Thanks to Eastern Vision and HKCC for organizing this great study tour in Vietnam and giving me an unforgettable experience. I had a lot of first tries in this study tour. I walked on a horizontal bar, sat in a buffalo car, saw the buffalos moving their bowels in front of me and a sea of motorcycles on the road where all drivers have to wear masks and protective clothes to avoid sunburn. We also tried Vietnam local food such as Pha (Vietnamese traditional noodles), French dinner and Vietnamese spring rolls. Apart from food and environment, the farming industry was another focus of this tour. As the climate change and pollution are severe, the farmlands and the productivity of rice are increasing. The staff of YFarm (Youth Fann Network) told us that "Aquaponics" system could improve the farming industry ·in Vietnam. I could not believe that Vietnam has such advanced technology on farming.
This was the most meaningful and educational study tour I have ever had with all my heart and soul. After the Cu Chi Tunnel tour, the visits in War Remnant Museum and Ho Chi Minh City, I gain more insightful understandings about Vietnam War and Vietnamese culture. What’s more, during the homestay in Y- Farm and Tam Viet Farm, I understand more about Vietnam's agriculture that the hosts farm in a sustainable way with spray or drip irrigation systems for coping with climate change. Such an irrigative strategy helps minimize the negative effects of agriculture and protects the environment in a long run. I sincerely admire their spirit and passions for helping new generations of young farmers who will definitely face severer climate change issues in the future. Last but not least, I would like to take this opportunity to thank CPCE for giving me this unforgettable study tour experience.
I have experienced the past of Vietnam vicariously through this trip.
You can learn a lot about people through art and performance - the Water Puppet Show. It is a traditional performance that portrays the life of farmers and other legendary characters in the past. Puppeteers who hide underneath water perform with puppets and traditional music. With both visual and audio elements, I could imagine the people’s life vividly.
The history of Vietnam war is also an intriguing yet tragic one. I visited several places such as the Cu Chi Tunnel and War Museum, where I learned about Agent Orange, a notorious chemical weapon used by the American military during the war. Its toxic substance polluted Vietnam, affecting numerous people. The effect has lasted for decades and has rendered people susceptible to abnormalities such as cleft palate and extra fingers/toes.
War is cruel to all living creatures. I hope I can contribute my effort to promoting love and peace in the future.
