Where does my 10,000 Villages Christmas ornament come from?

Well, my friend, I'll tell you! It comes from a village called Bat Trang in northern Viet Nam, about a 30 minute drive from where I live in Ha Noi. The name of the village literally means "pottery guild." I visited there during my first week in Viet Nam (see blog entry from August 23) and returned for the second time just yesterday with Hannah (fellow SALTer), Co Bay (MCC project manager) and Gordon (visiting MCC program evaluator). It was fun to go again and understand so much more of what I heard and saw than the first time. And once again, I was so tickled and mind-blown to see the familiar 10,000 Villages products at their source!

I'm not sure why I find this so exciting... maybe something to do with the material disorientation and disconnection that comes along with a globalized economy: having no part in the production of your things, never knowing quite who it was that made them, where they come from or how they come into being. At this point, this disconnect is so totally normalized in the "developed world" that we don't give it a second thought. But what about the trill in the particular beauty of a bunch of flowers you planted from a seed, or the touch of the farmer's hand as she hands you a bunch of radishes she nurtured in a spot of earth you can point to, or the pleasure of regarding a little jewelry box with your name carved into it that your grandpa made? It seems to me that with each point of personal connection we have to a commodity, with every string that ties it into the core of our hearts, so its value increases. The harder it is to discard it to the back of a closet or to the landfill. And when we value and enjoy our things for our relationship to them, the less it seems like we need more. Like when you have several intimate personal relationships, it doesn't make you want to go out and make a bunch of new superficial ones.

Well, I wasn't really planning on that meandering reflection, I just wanted to show you these pictures! But there you have it. And now for the pictures...

Like on our first visit, we got a tour of Mr. Kinh's workshop. 60% of his production goes to a Vietnamese fair trade agency called Craft Link, and 10% of that goes to 10,000 Villages. He told us that Craft Link is the most transparent and fair buyer he works with, and later he announced that "MCC understands Vietnam the most!" I'm supposing this means out of all the foreign organizations he has worked with.
The craftspeople (mostly young women) are either family members (part of his family that has made ceramics here for the past 500 years) or local farmers who do ceramics part-time. They mostly sit in clumps, working together on one project, in this case, painting the design on round Christmas ornaments to go to 10,000 Villages.

The Christmas balls are sorted into baskets - painted and unpainted - like different varieties of eggs at the market.

Each brush stroke is unbelievably quick and precise.

All was going smoothly and efficiently until those pesky foreigners arrived and asked to take pictures!

The finished product, hanging shiny and gorgeous in the display room upstairs. I bet it would look great on your Christmas tree too!

After we finished at the workshop, Mr. Kinh (above) took us on a tour of the oldest part of the village, including a stop at his mother's house for tea. It's ALWAYS teatime! On the floor of what used to be the family workshop and is now her living room, sits a jug, like one you'd find at any 10,000 Villages, in it's natural habitat! Mr. Kinh is chuckling as Hannah makes this comment to him while I take the picture.

I'M FINALLY 21!!!

...And in here, where there no such thing as a "legal drinking age," it means nothing. Oh well, I already turned 19 in Ontario. And who needs to get intoxicated to have a crazy, out of the ordinary and exciting day in Viet Nam? Not me. It happens every day!

So celebrating my day of birth (March 2) farther away from where it happened than ever before was extra special, and what made it extra extra special is that my mom and Aunt Kate were here as part of the festivities! What a wonderful gift. Here is a photo tour of the big day...

When I walked downstairs in the morning, the party was waiting for me! Actually, my host-family had already left for work and school, so Mama, Kate and I had a nice private kick-off to the day.

We had lunch at the MCC office, complete with delicious food (that's nothing new there), fancy flowers, a new birthday shirt (being modeled), singing and cake. Above is pictured almost all the MCC Viet Nam staff, minus two people.

Then off to Just Massage, a massage clinic that employs visually imparted young people where I teach English to new therapists twice a week. But this time I was not working! Here's me with my friend Dung, one of the older therapist who helps me with teaching and who had just given me a fabulous massage!

