Majestic Jaunts

While American students back home are studying for run-of-the-mill quizzes and tests on the economic supply and demand system, I have been confronted with an immense amount of culture shock. Our visit to the Hill Tribes of Sapa was truly eye opening. School Year Abroad-Vietnam journeyed to Sapa and Ha Long Bay, which sufficed for a week of classes: an educational vacation. Sapa, originally built by the French as a resort town, is in the mountains of Northern Vietnam. The views were breathtaking. After a mostly sleepless night of playing cards and chattering the night away aboard the overnight train, we got on the bus heading to Sapa about 5:30 on Monday morning; everyone was tired, cranky, grumpy, and antisocial. The bus, literally, chugged up the mountain to Sapa which offered us splendid views of the Vietnamese mountains. Upon our arrival, we hiked a mountain and explored local villages. On the mountaintop, we watched a touristy cultural dance show, and got a wonderful view of Sapa at the summit. After the mountainous trek, we headed to Cat Cat Village which specializes in producing gorgeous indigo fabric.

The second morning, we went to the village of Ta Phinh where we were doomed to meet the Red Dzao women entrepreneurs; the tourist business is their specialty. When we arrived in the village, the Red Dzao sellers were huddling among one another and preparing to pounce on us. It was pretty amusing at first, but then things took a turn for the worse. I purveyed the situation and made a cognizant decision because of an epiphany that hit me: I needed to spend my money in order to promote the village’s local economy. The merchants were desperate for my business and money, so I gave it to them. I opted into buying a piece of merchandize, in some cases two, from every Red Dzao entrepreneur who approached me. I wanted to spread my wealth because I pitied their life. It is my nature to be sympathetic and generous. This was my downfall. I fast became the main target; the women followed me with unceasing persistence, and they would not rest until I gave into making yet another purchase. The worst element of this venture: all the tribal sellers spoke fluent English. Therefore, the language barrier wasn’t a valid excuse for walking away, so they haggled me nonstop. Thankfully, Co Becky, our English teacher, saved me from the chaos, and from losing more money. Nevertheless, the Red Dzao women are hardworking and goodhearted citizens, and they deserve a higher level of prosperity, most definitely a chance at achieving affluence. I will never forget being confronted by these tenacious Red Dzao women. The Red Dzao people are a unique group that I appreciate, and that I will never forget because of the profound impact their vending extraordinaire had on my unconventional and sensitive psyche.