Expanding Horizons
by Natalia Nguyen
This was my second workcamp, but it felt like an entirely new experience. My few memories of the 2019 workcamp feel vague and insignificant, especially in comparison to 2023's. I am grateful to have finally reached an age where I can have meaningful interactions with others, many of which were with the SM scholarship recipients. Despite our vastly different backgrounds, we discovered surprising commonalities, such as a mutual love for certain pop songs. Additionally, we often shared snippets of our cultures, particularly slang and colloquialisms that I had never given much thought to.
It's not every day that one gets the chance to broaden their horizons in such a unique way, and I will forever appreciate this experience. Before the workcamp, I anticipated conversing only with others of similar age. However, I quickly realized that this wouldn't be the case, no matter how much my friends and I resisted. Mandatory seating rearrangements not only pushed me out of my comfort zone but also led me into conversations that I will never regret having.
On the third night, after being assigned to dinner tables, I found myself seated next to Chú Trường, a man I had often seen but had never spoken to. He wasn't part of the work camp team, so we had never been formally introduced, at least not to me. Despite likely feeling out of place at a table dominated by "Việt Kiều," or overseas Vietnamese, he effortlessly fit in with his friendly demeanor. Once the table settled, he immediately stood up to take charge of the hotpot, a kind and appreciated gesture. Most of the dishes were unfamiliar, and without his friendly explanations, we would have certainly made some disastrous mistakes. Throughout the meal, he served each person while simultaneously facilitating the somewhat awkward conversation. Towards the end, when we had established some rapport, he turned to me.
The ensuing exchange can best be described as one-way communication. Although I consider myself passably proficient in Vietnamese, his thick Central accent was complete gibberish to my unaccustomed ears. Fortunately, he understood my Vietnamese. Even more fortunately, others around me were able to help with translations whenever I needed them, which happened quite frequently. With their assistance, we managed to maintain a somewhat regular conversation.
After bonding over our cracked phone screens, he revealed that he had spent four years working as a migrant worker in Taiwan. While I initially found this revelation intriguing, I soon came to realize that he was just one of many Vietnamese individuals compelled to undertake labor migration. It was not the glamorous travel opportunity I had initially assumed, but rather a necessary means of supporting his rural family financially.
Despite the awkwardness of my misunderstanding, I am grateful to have had this particular encounter relatively early on in the work camp, as it prompted me to approach other interactions with greater thoughtfulness. Prior to the workcamp, I held an open-minded perspective, but the camp allowed me to develop even greater empathy. Overall, I am thankful for the opportunity to form deep connections with others and gain a multitude of new perspectives on the world.
