Messages from Viet Nam 1993-1995: Observations and Reflections

By Louis E. Grivetti

Messages From Viet Nam is a collection of 99 passages based upon three visits to Viet Nam in 1993, 1994, and 1995. The passages document the authors personal experiences; professional and social interactions with Vietnamese government and university officials and citizens; observations on daily life in Viet Nam; and memories evoked by images and events experienced. Messages From Viet Nam complements the authors daily diary recorded during his 1993 travels in Viet Nam previously published by Xlibris (Viet Nam 1993 A New Beginning. An American Professors Journal of Discovery, Exploration, and Introspection). The work is illustrated extensively with photographs of the people and landscapes of Viet Nam.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781514416969

Louis E. Grivetti

Louis Grivetti is Professor Emeritus of Nutrition, University of California, Davis. He worked at Siwa and Qara Oases during 1965-1966. The Song of Siwa was conceived as an epic tribute to honor the residents of these remote desert localities. http://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/faculty/grivetti/index.cfm Alison Smith is a multidisciplinary visual artist, singer, and performer. Inspired by memory, story and place, she uses a variety of media and materials to create highly detailed, multi-sensory narrative performances. She lives and works in Northern California.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 by Louis E. Grivetti.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2015917018

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-5144-1695-2

                eBook           978-1-5144-1696-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 11/21/2015

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

542556

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Copyright Permissions

Preface

Observations and Reflections

1.   Whispered Secret

2.   Crippled Boy with Crutch

3.   Green, Green, Grass of Home

4.   Hatching Room

5.   Where Will My Bones Lie Buried?

6.   The Tapper

7.   Tiger Teeth and Stinking Things

8.   Road Rice

9.   Fighting Crabs

10.   Hookers

11.   Song My -- My Lai 4

12.   Chicken Feed

13.   Precipitation

14.   Forest Eyes

15.   Morning Parade

16.   Where Are The Things That Cross The Road?

17.   Eating While The Beggar Watches

18.   Would Molotov Approve?

19.   Oh Jane!

20.   Trung Sisters Memorial

21.   The Photograph

22.   l'Opera

23.   Differences

24.   Iceman

25.   Tortoise With Glass Eyes

26.   T-Shirts

27.   Po Nagar

28.   Alley Women

29.   W.C. Fields

30.   Fourth Of Chu Li

31.   Amputees

32.   Grandmother

33.   Zippos

34.   Silver

35.   White Horse Temple

36.   Red Soil

37.   Sad Wolf

38.   Tile Fossils

39.   Breakfast Zen

40.   Outside a Taylor's Shop

41.   Spider Web at Chua Vinh Tru

42.   Black Pajama Woman With Blue Eyes

43.   New Combat Zones

44.   If Only I Were Brave

45.   Foods of Faith

46.   Ben Franklins

47.   From The Hand Of Ho

48.   The Rope

49.   Films are Not Reality

50.   Uncle's Testament

51.   Singer Of The Song

52.   Postcards From The Edge

53.   Used Glass

54.   News Stand Table

55.   Don't Break The Law

56.   A New Beginning

57.   New Shirt

58.   Song Of Every Son

59.   Sweat

60.   Overheard During Dinner

61.   Road Incident

62.   Chernobyl Children

63.   Red Horse With A Silly Grin

64.   Da Nang My

65.   Something Out Of Place

66.   Monk On A Bicycle

67.   Choices

68.   The Fence

69.   Madonna Of The Central Highlands

70.   Weight Loss Method 43

71.   Pox

72.   My America

73.   Designated Peddler

74.   Braids

75.   Wild West Apparel

76.   Drinking Partner

77.   Memorable Days

78.   Children Are Not All The Same

79.   Geckos Clicking In The Night

80.   The Tower (At Hué)

81.   Country of the Ascending Dragon

82.   Heineken Hueys and Cola Copters

83.   Wheel of Fortune

84.   Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

85.   Marx on the Pagoda Wall

86.   Tet Masks

87.   Alley Poets

88.   Marigolds

89.   Choppers

90.   Pill Boxes

91.   Ha Noi Slim

92.   Going South

93.   Home Visit

94.   Waiting Woman Mountain (Nui Vong Phu)

95.   Different Times -- Different Signs

96.   All-Seeing Eyes

97.   Gold Stars

98.   Empty Shelves

99.   What Will The Future Hold?

Epilogue

image017.jpg

Ha Noi: Street Vendor. Offerings for the deceased

DEDICATION

-- To the Memory of --

Michael P. Kelley

Artist -- Author

Viet Nam Veteran

Died 12/24/2011

image019.jpg

I Remember Your Smile (1992). Artist: Rolf Kriken.

image021.jpg

Ha Noi: Central business district: 1993

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to acknowledge and thank the following ...

