Connections and transformations

"How was your trip?" 

I get asked that question almost every day and it's probably the most challenging question to answer. The truth is, it's hard to express how much the CBTVietnam trip means to me. Whenever, I try to explain it I never feel like I do it justice as words can't describe it. It was a trip of a life time and can only be truly understood by experiencing it for oneself. However, I want people to hear about it even if its only a taster of how inspiring and rewarding it was.

Going to Vietnam was more than I could have ever wished or dreamt. I didn't believe it when Chris, Stephanie and Caitlin said it would change my life. It seemed cliche and unbelievable that one trip could touch that many hearts so deeply but once I arrived in Lao Chai all my doubts vanished. The villagers are the most welcoming, open and loving people I have ever met. Right away, they invited us into their homes and treated us like family.

While in Lao Chai, I worked with so many amazing people and witnessed how hard they worked everyday to make a living. Ms. Sao and Ms. Di are two local batik artists who run workshops in their handicraft shops just off of the main road that travels through the village.  I had the pleasure of working with them to further refine their workshops and find ways to advertise to the tourists. It was surprising how much we were able to communicate to each other without speaking the same language. These interactions showed me how powerful body language can be and how it can often be more effective because the meaning of words vary so much from culture to culture.

Working on the batik product also gave me a chance to see how strong the bonds of community are in the village. On the last CBT Vietnam Trip in August 2013, Ms. Di was the only batik artist running workshops in Lao Chai. Since then she shared the knowledge and resources on how to run a workshop with Ms. Sao, again illustrating the strong sense of community this village has. Sharing this information was not seen as a threat to business but a growth of the whole village. The unquestionable generosity and compassion of the Hmong people opened my eyes to the self-centred attitude that I often see at home.  

When I think back to the CBT Vietnam trip, I am amazed at how much I have learnt, not only about community based tourism and Hmong culture but about how to be a better person. The Hmong people showed me how beneficial and important it is to enter every situation with an open mind and a smile. 

I Need to Get My Name on that Book!

Even though technology has left its mark on most households, nature still rules in the village of Ta Phin. There is a story behind every custom and tradition. Dao people have learned from their parents how things should be done, and for most parts those rules still apply to their lifestyles today.

Nights in the village begin early at dusk as families gather around the fire to cook dinner. Although women run the kitchen, in all the families that I stayed with, men had an active part in preparing the food; from preparing the meat to setting the table, pouring the rice wine and entertaining the guests.

Dao kitchens are part of a big open area in the house where everyone gathers upon entering. There are usually two stoves in the kitchen; one for cooking and one for preparing the herbs for the herbal bath. Dao women cook one dish at a time on the cooking stove, and they use the same pot to prepare all the dishes. Considering that there are usually five to ten different dish prepared for every meal, preparing dinner can take up to an hour. They set the table and where everything is ready, you are invited to eat.

Dinner table at a Dao Home stay

I stayed with Chao Ta May and her family on my second night in Ta Phin during the recent CBT Vietnam Project trip to SaPa. At night we all gathered around the fire as she welcomed us with a bowl of fries; a very unique fried potato dish with garlic and salt or sugar! A much needed appetizer while we were waiting for the actual meal.

Chao Ta May’s son had recently got married and was living with his new bride at the same house. As Chao Ta May was preparing the dinner, I asked her about the wedding customs of Dao people.  

“We found her in the book” she replied with a smile. It took me a while to figure out that this ‘book’ was actually a record of available girls in the neighborhood villages and was made by a matchmaker. “I picked her. We sent her family two silver bracelets and waited to see if they would accept them” she eagerly continued. “Then we sent the chicken”. “The chicken?!” I asked spuriously. “Yes! 10kg exactly, and we waited again. When they accepted it, we sent the 70kg pig”. She explained that these numbers were important because the bride’s family had to invite certain people in the process and needed to feed them. “Things have changed!” she continued. “When I was getting married I had no way of seeing or contacting my future husband until the wedding day. He was in another village! Nowadays kids contact each other before the marriage. My son and his wife had sent each other pictures by phone and were talking for a while” she continued with a smile. “When all the decisions are made, the bride should start making her dress. It takes her one year to finish the dress” she said that with a smile! She must have been thinking about her own dress.

As Chao Ta May was sharing this with us, I couldn't help but thinking about the traditional weddings and arranged marriages. If it was not for the match makers and the ‘books’, have these young boys and girls who live miles away in different villages ever had a chance to meet? After all, there seems to be a place and time for everything, even for an arranged marriage and that is in Ta Phin and among Dao people. As for the book, I am on one already; it is called Facebook, so where is my chicken!? 

Marketing the Market

Imagine walking through a market in another country. As a tourist, we tend to just browse through the selection and ignore the people trying to sell to us, afraid that if we talk to them we'll have to buy something. Usually the most important task will be trying to get a product for the cheapest price.

