Mai's Travel Journal: Chapter 4 - Lai Chau

10 September - 7am

I was awake most of the night because I couldn’t finish writing about my Dien Bien Phu journey. Occasionally, the dog’s barking started me, which happened after every strange noise. Scary!

The computer system in Dien Bien looked very up to date, so I had decided to write my journal via email instead. Who could have guessed, after I had meticulously keyed in my entry, the internet system would suffer a technical “knock-out”. The service men at the post office sympathized and consoled me, “why don’t you wait just a little bit…” Ultimately, I accepted my loss. Mr. Kinh, the supervisor of the internet services at the post office said, “just leave me your email and phone number. When the system works again, I will call you. Get ready for your trip so you can leave on time”. (He had learned about my journey through this website!)

12:30 pm
I waited for almost 45 minutes before the bus departed for Lai Chau. I had left Dien Bien a day earlier than planned, but I am satisfied. I was really lucky because this last bus did not have many customers; the driver on the other hand was really disappointed because his income wasn’t going to be good.

6:30pm
We arrived at Tam Duong, the new city centre of the newly established province of Lai Chau. The Provincial Youth Union Headquarters passed by and the driver stopped and said, “Why don’t you get off here so you don’t have to walk back later”. I grabbed my backpack, said my good byes and headed towards the Headquarters. The people at the Headquarters recognized me and ran outside to greet me. It felt good.

After a few exchanges with the people at the Provincial Youth Union, I decided to join them on a medical volunteer mission to the Ma Li Pho commune.
Saturday, 11 September

7am.
I arrived at the Lai Chau Health Department to attend the kick-off rally for the medical volunteers and went with them to Ma Li Pho commune.

Talking with the medical youth volunteers, I found out that most of them had come from the low lands, and came up here to work. Overcoming homesickness and changes in the daily activities, they shared, “it is not important where we live, as long as we get to work on things we enjoy and as long as we are bringing benefits to the people in the areas where we live.”

9am
At the district office of the Phong Tho District, I met with the district chairman and learnt many more interesting facts about Ma Li Pho and Phong Tho.

First of all, Ma Li Pho is a border commune, with the Ma Lu Thang gate being upgraded to a National border crossing. The trans-border trades across this gate, including mainly agricultural products, are the highest in the province.

Phong Tho district is constructing a new commercial centre next to the port entrance. This district always welcomes new university graduates to voluntarily come and serve this area. Each bachelor level graduate will receive initial financial assistance of 10 Million dong. Think about it.

10:30am
The medical volunteers had split into two groups; one left for Then Xin Village, the other headed for Ta Phin village in the Ma Li Pho commune. I went to Ta Phin, which is the village of the Dao people. The vice chairman told me that this village is a model village, reflecting the development of the commune. (This is also my first impression of the village.) There were no young people or anyone addicted to drugs, most of them had gone to work in the fields rather than lounging around aimlessly in coffee shops. The most noticeable characteristic is the high level of awareness and responsibility for the maintenance of public property: from street sanitation to the sewages, school, and so on. All are well cared for by the villagers.

Ta Phin is not yet connected to the National Electricity Network; there are only about 20 or so families with electricity, which is due to [them] being close to the source. Subsistence households make up nearly 20% of the village population. Nevertheless, all the children are receiving public education. The village chief said that they are actively encouraging illiterate adults to return to school, especially women. Currently, there are about 20 villagers attending the adult education program.

The National Border Guards have also contributed to the development of the village. Among them is Toan, a solid cornerstone for the village for many years, or Giap - 4 years my junior - who’s just been assigned here. The difficulties are endless, but they’ve tried their best to overcome the challenges, share the burden and help the villagers on a daily basis.

After my visit around the village, I returned to the village’s communal house, where the medical volunteers are busy providing care. The white blouses quickly move about, attentively instructing patients on healthy habits and dosages of prescriptions. I sat next to a female volunteer, who’s busy with handing out medications and repeatedly instructing patients on the proper dosages. I was experiencing an amazingly stimulating atmosphere, which I can’t even fully describe.

2pm
I went with the village chief to visit the subsistence households in the village. Almost all of the village farmland is capable of only producing a single crop rotation per year. There are very few areas where the land can yield two cycles of crop per year. Lin’s and Ngan’s families do not have food for at least a month or two per year.

