The community of Vietnam

Another thing that caught my eye upon arriving here at the Dai Hoc Han Noi was the sense of community in the university. In the middle of the community was the university park, with a field, some badminton courts, and some volleyball courts. Everyday in the evening, the park is flooded as locals come to play. As previously mentioned, these people live very active lives. Not only do they get enough exercise in daily tasks, they exercise everyday. It also builds a community as they play together, sharing time with their own family and families of others in the community. Kids run up and down the street that runs just outside the Nha Khach, undaunted by cars and motocycles that pass. These kids are not under the constant watch of their parents, but they have the community to look after them, as a collective, and the cars that pass by seem to be aware that they are entering a community area so they know to slow and be aware of children.

Even inside the Nha Khach, men gather everyday to play volleyball. There are usually 12 players, and they were welcome to us EAPers joining. I don't whether each player know the others personally, however they enjoy playing together, and they play wholeheartedly, in the heat, roughing it without shoes.

During the day, the fields may be empty, but the community is still alive. The adults are off at work, but kids continue to play in the streets, or around the buildings. On our way to S Club, we passed a group of youngings playing soccer right in front of S Club, on the steps. Other times, we see the adolescents playing hacky sack or peteca in large circles pretty much everywhere on campus.

There is such a sense of community here that I enjoy. It's hard to find that in America, especially somewhere as urban as Southern California. It is practically nonexistant in Irvine, but there are still traces left in Fountain Valley, in neighborhoods with parks built around them, where neighborhood kids can congregate and have some fun together. However, in Vietnam, this is a part of daily life. They are so built on family, both the immediate family, and a community of families taking care of each other. I find that absolutely amazing and I would love to bring some of that back to California. (: