After breakfast, we drive to visit the International Friendship Village for Vietnamese veterans and Orange Agent victims. We'll return to Hanoi around lunch time. There will be an afternoon Class Session to review topics and work on Alternative Processes. The remainder of the day will be your own until our driver arrives to take us to board the 21:15-05:30 overnight sleeper train to Lao Cai. You will share Four-berth cabins on the train.
The Friendship Village, a US/Vietnam joint venture, is a remarkable place. At any one time, around 40 veterans and 100 children are provided with health care, treatment, training and other assistance over periods ranging from a few months to several years. Visitor are welcome-it's a truly uplifting experience! You'll find the Village provides not only a wealth of insights into the war, but also plenty of tangible evidence of the staff members' dedication to making life better for the inmate while rebuilding their dignity and self confidence.
15 Jan 2009 1:54pm Hanoi
Well, all that worrying for nothing. This trip gets a bit more laughable every moment of everday. I'm done listening to P, I am just going to allow her to art us around and I'll just shoot whatever I damn well please.
The Friendship Village today was not worth all the concern I put towards it. We didn't meet any of the people living there, save a boy who wouldn't talk to us and a girl who tried to beat us all up. Instead of shooting people, we (and by we, I mean Griffin and Evan) shot the flowers and embroidered stuff for the village website. So these kids make handicrafts that the village then sells. Something about that whole visit doesn't sit right with me, or most people for that matter.
We are just leaving a very yummy lunch. I ate falafel and drank a beer. Both were wonderful. All I need is a little alcohol to get me through a day with P. And we are apparently going to both the market and the womens' museum. And having class/studio time and pack for the train at 8pm. hahaha.
Looking back...
I kind of remember those past 2 days as one big day of frustration with and embarssament due to P. Class didn't ever happen, what a suprise. I still don't feel quite right about the Friendship Village, it was so strange feeling. That night I went to P and printed my digital negatives because I didn't have anything else better to do. She packed and acted crazy, as usual. We also had a conversation about the possibility of eating dog, which was pretty unnerving. And we left for the train station about 15 minutes late. Who are we waiting for?
The sleeper train was pretty sweet though. I shared a space with Emily, James and Amiee so that was chill.
random photo:
good photo:
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