The houses of the Dao are built very high up on the mountain slope and on very sloppy areas. When it rains, it is very slippery because there are no steps. Ngan’s children had to live with their grandparents so they could go to school more easily.

4:30pm
I helped the medical volunteers pack up to leave for the Border Barrack 297, where there will be an Exchange Musical Show, hosted by the medical volunteers, the border guards and the youths of the Ma Li Pho commune.

The short cut to Ma Li Pho commune is through the wooded areas and will take almost two hours to walk across. I had a sight seeing adventure through the forest and springs of Ma Li Pho. I saw the Dao boys tending buffaloes, chatted with farmers coming home from work, got to eat the “ground tamarind” and “bo quan” fruits. I feel really lucky.

6:30pm
The Border Barrack 297 is in a festive mood. I registered to do a presentation on the MDGs.

A lot of the villagers had come down, occupying the entire yard of the barrack. I sat next to an old man, whose house is at least three hour’s walking distance away. I asked if he’ll spend the night at the barrack after the show. He laughed as he replied that he had to go home. The villagers were very happy. The long distances were shortened by moments like this.

Sunday September 12

7am
I went to the 297 Frontier’s soldier’s memorial with other people. A list of names and numbers told me about youth. The oldest here was 27 or 28 only. Most of the rest were 18-20. I was lucky enough to be able to plant a pine in the memorial area. I told my plant: “Try to grow to stand by their side.” I hope it would manage to do so.

8am
The Youth Union public health members would do medical examinations in Son Binh village, the new center of Ma Li Pho commune. The commune office, still smelling of the mortar, stood halfway up the mountain. “Things are just beginning here”, said the vice chairman of the commune’s People’s committee about Ma Li Pho. The number of people coming for medical examination this morning was less than it had been. Some of the young guys had lent shovels and hoes and were helping local people do work in their fields. Now I understand better the saying, “selling one’s face to the soil, selling one’s back to the sun”.

2pm
I attended the post-action review meeting among the Youth Union members and leaders of the commune. I learned they had frankness, sincerity and respect for each other. I learned that to carry out these two days of medical examinations, the young volunteers had to prepare for a month beforehand, raising awareness and encouraging the villagers to come. This is the first time they had carried out such a voluntary activity.

6pm
Back to center of Tam Duong district.

Monday 13 September

I decided to spend my last day in Lai Chau discovering the new Lai Chau center – Tam Duong district.

Recently three Zone-three communes (remote or mountainous communes) of the district have been given preferential treatment to allow nine students to proceed to university study without undertaking the entrance exam, but they managed to assign only three. This made me think of the university entrance exam last July, which I could compare with. Now I knew that there were gaps that couldn’t be measured by words.

To Sinh Pao Chai village of La Nhi Thang commune – the diaspora of H’Mong people, those moved from high mountainous areas according to the migrant policy of the Province. There were only 12 households in the village, among which five were suffering from a permanent shortage of food. Each household had a big tank but there was no water inside. Sometimes they had to take gully water for daily use.

A specific feature of this commune was the presence of tea plants everywhere. Tea was the cash crop plant that brought income to local people, but the land area for tea was being reduced because parts were marked off for road building or office building for the new province. Employment for young people was a big issue here. Mr. Man of the Province Youth Union said: “Orientation activities for young local people is of great interest to us”.

I was surprised and disturbed to read figures about the poverty situation in 2003 of Tam Duong district. In five of the fifteen communes of the district, the poverty rate was over 50%; for example, in La Nhi Thang village the poverty ratewas 197 out of339 households. Nung Nang’s poverty rate was 252out of 351 households, Ban Hon’s was 192out of 373 households, Na Tam’s was 332 out of405 households, and Khuon Ha’s was 263out of401 households.

Chapter 4 - Lai Chau - Photo Gallery

Photos: Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai
(select image to enlarge)

1. The road go to Tam Duong’s market

2. Cistern at Sinh Pao Chai mountain villiage
3. Tending oxens is coming back, Ma Li Pho mountain villiage

4. Poor home at La Nhi Thang
5. Free consultation from Lai Chau Health service Youth Union at Ma Li Pho

6. Going to mountain field, nobody at home
7. Taking care house when parents are going to mountain field