Standing strong

“Chi/Anh co khoe khong?”  (“Are you strong today?”) is used to say “how are you?” in Vietnamese. In fact, most of them could probably reply, “yes, I’m strong today, and have been for over a millennium”! Vietnam’s history is not one of the brightest and when you know what the country has been through, you wonder how the people still charge towards the future with a welcoming smile.

Young boy playing soccer in front on Lenin's statue

In short, Vietnam was conquered and colonized for the large majority of its history. It was occupied by the Chinese around the 2^nd century B.C. for almost 1000 years followed by a failed attempt by the Mongols in the middle of the 13^th century. The Europeans arrived at the beginning of the 16^th century. Initially, there were only Portuguese driven by their thirst for trade until the onset of French colonization in 1847. The Indochinese Union was proclaimed in 1887 but Vietnamese nationalism continued to simmer beneath the layers of the populace. It was during this time that the Vietnamese written language switched from the Chinese to the Roman script. In fact, the patriot Phan Tru Chinh realized that through education of the masses, modernisation would be possible and the key to an independent Vietnam.

Evolution towards modernisation was crippled during the American War (the local name for the Vietnam War) costing the United States $165 billion with 3.14 million Americans serving in the armed forces. North Vietnamese military losses were estimated at one million while civilian casualties were approximately four million.

Despite its bloody and repressive history, Vietnamese national identity stood strong and its underlying energy with it. The country pulled itself together, warmed its relations with its nemesis, the United States, and initiated a series of doi moi, or "reforms" to launch a socialist market economy in 1986. To this day, the country is flourishing and evolving at an incredible speed recording exemplary levels of development (not always socially and environmentally beneficial) earning it middle-income country status this year. From what I’ve heard, the most evident signs of economic growth are the slow extinction of bicycles. Ten years ago motorbikes were replacing bicycles and today cars are replacing motorbikes (at a rate of 20% a year!).

Vietnam stands proud. You can feel it; it's everywhere and in everything. You can smell it, blended with the sweet aroma of the corner Pho eatery or sense it when strolling through the vegetable stands at the market. It's hard to seize as it doesn't materialize in a standard shape or form. It can surface through the little twinkle in the pagan girl's eyes or during an old couple's morning walk in the park. The funny thing is that you're never overwhelmed by it because it maintains a healthy equilibrium between pride, love for the country and curiosity towards other cultures: an intriguing cocktail that I've never tasted in the Western hemisphere before. I sometimes wonder if I should ask for the ingredients of this secret recipe. Then again, maybe it's something that just naturally develops when reminding yourself everyday that: “yes, I still stand strong”.