Members of the initial Viet Nam Advisory Board at UC-Davis founded in 1993 after the author's exploratory visit to Viet Nam: Dr. Barbara Schneeman (Chair); Dr. William Chancellor (Department of Engineering); Dr. Peter Dale (Acting Vice Provost); Dr. George Halpern (UC-Davis School of Medicine); Dr. Charles Hess (Former Dean, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences); Dr. Carl Keen (Department of Nutrition); Dr. Kien Nguyen (UC-Davis School of Medicine); Dr. Robert Rucker (Department of Nutrition); Dr. Marlyn Shelton (Department of Geography), and Dr. James Smith (UC-Davis School of Law).

Members of the Northern California Viet Nam Consortium founded in 1993 after the author's exploratory visit to Viet Nam: Dr. Khe Ba Do (Dean of Science and Allied Health, American River College); Dr. Chuong H. Chung (California State University, San Francisco, Department of Asian Studies); Dr. Eric Crystal (University of California, Berkeley, Center for Southeast Asia Studies); Dr. Harry Harris (California State University, Fresno, Department of Business Management); Dr. Nguyen Van Hanh (California State Environmental Protection Agency); Dr. Nguyen Hoang (Bach Viet Foundation, Sacramento); Dr. Kien Nguyen (University of California, Davis, School of Medicine); Dr. Robert Reed (University of California, Berkeley, Center for Southeast Asia Studies); Dr. Royce Shaw (California State University, Sacramento, Director of International Programs); Mr. Bradley Williams (California State Environmental Protection Agency); and Dr. Ngo Dinh Thinh (California State University, Sacramento, Department of Engineering).

Colleagues in Vietnam: NIAPP, Ha Noi University especially Dr. Tran An Phong; Dr. Nguyen Quang My, and Mr. Vu Cong Lan.

The countless Vietnamese citizens who welcomed me and provided gracious hospitality during my stay in Viet Nam;

Mediawork Staff (Academic Technology Services) at UC-Davis, especially: Mr. Steve Oerding, Senior Artist/Supervisor, and Mr. T.J. Ushing, for assistance with photographs that appear in this volume.

And special thanks to the Xlibris team members who provided assistance and advice during the publishing and post-publishing process: Kris Alberto, Mark Bao, Sam Lacey, Rachelle Mosley, Amy Scott.

Louis Grivetti

Davis, California

2015

image023.jpg

Ha Noi: Lenin Park.

COPYRIGHT PERMISSIONS

Portions of lyrics or song titles that appear in the present manuscript meet each of the four required fair use criteria.

Billy Jean.

Lyrics: Michael Jackson, Michael Joe Jackson

Copyright: Mijac Music

Born to be Wild.

Lyrics: Mars Bonfire

Copyright: Steppenwolf

Dang Me.

Lyrics: Roger Miller

Copyright: Tree International, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing

Green, Green, Grass of Home.

Lyrics: Curly Putnam

Copyright: Tree International, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing

[I Can't Get No] Satisfaction.

Lyrics: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards

Copyright: Abkco Music Co., New York [[e-mail]].

Killing Me Softly With His Song

Lyrics: Robin Spielberg

Copyright: Rodali Music, Spobs Music Inc.

Like a Virgin.

Lyrics: Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg and Madonna

Copyright: Webo Girl Publishing, Inc., Sony/ATV Tunes LLC

Papa Don't Preach.

Lyrics: Brian Elliot

Copyright: Elliot-Jacobsen Music Publishing

Reflections.

Lyrics: Carlos Santana/Light Music/Micache

Copyright: EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Sounds of Silence

Lyrics: Paul Simon, Gordon Jenkins, Nat Simon

Copyright: Paul Simon Music, MCA Music Publishing A.D.O. Universal S

Where Have All the Flowers Gone.

Lyrics: Pete Seeger

Copyright: Sanga Music Inc.

image025.jpg

Me Kong Delta: Fishing Equipment

PREFACE

The present collection contains observations, thoughts, and reflections from three journeys to Viet Nam between the years 1993--1995. The passages represent the perspectives of a university professor, a professional geographer-nutritionist, who traveled to Viet Nam to develop a collaborative program of research, teaching, and exchange visits.

