I am grateful for the opportunity given to be exposed to the lives of northern Vietnamese, mainly Sapa villagers. During the trip, we encountered several stakeholders who supported eco-tourism. I set off this trip hoping to gain deeper understanding on their lifestyles and am glad that I got involved and sank into village life for once. Hanoi was different from Ho Chi Minh, where I visited last year. Vietnamese in Hanoi has greater association with the practice of communism than those in Ho Chi Minh, probably after all, Hanoi was the capital of communism in Vietnam. As such, I had a whole new different experience of Vietnam. Despite the differences in lifestyles, I noticed that the fundamental attributes of Vietnamese still hold: they are proud of their country, preserve their culture and enduring and determined people.

Sapa town was not what I expected since my understanding of eco-tourism links to preservation of two important attributes: culture and environment. However, Sapa town plays an important role in eco-tourism, as a facilitator to the eventual output in the villages. The handicraft sellers who followed and “haunted” us, together with the hotels and shops selling trekking gears prepare and lead tourists like us into the villages. We trekked to respective village homestays in Sapa and witnessed the physical endurance of Vietnamese Sapa villagers, who did not complain despite the harsh terrains and journey home in the past before roads were built. During breaks, I constantly appreciated the majestic view before me. The fresh air, the sound of nature and absence of vehicle and industrial noises calmed me and fellow Sapa villagers. That is one thing I failed to understand before my trip and I consider such, a blessing to the minds.

We managed to visit a few village homes and workplaces to see for ourselves the daily lives of Sapa villagers: simple and indeed, making ends meet. Everything was just enough, just like what I expected before the trip. However, one difference from my prior understanding was the comfort of the villages which I doubted before: “How will it be comfortable if we only had enough? There is no insurance.” But, when I was there facing the homes before me, using the latrine on the foothill and staying in wooden houses in winter, I realised a simple charcoal and fire is more than enough to keep our feet warm. A clean wooden plank is enough for a good sleep and an added-on mattress is a privilege.

Before the trip, I expected the lives of the tour operators and hosts to be tough and poor living conditions. However, the sanitation and hygiene of village homes I visited was unexpected. From the simpler ones with few amenities to homestays with proper bathing and toilet facilities, I noticed that sanitation and hygiene is well-maintained. Latrines were constructed on foothills and away from dining areas and homes were kept neat. Cleanliness, however, was an issue. Drains were packed with plastic packaging and cans. This was not what I expected of eco-tourism as the environment was tainted by rubbish. I enquired my guide and was told that locals lack proper education to preserve the environment, irresponsible tourists facilitated the taint. I also noticed that visitors were treated carefully as if to be impressed and were of different social status for being richer materialistically. However, this is not at all true.

One important lesson learnt from the trip is there exist different types of happiness. To us, we seek material needs as happiness, but that is because we are born to an environment filled with privileges. To Sapa villagers, being rich is about harvesting the most crops and making ends meet. I will only say we are richer than them materialistically, but they, on the other hand, are richer than us emotionally. I remembered asking one handicraft seller, Dong, if she is happy and yearn to move to town. She insisted being happy in the village and not in town because village people are friendly and life is less stressful. That was when I realised that we worked so hard to gain the material needs in life because we took basic needs for granted. We are looking to convert our material happiness to make up for the emotional happiness we lost, like a form of currency exchange. The lack of ability to regain emotional happiness in a city where everything is readily available made me cherish the emotional happiness I received from that carefree village life.

Lastly, my most enjoyable part of the Sapa trip was trekking. I learnt the physical effort locals experience daily and witnessed their mental traits: endurance and determination. They do not complain like we do in our lives, spoilt by a certain level of comfort. The 5-hour trek trained my endurance and determination to complete it. I expected myself to yearn for the end and comfort of the homes. However, I did not but treasured every break as a chance for me to admire the view and keep my mind off city troubles. Every step we took was a test to my endurance. When we finally reached the end, I felt very accomplished. I related this experience to life. Very often, we begin with the end in mind. Yet, once we achieved what we want, we start to look back and feel loss because we fail to remember the blessings we come across. In searching for Mars, we missed the stars. I hope my life will replicate the trek: although with an end-goal, never failing to stop and appreciate what is currently before me, and keep a memory. To Sapa villagers, hard work may not exchange for a better life as their future is filled with uncertainty, but at least that uncertain future allowed them to appreciate the fulfilling present. We, on the other hand, have a future so visible to us that we constantly pursue and failed to take a breather and appreciate the things we own now. The trek is a lesson to me, and hopefully others as well, that we should never be caught up with the results that we fail to live life now.