ONE YEAR LATER...

"what we have before us is an incredible opportunity. an opportunity that is afforded to very few. we will learn together, and from each other. we will experience the world together. we will laugh together. we will cry together. we are the lucky ones. we are going around the world. so keep perspective in mind. you are joining less than 1% of the world's population in circumnavigating the globe. that world awaits each one of us. may we seize it and embrace it, full steam ahead." 

--Dean Kenn Gaither

Semester at Sea, Spring '08 (january 23 - may 9)

experiences in the field

Jessica N. Pham
Warfare in the 20th Century
Alfred Hunt

FIELD WORK PAPER

Brief personal narrative:

Selecting Semester at Sea as my study abroad program was a decision that resulted in personal conflicting thoughts and occasionally even doubt. For some time, I questioned if the program was “right” for me. On one hand, I felt that had I settled on a program set in one location (such as Paris, France or Buenos Aires, Argentina), I would have truly experienced a single culture in its entirety. On the other hand, the idea of sailing around the world and seeing many cultures, no matter how briefly, is a concept so remarkable that it struck me as almost unreal. As the program progressed, I steadily adjusted to the immediate changes that had occurred in my life upon leaving to study abroad. I grew to love the program, and I do not regret choosing Semester at Sea. I am grateful to be a part of the small percentage of the population that has circumnavigated the globe.

Though it may sound cliché, one truly finds himself during a life-changing experience such as studying or living abroad. I questioned many aspects of human nature that I never had previously. My inner debates and questionings were focused more and more on why people behave the way they do, or make the decisions that they do.

As we ventured further along into our voyage, I experienced a personal epiphany. I realized that I had finally mastered the skill of traveling. Rather than remaining simply a tourist, I have evolved into a true traveler. The fact of the matter is I derive more pleasure from exploring than I do from sightseeing. I personally prefer to backpack through a country without a set itinerary or destination in mind. I realized also that I usually felt frustrated after taking part in tourist groups or visiting an overcrowded memorial or museum. So thus developed a new debate within my mind: are the effects of tourism positive or negative? To whom are the results of tourism most beneficial, the presenter or the observer?

Essay: The Clashing Aspects of Tourism

The general concept of tourism is simple and seemingly positive. A country or society has willingly allowed a significant part of their culture to be witnessed and experienced by others. But what is the reasoning that lies behind exposing these memorials, war sites, and museums? Is tourism used to educate the general public? Alter preconceived notions? Portray a political message or standing? Or is a historical site simply used as a means for monetary benefit? Suddenly, the questions seem endless.

A visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Cao Dai Temple in Vietnam reaffirmed a personal curiousness towards the contradicting aspects of tourism. As the field trip began, I immediately perceived the tour guide to be biased. Before crawling through the intricate three-layer tunnel system utilized during the Vietnam War by the North Vietnamese and followers of Ho Chi Minh and the Communist party, our group was briefed on the history of the war in accordance to the tour guide. It was almost shocking to hear an “us versus you” presentation—I found myself personally questioning whether she thought that I should be ashamed for being Vietnamese-American. I also wondered how she and the rest of her company would have reacted if they had known that my parents are from southern Vietnam and left what was then Saigon around the times of the war. After concluding that I was possibly reading too deeply into things, I attempted to take in the remainder of the Cu Chi Tunnels visit with a neutral approach. However, it seemed that the biased beliefs remained on her part. The fact that the Vietnam War began as a civil conflict seemed to be forgotten, and that significant aspect went unmentioned all together. It was not presented as North Vietnam versus South Vietnam or a Communist state versus a Republic, but rather “us against you, the Americans.” A mural of stereotypical images of American soldiers stood behind a display of different types of traps the Viet Cong used during the war. The illustrations featured men that were clearly depicted to be American: large, tall, blond-haired and blue-eyed, with large noses and broad shoulders, falling into human traps wearing foolish expressions on their faces. The tour guide would then narrate along the lines of “then you guys would fall into these traps we invented,” followed by a menacing grin. I was not quite sure how to react, and I know several of my peers were also left with an uneasy feeling.