The initial 1993 trip primarily was a journey of discovery. The United States government lifted the travel ban to Viet Nam in late 1991, but it would take almost 19 months to secure formal invitations, documents, and approvals necessary to make this initial journey. My objective for visiting Viet Nam was to explore potential research and teaching opportunities between the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) and Vietnamese colleagues affiliated with the National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection (NIAPP) and the National University of Ha Noi.

Subsequent visits to Viet Nam in 1994 and 1995 expanded upon these activities and were more academic in nature as UC Davis faculty and California scientists were invited to lecture, present workshops, and work with Vietnamese colleagues on environmental, geographical, and nutritional topics. During these visits we discussed and designed potential research activities and exchange visits between our respective institutions.

The present volume complements the daily account of my initial 1993 journey to Viet Nam previously published by Xlibris.¹ The topics considered here reflect thoughts triggered by activities and images of daily events that I experienced in Viet Nam during the three years (1993-1995). Some of the passages reveal cultural differences while others document wonderful experiences with Vietnamese colleagues. Still others reflect the impact of the Vietnam War on the peoples of our two countries.

It is said that each person makes his or her own journey of discovery: the thoughts expressed in this book reflect mine.

Louis Grivetti

Davis, California

2015

image027.jpg

Ho Chi Minh City (ex. Sai Gon): Ho Chi Minh with child.

OBSERVATIONS

AND

REFLECTIONS

WHISPERED SECRET

A sightless man supported by a wooden staff walks along the edge of a busy street in downtown Ha Noi.

He hoists on his back an awkward load of long brooms and boxes.

He slips on a piece of detritus, stumbles, and falls to his knees.

Through the darkness he gropes across the surface of the hot asphalt searching for his wooden staff.

His key to self-reliance lies resting just beyond his reach.

Bicycles, cars, and motorcycles speed by missing him by inches.

In the midst of danger he appears oblivious to the traffic as if protected by an invisible shield.

We a collective of spectators notice his plight and pause.

We watch his actions and converse quietly with expressionless faces.

We recognize the danger and speculate about his fate but take no action.

Suddenly, a small girl approaches and notices the fallen man.

She pushes through our crowd and rushes into the street to give assistance.

Let me help you grandfather -- we heard her say.

She retrieves the old man's staff and returns it to his hands.

He rises, readjusts his load of brooms and boxes, then turns and whispers into her ear.

The girl's face beams with joy as she skips off and disappears.

We who stood about doing nothing to assist feel shame for not acting quickly.

What whispered words were exchanged that produced her look of happiness?

***

CRIPPLED BOY WITH CRUTCH

How quickly you espied me standing inside the hotel lobby.

Boldly you entered the forbidden no-man's land, knowing that others dressed in white pants and white shirts with hotel caps would intercept your charge.

Onward you advanced towards me working your crutches with an uneven gait.

Your eyes fixed on mine as you stood before me balancing on your one firm leg.

Silent words screamed from your eyes and echoed from your empty outstretched begging cup.

Suddenly an explosion of sound echoed across the lobby as a man dressed in white pants and white shirt with hotel cap knocked the wooden support from your grasp.

Your crutch clattered to the marble floor as others dressed in white pants and white shirts with hotel caps formed a defensive barrier shielding me.

Out-out-out ... they shouted at you: words spoken that I could comprehend.

You fixed me with your dark sad eyes as they escorted you outside.

You stood behind the barrier of the hotel lobby window and stared at me.

You mouth formed words visible but unheard through the glass barrier.

I heard not your voice, only the song playing on the hotel muzak system ...

Killing me softly with his song ...

Our eyes locked as you pressed your anguished face against the window pane.

Your nose formed an oval perspiration mark that stained the glass polished earlier by a female hotel employee who earned less than $10.00 per month.

Again and again you fired salvos of silent words into my brain.

Wounded, I turned to avoid your gaze.

Men dressed in white pants and white shirts with hotel caps observed and laughed then resumed reading their newspapers.

I walked upstairs to my $50.00 per night luxurious air-conditioned room.

Crippled boy with a crutch: where would you spend your evening?

***

GREEN, GREEN, GRASS OF HOME

I buried the last of my comrades yesterday.

I am the only pilot to survive inside this crude jungle stockade.

One by one they died ... no news from outside, nothing.

Days, weeks, months, and years has passed us by.

Solitary confinement has been my fate.

Now they come.

I am shackled, blindfolded, and transported by truck to an unknown location.

I am forced into another cage made of lashed bamboo.

They close the door.

Why have I been brought