Kate and Anne chilling at after-massage coffee break. Vietnamese coffee is basically a good choice after of before anything... expect maybe not before sleeping!

Upon returning home... "Are you ready to be SUPRISE?" I prepared myself and...

...was not disapointed! My little sister Bong (complete with "hair just like mine") was lying in wait, along with ballons and a host of stuffed animal friends there to "enjoy the party."

The excitement continued with a big dinner at a restaurant down the street attended by my real family, my host-family, a bunch of their friends and a bunch of my friends.

After that, the real and host families and I went to the Indian neighbours' house for a tea party... but I forgot to take pictures. Oh well.

The final, and possibly best, part of the day was opening the big stack of cards from folks at home, which my mom brought along. Seriously, along with the visitors in person, I could not have asked for a better birthday present this year. My never ending gratitude to those of you who contibuted the kind words of encouragement and wisdom (and the chocolate, not pictured). As the clock neared midnight, my last birthday act was to tape all the cards on the wall above the head of my bed, where they continue to shine their blessings on me every night.
(In case you were wondering, the poster was there before [I love it too] and the handson lad keeping watch over my bed is my host-brother, who is presently studying in Australia.)

My life is a photo montage

Hello blog friends! Again, I apologize for the long lapse in posting. It’s actually been kind of a rough time around here recently. A host-family change, some relational upheaval and the mid-service term blues all conspired to give me a pretty traumatic past month. I don’t really feel like spelling it all out on the good old world wide web, so if you’re curious, you can either (a) ask a close friend or family member of mine when you run into them at the supermarket or (b) email me (rosabethbk@gmail.com) and I’ll probably be happy to hear from you give you an update.

In my new host-home, I have my own room. Previously I shared with a 23-year old host-sister. I feel kind of crappy about my Western space-hogging sensibilities, but there they are none the less. I really like having some space to call my own. So recently I’ve been enjoying such luxuries as putting my posters and photos up on the wall, joyfully lingering over the arrangement of my possessions, swinging my window opening in the morning (my old room didn’t have one), being naked when I want to be, reading my book undisturbed, lighting a candle, doing yoga, and listening to the music of my choice. In a time when I’m in need of some extra self-care, these small joys of self-possession are indeed a blessing.

During a recent yoga practice, I was listening to music on my laptop, and after the allotted 5 minutes of inactivity, the screensaver kicked in and began cycling at random through my photos. Every time my eyes came forward, I would catch a glimpse of a moment in my life that happened to get captured in the click of a camera.

Eventually, I stopped the yoga all together and went to squat (Asian style) in front of the shifting screen. As each picture came up, it seemed to trigger a bursting sunbeam in my head, illuminating some forgotten grassy hollow of my brain. And as each memory presented itself and I stumbled forward to meet it, its smell, the touch of it on my cheek, its feel in the pit of my stomach, and its fullness in my mouth broke open before me anew. Like one of those hinged plastic Easter eggs filled with the chocolate of my rich and joyful life so far.

Eventually, the computer completed its screen-saving mission, switched to the blank, black colour of sleep, and I returned to yoga. But those 10 transcendent minutes of photo montage have stayed with me and I keep returning to them in my mind and to the memories they recall.

I arrived in Viet Nam with the determined intention to be PRESENT in the PRESENT!, the idea being that the past, the future and all beings outside my immediate experience should not distract me from fully sensing each moment as it comes. Sounds good, right? However, in practice, the rewards of pursuing the present have proved frustratingly illusive to me.

I don’t really know what’s gone wrong with my intention, but seems it’s time for me to try something new. After beating the present to death and succeeding in the production of a muddy pulp, what a breath of fresh air to recall times when I wasn’t even trying, yet the sun made my hair glow, familiar arms fitted themselves comfortably around my waist and thankfulness poured from my heart and out my eyes.

Not so long ago, I’d say I had pretty much come to terms with being unhappy in Viet Nam... I’m here, this is a good experience, it’s worthwhile, but it is not and will not make me happy. At this moment in time, mostly thanks to the rousing effect of a couple recent crises, I’ve decided that, in fact, I’m not quite ready to settle for suffering.

