only $3, pamper yourself by getting a manicure and pedicure! You even even get a foot and hand massage!

#8. Be sure to bring shower slippers! There is no separation between the shower, toilet and sink!

 #9. The humidity will make you sweat 24/7, so be prepared to feel sticky all day…..even after a shower!

#10. During monsoon season, expect heavy rainfall everyday between 1-2 pm! If you are on the street you will probably have to purchase a poncho!

A Bit Of History….

What an experience it was to visit the Củ Chi tunnels; the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam war.  The tunnels are three layers in depth approximately 9 meters in depth and 200 km long.  I volunteered to enter one of the tunnels (I felt extremely claustrophobic) and I am still finding it hard to believe that the tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters.  I can’t believe that the guerrillas survived days in the tunnels during periods of heavy bombing or American troop movement.

The underground tunnel system indicated the will of determination, wisdom, pride of the Củ Chi, as the symbol of the Vietnamese people’s revolutionary heroism.

 

Above is a picture of us in front of the War Remnants Museum.  This visit was a huge eye opening experience. During the Vietnam War, the USA army used 14 million tons of bombs and shells (20 times as much as the quantity used in the Korean War, 7 times as much as the one used in the Second World War), more than 70 MILLION litres of toxic chemicals, among them 44 million litres of Agent Orange. The Museum displayed a collection of photos taken during the war, as well as pictures of the physical deformities of those who are affected by Agent Orange (somewhere between 1.5-4.8 million).  This experience made me realize the severity of the after effects of war on so many innocent people.  Its appalling to know that to this day the US government is denying any relationship between the agent orange victims and the chemicals they released during the war.

Hello From Ho Chi Minh

After 24 hours of travelling, we finally arrived in Ho Chi Minh City.  We were greeted at the airport by our project coordinator’s husband Mr. Hang.   We were overwhelmed with hospitality when we arrived at the guest house where both Mr. and Mrs. Hang reside.  Here is a picture of our room with mosquito nets that we put over the beds every night to protect us.

Surprisingly we were not jet lagged this morning despite the 11 hour difference.  We woke up bright and early (7:00 am) to begin exploring the city.  People are busy and constantly on-the-go…..you can click here to see the daily chaos on the city streets.   There are no rules on the road and pedestrians do not have the right of way!

Below are a few pictures of us trying to find our way around the city. We came across some interesting creatures making our way through the market. 

This afternoon we are off to the Orphanage to volunteer with the street children.