Awardee reflection - Sage Frankland

The first thing I noticed when our plane arrived in Vietnam was the sheer size of Ho Chi Minh City. All we could see below us were lights and buildings, sprawling for what had to be dozens of kilometres all around. It blew my mind that a place could be this big, and yet be so dense. Everywhere you went, there was something new and interesting to see. And I think this was the recurring theme of my trip. Everything was big, but still incredibly packed full of amazing things.

For example, the food. I ate so much, I’m surprised I didn’t end up looking more like Violet Beauregarde. Every meal would be large enough to make a medieval peasant faint. Despite this, every single dish was made so beautifully, whether it be an ornate peacock constructed from carrot and a pineapple, or a weirdly addictive tofu that I accidentally ate a whole plate of. The amount of effort that the chefs put in to making every meal flawlessly is commendable.

This trip really put meaning behind the word ‘grateful’. We all get taught the importance of gratitude at school, but I don’t think it is really possible to appreciate what you have until you actually see people who don’t have it. For example, the kids at the orphanage. They didn’t have much. But they all smiled. And if they can deal with whatever comes their way with a smile on their face, why can’t I?

The Vietnamese people that we met were so genuine and polite. A moment that I will carry with me for the rest of my life is when we were on an open-to-air bus. We were just waving at people on the street, when suddenly a random man on a motorcycle started a conversation with some of us. He was really friendly, funny, and kept telling us about how he loves Australia. And then he left, and we continued with our night. But this man was not unique in his kindness. Every single waiter, shopkeeper, and even just random people on the street, were so respectful and friendly to a group of Australian tourists they have never even met.

And you can’t forget Martin. I actually still don’t understand how this man knows so much. I’m pretty sure he downloaded the entire Vietnamese Wikepedia into his brain, because I didn’t think that anyone could have this much knowledge. Not only was he intelligent, he was also one of the kindest, most helpful, and funny people I’ve ever encountered. For example, after I had eaten a few spicy chillis, Martin dubbed me “Chilli Boy”. And I think that’s what made Martin so loved. He was special, because he made everyone else feel special. To him, I may be Chilli Boy, but to me, Martin is a legend.

I’m going to be honest. I knew basically nothing about the Vietnam War before this trip. But now, after stepping in the footsteps of those who fought in it, I think I have experienced what many have not, and never will. After squeezing through the Cu Chi Tunnels, after walking on the battlefields of Long Tan, and after an extremely touching ANZAC day service from Dennis, I can appreciate the immense courage required for the soldiers who lost their life, and those who survived. We also saw both perspectives of the war. We went to history museums, and learnt of the hardships of Vietnamese people, but also learnt from Dennis what the ANZACs would have had to endure. I think this is immensely important. No person’s struggles during those difficult times should go untold, no death in vain. If only one half of the story is told, then the story is incomplete.

I was so lucky to have had such an incredible, intelligent, and funny group of people around me on the trip. From singing karaoke on the bus to having weirdly deep conversations at night, I wouldn’t have wanted to go on this journey with any other group. There was not a single dull moment spent with together, even on 5-hour bus rides! Someone was always telling a story, or making us laugh, or even teaching us French. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the hard work of all the teachers and organizers, who spent so long organising this trip and looked after us, even when they were sick themselves. I am incredibly grateful that I got to experience this wonderful country with such an awesome group of people.