To be standing on the horrific battle grounds that once saw extreme violence and conflict should have been a surreal experience. Instead, the more souvenir stands I walked by, the more frustrated I became. When I reached the point in the tour in which there was an opportunity to pay money to fire guns, I became passionately angry and questioned the motive of the Cu Chi Tunnels tour. What was the current, direct intention of this historical site turned tourist area? To portray the United States and the South Vietnamese as unintelligent or unsuccessful? Or does it simply come down to the fact that there are two sides to every story, and it is often difficult to remain unbiased? I realize that though every individual perceives any sort of presentation in different ways, I still question the validity and the motives of the presenters. I wondered if we as Americans feel (possibly at a subconscious level) that it is our civic duty to visit these sites in which we had once wreaked havoc or lost lives. Moreover, I would like to know how other non-American foreigners would perceive a tour such as the one I had experienced, and whether they would view what they saw objectively.

Furthermore, I was slightly embarrassed to see some of my fellow peers be more concerned with taking cheery photographs and purchasing souvenirs as evidence of their visit. Had they gone on the field trip because they had heard about this so-called “bloody war” in past history classes or from their parents, and felt obligated to visit the area since they were already conveniently in the country? It seems as though many feel the need to visit a historical site or memorial only to justify and prove that they were in a country. Though this is certainly not always the case, it is often all too common.

Several of my peers visited the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City. Upon discussing their visit afterwards, I learned that they too shared my uneasiness toward how it portrayed the war and were shocked at all the notions of anti-America. I find it both fascinating and disturbing that the museum had once been known as “The Museum for American War Crimes,” and worse, “The House for Displaying War Crimes of American Imperialism and the Puppet Government of South Vietnam.” And as we as Americans refer to it as the “Vietnam War,” it is known to many Vietnamese citizens as the “American War.”

My experience visiting the Cao Dai Temple, however, contradicted my Cu Chi Tunnels tour immensely. Another facet of tourism was displayed: tourism utilized in a manner to expose and educate, but in a different sense. Cao Daiists were praying and going through their usual rituals, while onlookers observed. I found this to be encouraging. Tourism was being used to represent the present, rather than recreate the past. Furthermore, it is encouraging when a faith or culture welcomes others to observe and learn more about important aspects of their ways.

During our time in Japan, I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. I felt less uneasy than I had felt in Cu Chi, Vietnam. Still, was this museum composed of a series of artifacts that a general public desired to see? Or was it a representation and exhibit portraying a hopeful desire for peace? I am leaning towards the latter concept; the museum was moving and highly educational. As I left the museum, however, I cringed as I walked past a souvenir shop selling overpriced t-shirts that had anti-nuclear weapons messages or “Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum” sprawled across them.

Initially, tourism appeared to be a simple concept. After voyaging around the world, I came to realize that it is multifaceted and complex. Is an aspect of a culture simply condensed and minimized to fit the expectations of the tourist? Or does it shed a light upon past events to prevent history itself from being buried?