With new inspiration and a new lack of clear intention, I’m feeling ok with the good sensations that come along with remembering the past. It feels good... in the present.

As I gazed into the pixilated past and lounged in memories of North American sunshine (SE Asian is more into hazy brightness), a more recent photo from Viet Nam came up... and somehow that one made me smile too. And I thought about how, in future when I’m somewhere else, I’ll see that picture and warmly recall the moment it features. So now I’m relishing thoughts of the future, and it feels good too… in the present.

It seems to me that enjoying the present has something to do with not getting stuck in it—just as you should not get stuck in pondering the past or the future—because the present was also the future and will also be the past... and the linear spectrum of past, present and future… it melts together into a sphere of being.

Below are some of those photos that flashed by. I know this blog is supposed to be about Viet Nam, but when the past, present and future are all running together, I guess it's all relevant...

In the world, there are open spaces for breathing. I'm especially partial to the ones in my hometown.

I love people who smile when you kiss them, especially Maria.

Fresh cookies and warm light are delicious.

Me Lien (old host-mom), me and the pomelo peal enjoy each others' company.

Snow falls from the sky and Sarah and Miriam are my friends.

The Millrace + Bethy + bicycles + a Goshen summer + yoga + blue sky = my bliss.

The week before leaving for Viet Nam, the love surrounding and pushing me off was basically overwhelming...
"I can't stand feeling so full of happiness anymore, I just need to leave!"

I remember am capable of doing crazy things... like shaving all my hair off! It's fun. And then it grows back.

Christmas and such

Dearest blog readers,

In fact I have not dropped off the face of the planet! My sincerest apologies for my neglect of you over the last month and a half. So much to report on! Here's some of it...

My dad and I recently spent a lovely week and a half together over Christmas! He arrived in Ho Chi Minh City (the national capital in southern VN) where he met up with Max Ediger (MCC co-worker of mine and old Bethel College friend of his), and the two of them spent about a week working their way north, visiting American (Vietnam) War-related sites all the way. They were both involved in the anti-war movement back in the day, so I think it was a fascinating experience to visit some of those places they did not go. Well, actually Max as in VN during part of the war with MCC... in any case, still interesting. Hannah and I met up with them in Hue, a small-ish city in central Viet Nam. Here we spent a day in the old De-Milliarized Zone, the DMZ, which divided North and South Viet Nam during the French and American occupations. We visited a network of tunnels used during the war by villagers in hiding and resistance fighters, as those who opposed the Americans are known here. Right: Hannah and me feeling a little clostraphobic, closely followed by Indiana Jones, a.k.a, my father Dennis. Below: Papa and me after exiting the tunnels (wheew!) near the shore of the South China Sea.

Also in the DMZ, we visited the cite of an American air base, compete with rusting war relics and a small museum. Below left: an old killing machine now surrounded my wild flowers. Below right: a photo in the museum titled "Vinh Linh female militias' smile." Though it seems the Americans have never really realized it, we were largely defeated by women in Vietnam. For example, the American soldiers thought that women who wore black clothing were sympathetic to the Viet Cong, while women who wore white supported the American forces. In fact, many female resistance fighters would just change their clothes depending on the identity the wanted to take on. Who would have thought women in Vietnam could possibly be so clever?? Anyway, I particularly liked this picture because I know women here who smile just like that, and I can just imagine the laugh that follows the smile and the speeding words and intonations of a funny story being told around the lunch table. And it seems to me, when you can not just look at the pictures and read the reports about war, but know in your mind's eye how the people depicted in sound and move, war simply becomes an absurd impossibility.

We also took a family-operated boat tour down the Perfume River and visited several gorgeous old pagodas and temples. Left: Tam, the captain of the boat, Max, Hannah and Dennis. Below: a view of the tomb of King Minh Mach, though it's much bigger than what this picture shows, lots more of gardens, arch ways, walkways and pagoda-ish buildings.



All together, it was really great to have a change of scenery for couples days and visit some intriguing new parts of Viet Nam and get to share the experience with my dad, as well as Hannah and Max.

