My Hopes and Expectations for the January 2003
Experiential Travel Course to Viet Nam
My journey, which has led to
the reality of this first-ever Maryville College experiential trip to Viet Nam,
began in 1999. That is the year that my
husband, Jeff, and I adopted our son, Jacob Nguyen Dan Brooks. The adoption story is a long one – full of
ups and downs – but the process led us to our first trip to Ho Chi Minh City
and Da Nang in December 1999. Prior to
the trip, we researched and read as much as we could about Viet Nam, especially
it’s culture, geography, arts, history, foods, and people. It is interesting to note that there is a
wealth of information available regarding the Vietnam War, and only a much
smaller selection available addressing culture and life in Viet Nam.
What a fascinating and
amazing experience that first trip was!
Not only was it remarkable to become parents of a
nine-and-a-half-month-old infant, but the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of
Viet Nam were very intense. This was the
first international trip for my husband, and one that the both of us will
always treasure. We feel fortunate to
have traveled to two different regions of Viet Nam (south and central),
because, as is true for Tennessee, the regions are very different from each
other!
My connection with Viet Nam
continues to deepen. This last summer
(July 2001) I traveled to both the northern and southern regions of Viet Nam
with a faculty seminar group, led by CIEE (Council on International Educational
Exchange). We visited Hanoi, Ho Chi
Minh City, and the Mekong Delta region.
In addition, I have become acquainted with several faculty at Hanoi University of Technology
and Hanoi College of Foreign Languages at Viet Nam National University. We met on several occasions while they were
in the United States (as students and visiting faculty). While visiting in July, I was able to deepen
my friendships with several of them. In
addition, students from their English language learning classes regularly email
several students of mine here at Maryville College. It is a fascinating relationship, and I hope that the students
who will travel this January will be willing to email Vietnamese students in
fall 2002. Part of the trip will
include visiting with both teachers and students who are studying English in
Viet Nam; and this email project will give everyone an opportunity to become
acquainted.
Do you enjoy adventure, trying
new things, listening to wonderful music, eating delicious foods (for example,
fruits that we have not tasted or seen here in the U.S.), and experiencing
other cultures? If your answer is yes,
I invite you to join Terry and me on this great trip to the other side of the
world! I guarantee that you will not
regret it! And, I truly believe that
you will fall in love with Viet Nam, as I have!