November 2nd ,2011, Saigon
GOOOOD MOOOORNING VIEEETNAM!
Oh, well sorry...Everyone knows I’ve stolen that one! ... It is a good title, and I love the movie....I’ve seen it a few times in the past month before I came to Saigon. I think I should be as funny as I can for as long as I stay in Viet Nam! ...Do you know why?...Several reasons! ...
First of all, after thirty years working as a mad man, I’ve decided to quit animation...at least for a while...So, the important thing is that I’m back in Asia, but this time without a comfortable contract... I’m here on my own will! I love it already and I’m very happy. I’ve made that decision! After 30 years of nonsense, I’m where I’ve started my career as an Independent Filmmaker...I do have a project and I have a will to make some difference. From now on I will enjoy my life and make my soul more free and happy; I will travel around the World as much my financial situation allows me and help those in need as much I can until I finish the project.
Second of all, I really think, funny is the only way to go in here....Without being funny, I don’t think I would be able to survive and do what I came to do. It’s a bit too early to tell you what I’ll be able to achieve and what the real life will surprise me with, but I believe something good will come along the way. Tomorrow, I will meet with some very special new friends, and if I’m not funny, I don’t think they would like me. And trust me, I’d really like it if they do. Well, I’m not up to get an Oscar for being funny (even though I’ve dreamt about it once) but I will do my best to gain their trust and make them HAPPY! I don’t know if all Robin William’s jokes would help me out on that one but I will try my best...After all my English is better than his, isn’t it? That definitely will make me funnier.
What is done is done, so here I’m back in Vietnam after fifteen years. This time is a different ball game, but I’m looking forward to have some fun and I promise, I will tell you all about it and keep you posted as much as I can!
So far my first day in Saigon started with a peaceful and quiet early morning. I was excited and happy as any other time coming back to Asia. Today wasn’t any different – started the day with a busy tour around the city, finished with a short storm and a great spa, steam bath and Thai massage for $13 including the tips. It was a great start but it hasn’t revealed to me yet what would happen tomorrow.
From my Borderless Vietnamese Dairies: to all my friends and relatives, be good and stay happy!
GOOOOD MOOOORNING VIEEETNAM!
November 3d ,2011
A MAN NEVER CRY
Before I share with you about my first visit to the orphanages, I must tell you the shocking news for me...One of the biggest crime in Vietnam war was the use of biological weapon call: Agent Orange.
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children were born with birth defects.
Today was my first day at one of the five orphanages I’m going to work in as a volunteer. Before I came to Vietnam, I was expecting something scary, but what was really my first reaction, and what I’ve seen behind the walls of the nearby Buddhist temple, was more horrific and surpassed my fears. Built in a shape of a huge artificial kitschy mountain, obviously there to attract the tourists and believers; surrounded with many big plastic pinkie-colored statues of Buddha - the temple barely conveys what it’s hiding behind its back yard.
The first impression from outside wasn't that bad. In contrast; the temple was more like a miniature Disneyland in Buddhist style, rather than a place which is hiding depressing feelings. A few kids with no visible physical or mental problems were playing around the garden. There was a long open hospital-like building in the back of the temple. A few dozen poorly looking adults ware sitting on benches outside; perhaps believers or people in need. I entered the door on the side of the building when a strange negative energy crawled into my body. Several kids with visible physical deformations were crawling on the cement floor. Strange, animal-like whining was echoing everywhere. I took my shoes off in front of a short metal bar door, which is used for preventing the kids going outside. Right after, there is a huge playground room; a similar one to the, “One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest” room, but the inhabitants were young kids with savvier physical and mental problems. The foreign volunteers were around them playing or feeding them and just before I was thinking what to do next, it suddenly hit me: I was out of breath almost frozen, as the memories of my past youth winded back deep from my unconscious mind; a past of dark red lightened rooms, my small hand full of pills, running nurses and screaming and crying kids. And to complete my full embarrassment, tears started pouring down from my face like a tropical rain; I had no control over my emotions and the only thing I could do at that time was to run outside and get some fresh air.
My expectations to what I have come to achieve in here was falling apart...I thought I wouldn’t be able to go back in there again when someone took me by the hand and dragged me around the temple. Before I realized what was going, Su along, with Mowgli –like, sounds was pulling me around, pointing at the Pagoda. After a few minutes, we completed the first circle of 200m and my tears were long gone. I was back to reality.
Su is not taller than most 12-14 year old boys but his physical appearance is older than his own age. For his 26 years old with some mental and physical problems, he is however physically strong and very clever. He is deaf, barely talks and doesn’t see very well. He loves to go outside the orphanage, running around and taking new volunteers for tours around the temple. He liked me from the start and he loves tightening my shoes and clipping my shirt buttons. He loves my watch with the hole in the middle and can play and stare at it from a very close distance.
Su also loves my camera and took over 150 pictures with it.
Su has a friend by the name Thuong, who is thirteen years old and suffered from Celestial paralysis and mental disorder. Thuong is a shy boy but very friendly and he loves to go out. Su often take care of him helping to put his shoes on and take him by the arm before they go out.
Both boys become good friends of mine and they can’t wait to drag me out ones I come to the orphanage.
Tien Em is in his fourteen and he is very funny guy. He suffers from Down syndrome but he is smart and loves music. He is afraid from the spiders and dragons sculptures inside the Pagoda.
He often puts a CD and can’t stop laughing when I’m singing traditional Vietnamese songs. Tien Em often screaming at Su and pushing him around but the boys are friends and behave well when I'm around them.
Josiane is from Montreal and she joined the VPV program at the same time as I did. She is great with the kids and she loves to play and feeds his favourite boy Chan (?), who suffers from savvier, paralyzes and mental disorder. Nevertheless, the little boy is extremely happy when he hears music.
After being already few times at this orphanage I still have mixing feelings and it wasn't easy for me to take all those pictures, especially for the few savvier cases of Hydrocephalus. I was hesitated to published them at first but I realized that is so important to do it and show them to all of you as the poor little souls have not very long time to live. It turned out that it is possible to cure those children in the early stage of the disorder but obviously it is not an easy task for the Vietnamese authority to do so. As far I know they are thousands of cases of Hydrocephalus around the orphanages and shelters in Vietnam.
From my Borderless Vietnamese Dairies: to all my friends and relatives, be good and stay happy!