CHRISTMAS! We all returned to Ha Noi on Christmas Eve morning. My dad, Hannah and I spent the next couple of days relaxing at Derek and Ana’s house (though they were in Cambodia with Ana’s family at the time). We went to a the joint Christmas Eve service of our international church (Hanoi International Church) and the other international church in town (Hanoi International Fellowship... creative names, I know). Then we returned to Derek and Ana's to exchange gifts and generally enjoy a cozy Christmas time with hot cocoa and the Messiah playing in the background. Right: our little little Christmas tree. Left: look what I got for Christmas - a Hannah! Isn't she cute?

For the next couple of days, I took my dad around Ha Noi, visited the MCC office, we met my extended host-family for dinner and joined in the excitement of Viet Nam winning the ASEAN soccer cup! Following the conclusion of the game, he, Hannah and I walked the 30 minute walk between my house and Derek and Ana's and joined the hordes of people racing their motor bikes down the street, waving flags, beating drums and yelling "Viet Nam Vo Dich!" - Viet Nam is the Champion! Quite thrilling. And everyone thought it was very funny to see these three white people joining in the celebration. White people are so just so silly!

My dad left on December 29 after a very full visit to Viet Nam. I want to thank him for taking the time and money to come visit me here. And it's such a privilege for all involved that he was able to do these things. Since then, I've been getting on alright... sometimes more homesick, sometimes less, always learning. Please keep checking here to hear more coming in the future, hopfully with more regularity than recently! Chuc mung nam moi (happy new year) to you all!

Thanksgiving

Last Thursday the foreign Ha Noi MCCers celebrated Thanksgiving Day with a traditional-ish meal (chicken because turkey is quite expensive, tropical fruit salad instead of cranberry sauce and green bean ice cream with the pumpkin pie) and the first carol singing of the season. It was fun to be together and practice some familiar rituals, even far from home.

The group included Hannah and me (the SALT couple); Derek, Ana, Lucas and Chase (CR family); Thadyus, Tra and Quinn (Derek's brother and family who also live in HN); Hiro and Sawako (MCCers from Japan); and Max (SE Asia MCCer extraordinaire). See us in Thanksgiving action below...

Sawako and Lucas prepare the green beans

Hannah and I are domestic goddesses

An di! (Eat up!)

Hannah (with Lucas's help) led us in some post-dinner Christmas song singing

More than just a host-family in VN!

So apparently I have some real family here too! (Though I should say my wonderful host-family is feeling more and more family-like all the time.) I actually knew this before coming but was just recently introduced to these relatives who live in Ha Noi.

The relation goes something like this: my mother's brother, Steve, married Therese, who is a Vietnamese woman born in Ha Noi. They met in France and continue to live there today. Therese's brother, Khang, also born in Ha Noi, now lives in Luxembourg and has a job that involves traveling to Viet Nam quite regularly. So last Friday Khang invited me to have dinner with him and his (and Therese's) cousin, Khoi, and his family. We had a lovely time and I hope to be in touch with them more in the future!

Khang also showed be around the neighbourhood where his family once owned most of the property. There home is long gone (following thier departure from Ha Noi around 1954), but we walked through an alley-way under part a new house that is now there, and he pointed out some still visible tiles where the floor of their kitchen once was! Wild.

Special thanks to Steve and Therese for making this new connection happen for me!

From left: Ly (Khoi's niece), Van Anh (olderst daugter), Khang, Khoi, me, Van (Khoi's wife)

Minh Chau (3rd daughter) and her father switch places behind the camera

JustPeace in Nepal

Between October 23 and 31, I traveled from Ha Noi to Katmandu, Nepal and back in order to attend a workshop put on by the Centre for JustPeace in Asia (http://www.daga.org/justpeace/index.html), a regional civil society organization. The group as basically a loose coalition of NGOs based in about 10 Southeast Asian countries. Representatives of these NGOs gather semi-regularly to share strategy, show solidarity and generally network. The theme of the 2008 workshop was “Our Stories, Our Challenges” and it focused on finding common ground through personal stories, moving from there to identify common challenges, which in turn led to discussion of future collaboration for the common goal of a truly just peace in SE Asia.