excerpt from EAT PRAY LOVE

“what’s got you all wadded up?” he drawls, toothpick in his mouth, as usual.
“don’t ask,” i say, but then i start talking and every bit of it, concluding with, “and worst of all, i can’t stop obsessing over david. i thought i was over him, but it’s all coming up again.”
he says, “give it another 6 months, you’ll feel better.”
“i’ve already given it 12 months, richard.”
“then give it 6 more. just keep throwin’ 6 months at it till it all goes away. stuff like this takes time.”
i exhale hotly through my nose, bull-like.
“Groceries,” richard says, “listen to me. someday you’re gonna look back on this moment of your life as such a sweet time of grieving. you’ll see that you were in mourning and your heart was broken, but your life was changing and you were in the best possible place in the world for it—in a beautiful place of worship, surrounded by grace. take this time, every minute of it. let things work themselves out here in india.”
“but i really loved him.”
“big deal. so you fell in love with someone. don’t you see what happened? this guy touched a place in your heart deeper than you thought you were capable of reaching, i mean you got zapped, kiddo. but that love you felt, that’s just the beginning. you just got a taste of love. that’s just limited little rinky-dink mortal love. wait till you see how much more deeply you can love than that. heck, Groceries—you have the capability to someday love the whole world. it’s your destiny. don’t laugh.”
“i’m not laughing.” i was actually crying. “and please don’t laugh at me now, but i think the reason it’s so hard for me to get over this guy is because i seriously thought he was my soul mate.”
“he probably was. your problem is you don’t understand what that word means. people think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. but a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that’s holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. a true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. but to live with a soul mate forever? nah. too painful. soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave. and thank God for it. your problem is, you just can’t let this one go. it’s over, Groceries. david’s purpose was to shake you up, drive you out of a marriage that you needed to leave, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light could get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you had to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master and beat it. that was his job, and he did great, but now it’s over. problem is, you can’t accept that this relationship had a real short shelf life. you’re like a dog at the dump, baby—you’re just lickin’ at an empty tin can, trying to get more nutrition out of it. and if you’re not careful, that can’s gonna get stuck on your snout forever and make your life miserable. so drop it.”
“but i love him.”
“so love him.”
“but i miss him.”
“so miss him. send him some love and light every time you think about him, and then drop it. you’re just afraid to let go of the bits of david because then you’ll really be alone, and Liz Gilbert is scared to death of what will happen if she’s really alone. but here’s what you gotta understand, Groceries. if you clear out all that space in your mind that you’re using right now to obsess about this guy, you’ll have a vacuum there, an open spot—a doorway. and guess what the universe will do with that doorway? it will rush in—God will rush in—and fill you with more love than you ever dreamed. so stop using david to block that door. let it go.”

~Elizabeth Gilbert, page 148

war thesis

this is the intro from my final, 12-page thesis that i have to defend for my history class. i haven’t written a history paper since AP U.S. History class in HIGH SCHOOL, so it has been an “interesting” experience. just thought i’d tack it onto my blog since this is a place where i can post some of my work slash really random crap :)

Warfare is in fact endemic to human nature. It is merely inevitable and unavoidable. This follows the common belief or concept that “history repeats itself.” War does not cease to exist. Regardless of whether it is seen as irrational, unjustifiable, or simply wrong, it is still undeniable. The question then is, how do we rationalize the reasons of why some nations choose to involve themselves in warfare and mass killings?

Albert Einstein once stated, “The release of atomic energy has not created a new problem. It has merely made more urgent the necessity of solving an existing one.” The threat of the atomic bomb and nuclear weapons came about in the twentieth century. Today, there are many nations who are in possession of nuclear arms, and among them is the United States of America. Can warfare be eliminated altogether if these weapons no longer existed? Or will abolishing them only rid of one aspect of warfare, a horrific reality that will always exist?

We must first allow ourselves to look at warfare objectively. We must break it down into its bare elements and attempt to rationalize what war is.

Quotes to use in thesis:
“Every time you buy a rifle, you’re taking away food from someone.” ~Dwight Eisenhower
“Loyalty to my country at all times. Loyalty to my government when it deserves it.” ~Mark Twain
“Terrorism is the war of the poor, and war is the terrorism of the rich.” ~Peter Yustanoff
“Beware of a standing army.” ~FDR
“As long as war’s wicked, we are interested. As soon as it becomes vulgar, we lose interest.” ~Oscar Wilde

Rough outline:

• paragraph 1: war is inevitable in society
• you’re always fighting the last battle
• use Sun Tzu, “the art of war”
• certain cultures are just warlike
• 1st word in western civilization = “RAGE” (the iliad)
• moral equivalent of war (william james)
• war is an extension of politics
• paragraph 2: when is war justifiable? when used for DEFENSIVE reasons
• nations only get directly involved if it has to do with them
• is it reasonable? yes, it makes sense.
• or is it selfish? don’t help other nations out, just wait until you are affected
• no one will take action/get involved unless triggered/threatened**
• paragraph 3: U.S. should remain an isolationist nation
  
