A sunny day with Ly (pronounced Lee)

Vietnam has many hill tribes or minorities. They live everywhere but we were able to visit three different settlements in the northern highlands surrounding Sapa. Sapa is very close to the Chinese border and Chinese influence across the centuries of invasion is most evident in the north. Even some of the hill tribes are the same as in China (and in Thailand)...the "H'mong" for example.

The day we visited the H'mong tribes was sunny and warm. We got off our minibus and began walking down a dirt road, downhill towards the valley where we could spot rice fields being cultivated in the distance. Not long after we stepped off the minibus, we were surrounded by a crowd of small women, all wanting to sell us their handmade embroidery on throws, collars, purses, bracelets and what not. My heart was tight....I had already bought some things from the "Flower H'Mong" and was wearing a belt. Of course, it was my turn to "buy from my tribe, buy handmade from Black H'Mong". I was followed by a beautiful and teeny tiny girl, no more than 7 years old I imagine, who offered bracelets. I refused and eventually, she gave up and ran off to another group ahead of us to try her luck again. But then I noticed one woman was walking with us....she didn't have anything in her hands and her basket was near empty. She had spotted us getting of the bus and had talked a little....she kept walking and eventually, once we were alone, she and I got talking. She explained how she had been in school until she was 11, and had then stopped studying to go help her family in the fields. Ly had to learn embroidery, because that is the most important skill for a woman in the tribes, and the embroidered designs and quality demonstrates her skill and worth for marriage. Ly was about 26. She had learnt English from talking to foreigners and wanted to practise. She had known another Spanish girl not so long ago and she was keen we come back to visit her house and taste her cooking and meet her family. She was already married and with kids. We walked and talked of her culture, her life and what she thought about tourism. She was happy to be able to practise her English with tourists, and therefore, she was happy about tourism. But she wanted to learn and share with us. She wanted us to stay in the village and soak it all up. I know I felt like staying.

She told me she embroidered but that she did not want to sell us anything. After accompanying us on our walk for over an hour, she had to detour to her home. She offered me a bracelet and gave me a fabric belt she had embroidered herself. When I offered her money in return, she gave me an emphatic "no!"...and repeated it again and again....she wanted to see me again tomorrow and was willing to go up to Sapa. I didn't know what time I'd be back as we were touring the following day as well and I didn't know the agenda. I was moved. How could this woman think of walking for miles, over hills and rivers, to the nearest town, just to meet me again? She asked me when I would come back to see her? Mentioned I could bring her picture and show it to the locals, who would help me find her. I couldn't answer...I didn't know but I felt like coming back and living amongst her and her people for a while. I was stunned. And tears began to well up in my eyes. I felt so moved that this woman would have taken time out of her day and her busy life to walk and talk and offer me a glimpse of her life without wanting anything in return... but to share and learn. Here I was, offering her money for goodness sakes! And yet, the hard work it took for her to hand make that belt couldn't have been paid....her generosity was priceless and her spirit felt so precious. I felt like I had met an angel... and I began to cry. "Don't be sad" she said...."come back to see me soon". "When?" I thought... I may not remember all the details of our conversation, but I will never forget how the warmth of that sunny day came from much more than just the sun.

I have wondered much since then. I have so much to learn. Indeed, I come from the "rich western world" and yet, at that moment I felt both rich in spirit for recognising such a wonderful human being before me ... but poor as well. Poor because I didn't know how to grow my own food, how to raise my own cattle, how to make my own clothes or build my own home. And poorest because in her situation I don't know whether I would've acted the same...so selfless, without an agenda....pure curiosity and desire to learn and share, not expecting anything in return. But I know we picked each other out from the crowds and that gives me hope.