Reviewing ideas for merchandising

This last month I, along with Sabrina, were blessed to work in TaPhinwith the Red Dao women. This formalized market was recently completed and we were given the opportunity to discover new ways to bring the market alive to attract more tourists. Our work began before we arrived as we took photos of local Vancouver markets to illustrate various ways of merchandising and cooperating.  We had so many ideas running through our heads and wanted to be sure that tourists could feel comfortable in browsing the market AND talking with the locals.

We spent six days meeting and working with the market sellers in both group and one-on-one sessions. I felt that we only scratched the surface of the Red Dao culture and development of a successful market.

Sabrina dressed in traditional Red Dao garments

During our discussion of culture, we generated ideas for improved tourist experiences. We helped the women display their booths in appealing ways, such as creating bamboo hangers in order to display the handicrafts and clothing. For product diversification, we helped each woman see the benefits of placing their differentiating products at the front of their booth, instead of featuring the same products as their neighbour. We expect to see in the near future, as high season approaches, booths filled with teas, fruit and vegetables, and herbal bath products. 

Discussing ideas

Through our discussions, the women began to think of new ways to manage street selling and the hassling of tourists. The most difficult task moving forward is keeping the market full. Many of the women cannot come to sell every day due to other responsibilities in the fields. Also, there are many women who prefer to sell on the streets because this is the way it has always been done. We hope that our efforts and cooperation with the Red Dao women and local government will create a more sustainable and beneficial tourism product for the people of TaPhin. 

The relationships we developed, in such a short time, have impacted our lives in numerous ways. I have already made a promise to myself that I will come back someday. The women have told us that the time we spend to get to know them is very special, as many of the tourists treat them as if they do not exist. 

With Ta May

One of the relationships I created on this trip was with Ta May. I will be working closely with her over the next month because she has taken on a huge responsibility. Ta May told us as we were leaving that she wants to be in charge of the market. She will work each day with the Red Dao women to keep the ideas flowing, in hopes that one day they will be able to stop street selling and have a thriving market. 

The development of a relationship is a two way street. If these women are taking the time to learn how to interact with tourists in a polite and enjoyable way, it is important for tourists to take the time to sit down and talk. If tourists take the time to get to know locals during their travels, they will have a more memorable experience.

I thank Capilano University, the PATA Foundation and our partner in Vietnam Hanoi Open University for the most amazing experience and opportunities.

One day to go!

With final exams finished and ONLY one day till departure, there is a buzz amongst all us girls. Whether it is constant stress about what to pack, or figuring out which insurance to get, we are down to the wire and couldn’t be more excited!

For the past few months, we’ve had weekly meetings in preparation for this upcoming CBT Vietnam trip. We have been emailing back and forth with connections in Vietnam and are eager to finally meet everyone. Like all the trips before us, we hope to build strong relationships and bring back memories that will last a lifetime.

But am I getting ahead of myself? We haven’t even left yet! Right now, I need to focus on making sure I don’t forget anything and mentally preparing myself that I will be flying to Vietnam in one day! 

See you soon Vietnam.

Be sure to follow us and our adventures on Facebook. 

A dream come true

Today at our weekly meeting I learnt the most amazing news; I will be joining the team in Vietnam! When I first heard the news, I was in shock. I just smiled and thanked our teacher sponsors Chris Carnovale and Stephanie Wells. As the night continued the news started to sink in. I was going to go to Vietnam! While writing this blog post I have cried, danced around my room and smiled like an idiot. I am so happy and excited. It is a dream come true. I am so honoured and thankful to have been chosen to be part of this project.

In February, I discovered that Capilano University was accepting applicants for the CBT Vietnam Project. I applied but I was doubtful that I would make it because there were so many amazing applicants. At the end of February, I learnt I had made it into the project team as the backup. I was super excited for such a life changing opportunity. However, after last night's announcement, I have had to dramatically change gears. Planning, rescheduling and preparing have taken a new priority.

Last year, I went to an information session at Capilano University for the Tourism Department. The reason I went was to learn a little more about the Outdoor Recreation Management Program I had just been accepted into. At first, I didn't pay to much attention to the other presentations but then a video came on about a community tourism training project in Vietnam. The video blew me away. After just 3 minutes the project stole my heart.

Emily is a first year Outdoor Recreation Management student at Capilano University. 

It's a small world

I am very excited to be working with the CBT Vietnam team again, and cannot wait to show the world what a group of five girls can do. This year I am lucky enough to be chosen to actually travel to SaPa and work with the communities. All the memories from Vietnam are rushing in again like someone opened a floodgate!

Last year I wrote a blog about these memories (click here to view) and included some photos. One of the photos was my brother and me standing with some of the Red Dao women. I knew that this photo was full of people CBT Vietnam still work with today.

