Mai's Travel Journal: Chapter 14 - Dak Nong

Saturday, 16 October 2004

I left Dak Lak for Dak Nong, carrying with me a heap of thoughts about myself, and about the things I’d heard and seen. I know this is a new test that I have to pass, defeating these endless thoughts and continuing with the journey.

I arrived in Dak Nong quite early, but decided to stop for a bit in the small town of Gia Nghia, the capital of Dak Nong, before going on to the village.

I wondered about the town, chatting on a whim with some people I met. Life is really interesting when you have the chance to talk happily with everyone, to me that’s a new lesson.

I didn’t have enough time to test out all of my opinions about this pokey little town, but I’m someone who can’t hold back my thoughts.

Gia Nghia seemed quaint and old-fashioned, as if nothing much had really changed since the town was first established. I’d never come across a regional general post office which had to close temporarily because the power’s gone out before. So, I’d better get some money out from there while I can!

If I compare it with the new regional capital of Lai Chau province - Tam Duong, Gia Nghia is like someone running in little steps trying to finish a marathon. Am I right by saying so?

Sunday, 17 October 2004

Trying to get around in Dak Nong province one meets a never-ending series of obstacles. From Gia Nghia there was only one way, which is by motorcycle, to get to Dak Lap district. I sat on the back of the bike about 100 kilometers of road to get to Quang Truc village, Dak Lap district. I felt really bored; it’s lucky I wasn’t driving.

Quang Truc is a border village; 38 kilometers borders Cambodia. The residents are dotted about, but concentrated around the centre of the village. Hamlet 5 is the furthest hamlet from the centre of the village, about 7 kilometers away.

Hamlet 5 is made up of 33 families, of which 24 are from the MNong ethnic minority and nine are ethnic Vietnamese, all living together. Almost all of the children in the hamlet study together in the primary school, one classroom with students facing two blackboards, one on either side of the room. However, this rate falls when the students get to the higher classes, partly because the road in and out of the village is further and more difficult than from the other hamlets, and partly because the children drop out.

The rattan houses of the MNong people are also kind of special. From afar, the houses look like huge mushrooms – that’s what I thought of. Who knows what you would think! The doors aren’t high enough for an average-sized person to step through without bending over. The house design also doesn’t let the rays of the sun peek in. I’m no expert on feng shui, but I know for sure that it’s really not comfortable when, in the house, there’s a lack of light and every time you go out you always have to bend over to get through the door. That’s without even thinking about problems like that you could get sick because the air can’t circulate, and that the corn and rice stored in the roof of the house could get moldy.

The main source of income here is rice, maize and manioc. A number of families have planted coffee as well, in their gardens, but almost all of it is really poor quality due to a lack of investment in the care of the plants. It’s really hard to be able to find one family who is any better off. Everyone here is as poor as each other; if there are differences, I wonder if it’s just the difference between families who don’t have enough to eat and those that do, who have some rice, corn or manioc.

I went back to Ms Dot’s house – the village nurse had asked me to stay another night. I’m a ‘stranger’ in Quang Truc, both in the literal and figurative senses of the word. I’ve tried, but I haven’t been able to remember how to get to Ms Dot’s house and her name, I had to ask some of the guards. I shared all of the information I could before I left with Ms Dot and her husband, about how opportunities for study for young people can help them.

I feel terribly uneasy but I don’t want to cause other people to worry. I’ll leave Quang Truc tomorrow morning, as soon as I can find a vehicle.

Chapter 14 - Dak Nong - Photo Gallery

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

1. Road in 5 community, Quang Truc villiage
2. Door of Mnong ethnic minority house

3. Dot and her husband, the family I stayed with
4. Knit dosser

5 community from high mountain