• but we are not…we are the bullies
• the U.S. is not “innocent”
• always involved in others’ affairs and nosy…BUT, we need to be in order to remain world’s strongest nation/power
• dates back to “white man’s burden” and manifest destiny
• paragraph 4: nuclear weapons race, A-bomb
• U.S., India, China, France, etc.
• Japan’s standing: Hiroshima (peace)
• government is secretive—have faith in them? support them? or let them be because sometimes you just would rather not know about what they’re hiding? (use mark twain quote)
• paragraph 5: GETTING TO THE POINT
• the present = war on terrorism = urgent
• is anyone going to use the A-bomb?
• once there's a threat = more urgency
• otherwise, deny war and don’t want to be involved
• 4 states of warfare (currently in clash of civilizations, unavoidable)
• A bomb vs. mass bombing over time
• paragraph 6: ARGUE OTHER SIDE
• rephrase albert Einstein quote. talk about his standing with the manhattan project
• people against dropping the bomb (gov’t vs. military decisions)
• need to eliminate a bomb and nuclear weapons
• no war if no threat
• conclusion
• restate thesis

i'm still alive!

if anyone sees any from my family, my roommate, etc.
.................please let them know that i am alive and that i (barely) survived India!!!! thanks!!!

INDIA.

i think india is the turning point of this amazing journey. i have been looking forward to india for about a year now, and india was ultimately why i chose semester at sea in the end. it is going to be life-changing and very humbling. there's no way to prepare for what we are about to see. i'm spending 1 day in delhi, 1 in agra, 1 in the eternal city of varanasi (including seeing the ganges river rituals), and 1 day in chennai. as one of our staff members said, "if you're not going to have any revelations here in india, it's just not going to happen for you at all on this trip." although i don't necessarily agree with this statement completely (i think it will lead to people feeling like they need to say that they are humbled after india), i think it is to be expected for many of us. i want to taste, touch, smell, hear, and see india for all that it is, and in turn be grateful for all that's in my life. i'm tired of taking the littlest things for granted.

madisen sent me a few good words today. "there is no need to be healing and moving on because It's. Not. Over. I'd like to think that Semester at Sea is almost like a completely different life you're renting for 5 months. Almost like a chapter from a different book got popped into the story, "The Everyday Life of Jessica Pham." Don't get your books mixed up! We'll all be here when you get back... a little different than we were, but generally the same... just like you :)" thanks mady k!

i miss everyone at home and i will write after india.

quick update from Mauritius

bonjour! i'm currently at an internet cafe in mauritius and just wanted to update quickly. i'll add more later.

-i'm in love with cape town, south africa. definitely going back for the 2010 world cup. if you're in, let me know. it's an amazing place. i definitely felt that i didn't have enough time there. it was simply breathtaking.

-my 3 day safari was the shiiiizz! i got a lot of great shots and video footage. wish i could post the videos... :(

-currently in mauritius... a small island near madagascar. this is known as the 'spring break' port of SAS... yeeeaaaahh i'll leave it at that for now.
-i've been sick practically every other week because of all the hour changes and probably just a weak immune system. last night i woke up from a nap with green gunk in my eyes and nose treasures all over my face. pretty!!

-our next port is INDIA. i've been looking forward to going to india for almost a year now. i know it's going to be a humbling experience.

-i wish i had time to truly blog right now. one realization i've had is that though i will see a lot of phenomenal sights across the world, this experience is also about the smaller things: being able to hold a memorable conversation with a stranger, singing random songs with my roommate in our room, and getting up at 5am to watch an african sunrise. these are the little things that make this experience worthwhile.

-last but not least: this should've been the VERY first thing to write in my blog:

this is the most unique experience i've ever been through. EVER.