This semester, I learned that this picture hit closer to home than I thought. I took a class with Chris and was fortunate enough to meet Lo May, as she was also in the class. I showed her this picture and she was shocked to see her mom standing right behind me! This picture was taken when I was seven, and today I am a nineteen year old meeting the daughter of one of the women in this picture. 

Every day stories of a ‘small world’ experience come to light, yet it still shocks me just how small our world is. I believe there is a connection between everyone. All one must do is ask.  

Sapa is one for the books!

A new book “The Lost Girls”, written by three friends, chronicling their yearlong adventure around the globe, brings readers into the region of Sapa, and a guide name Tsu, a young Hmong woman.

The Lost Girls (I immediately fell in love, realizing I myself may be a lost girl) are from New York and tired of their careers and lack of adventure pack up their lives and take off on a year long adventure around the globe. Nearing the end of their trip they travel to Sapa via Hanoi and instantly fall in love…(albeit not with the February weather that is)…and take off on a three-night trek into a few villages.

Mastering the Sapa Slide, a dance created by their lack of skill during their trek through rain torn trails, the girls arrive in a homestay, and following dinner, are served “one part lighter fluid, two parts rubbing alcohol” (aka homemade rice wine). As part of our interview, Chris asked us how we would handle being served the local specialty at an early hour. Needless to say I may be a bit hesitant, but look forward to experiencing the local favourite.

Our last meeting coincidentally landed on the day in which I read the chapter dedicated to Sapa. I shared the pages with the team and after talking with not only our current team, but also past CBT Vietnam volunteers Caitlin and Nic, we realized the importance of the project, building sustainable tourism, and the value the training brings to the local communities.

These woman make us even more excited to travel with the team to Sapa and about the opportunity all of us have to work with these truly remarkable communities. We are all nervous; will we be able to do enough? The more and more we think about it we realize we are not the only one educating, but rather the locals will be educating us.

This week's mission: Eat some more Vietnamese food, start our Vietnamese language tutorials, 

and make sure our passports are current.

3 Successful Days In Hanoi

We have been in Hanoi for only 3 days and have had great success! Here's a quick synopsis of what we've been up to and who've we met.

We met with the dedicated Hanoi Open University volunteers who gave us a very warm welcome and who we look forward to getting to know even better as we travel to Sapa to work hand in hand on the CBT Vietnam Project both in Taphin and Lao Chai villages.

We have met with many PATA members including Jewel Tours, Buffalo Tours, 365 Travel and Hanspan Travel. who are all excited about the CBT Vietnam project. They are looking forward to meeting the Red Dao woman of Taphin to learn about their homestays and herbal bath product and look forward to sending travellers to Taphin to enjoy an unforgetable authentic village experience. Equally excited were Footprint Vietnam Travel and Little Hanoi Hostel.

We have also gathered many supplies from Hanoi's shopping streets including what is needed for the environmental lessons we will deliver to the school children in Lao Chai.

 

Tonight we take the night train to Sapa.

One Month Countdown!

One month countdown before the CBT Vietnam Team from Cap U board the plane to Vietnam! 

When the Capilano University team met last week our arms were just recovering from the visit to the travel clinic. Now with the shots out of the way and the rest of the necessary preparations from our checklists nearly completed we went full speed ahead with completing the itinerary.

The itinerary is packed full of things including; gathering supplies in Hanoi with the help from Hanoi Open University student volunteers and funding from PATA, riding a motorcycle to Tavan with a stop in Lao Chai, continuing with the CBT Vietnam project planning and building strong relationships with the Black H'mong communities in Lao Chai, taking the night train to Sapa where we will spend the week before we host the ladies of Ta Phin back on the night train to meet with tour operators in Hanoi. We also have an exciting pottery crafting experience planned in Ba Trang village, for these amazing women, that will ensure they return to their own village inspired with a special self made souvenir in hand.

Let us not forget that we have planned many meetings including community meetings and meetings with the Sapa Government, tour operators, teachers, and follow up meetings with the homestay owners and village CBT Management Board Members.

Correspondence from another Continent

I just love how this project connects people from all over the world! 

A few weeks ago I made a new Facebook friend named Ashley (Thuy Anh Pham). Not only does she live in Hanoi and is interested in volunteering with the CBT Vietnam project but she is a student at Vietnam National University Hanoi majoring in English. Although we have never met, we are both very excited about our new friendship and all the great things the PATA funded CBT Vietnam project is doing. 

We plan to meet each other for the first time this August, when I travel to Vietnam as one of the Capilano University student volunteers continuing the ongoing work of the CBT project. Ashley is excited to help me learn about her culture and recently told me about the Tet holiday which marks the Lunar New Year that they are celebrating right now! This festival is about purity and renewal and the celebrations can be compared to our Western Thanksgiving, New Year's Day and Easter all in one Vietnamese New Year.

This new friendship has really got me thinking about how social media connects people from all over the world. I am really looking forward to learning more about the Vietnamese culture from Ashley.