Half of my SALT assignment is working as an administrative assistant to Max Ediger, a long-term MCCer who has lived in SE Asia for the past 30 years. (And who incidentally is an old Bethel friend of my dad’s. It’s a small Mennonite world, as usual.) He was one of the main organizers behind the workshop, and so I got to tag along as the official note-taker and future report-writer (which I am now in the midst of) and also had the opportunity to take part in group work and discussion. SALT continues to be full of wonders!

Along with enjoying the beauty of the Katmandu valley as featured below:

The view from the lovey mountainside guesthouse where we stayed and held meetings

Lots of gorgeous Buddhist and Hindu temples everywhere

Me, Max and Co Bay (one of the national MCC staff) at the top of a very foggy mountain

…The workshop participants also spent a lot of time listening, presenting, discussing and, in the case of the photo below, singing in this conference room:


For me, the workshop was all together terribly interesting, rich and challenging. It was such a new and fascinating experience to be interacting with “primary sources” concerning peace and justice work. Not a professor or North American service worker coming home to share about their experience, but people who have actually experienced torture and been refugees and child soldiers, and yet they go on living and have a personal investment in working for peace for their people. The whole week was a quite a jumble of intense learning, which I could not lay out nicely for you even if I tried. So I will offer you some select bits of journaling…

29 October
…Bobby from Mindanao, Philippines talked about this square red, green and yellow scarf that his ethnic group has traditionally used for a variety purposes. It is usually worn around the head and then can be removed to shelter it owner from rain or sun, to use as a rug on which to offer Muslim daily prayers or to bind the wound of a comrade. Bobby was explaining different ways it can be wrapped around the head, but as he was attempting to demonstrate, he had to admit that he did not remember how to do any of the wraps besides the basic one because this tradition has been all but been replaced by the wearing of cowboy-style hats. Point about the loss of traditional cultures well made. So this was making me think about how frustrating it is that even those who desire to preserve “minority” wisdom are often so estranged from it that they cannot follow its teaching even though they want to. It is lost.
And I was thinking about this in context of the conference – how the “workshop style” is based on so many “majority” assumptions: Western intellectual style (critical, linier, systematic thinking), the masculine norm (the assumption that participants are free to leave home and family in order to attend), wealth (money necessary for international travel), citizenship status necessary for international travel (which many indigenous groups do not have), proficiency in English (the common language here, though it is no Asian person’s native language)... and I was thinking about how rotten it is that I can not even think of other ways to go about this kind of event. I was thinking about it especially in the context of the marginalization of the feminine in such a form but how the “alternative” wisdom is just not there, or at least not accessible to me. And so, like Bobby and his scarf, even though I want to use my tradition, it is lost to me. How can we ever recover these things once they slip unpassed though a couple of generations??…

30 October
…My conversation with Lek (see Lek and me in photo) and Saw Mort and the week altogether has been making has been making me think about how important it is not the get stuck in theory… which I get the
feeling (at least for me) might be a tempting thing to do. Like it seems easier to critique and lament the loss of “other” cultures as the West moves in with other Western folks, as opposed to actually talking with the “others” and having to realize the complexity of the issues that comes when one is working with multiple perspectives… especially when you are the majority person attempting to analyze the situation of the minority.
I feel like it’s easy to self-aggrandize, for example, believing that Western culture has the power to destroy Eastern culture. So even as I am being saddened and outraged by this situation of domination, I am also able to feel comfort in the power of my own culture. However, this self-important delusion is destroyed when I interact with people like Saw Mort and Lek who say actually, we like some parts of your culture and want to takes these parts on and work for our own goals; in claiming these, they reject the notion that Western culture is being imposed upon them. Whoo. So even as I’m dis-ing theory, there’s a load of it! Good to have both theory and practice, I suppose…

Plenty of thoughts bouncing around and contradicting each other nicely. I guess that’s what happens when you’re learning a million new things everyday! Seriously, I wish I could just take a break sometimes. So it goes. I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to attend this workshop, and I hope the new ideas and feelings it stirred up with continue to stew and germinate... who know what will come out in the end… whenever that is!