Just an update on what’s been happening with me since my trip to Vietnam; well…

Last week, I had the great honor to meet Kim Phuc, known as the napalm girl, while she was visiting my home town of Santa Barbara, CA. Throughout my Vietnam trip, I had learned about Kim and saw the picture of her as a little girl. The photograph is a monumental part of the Vietnam War, and it has impacted American and Vietnamese history.

Sarina Wasserman and Kim Phuc

Her story inspired me so much that I wrote about what her picture meant to me, and then had the chance to read it to her during her visit to the U.S.  Here’s an excerpt of what I shared with her:

“To me, your life and your story are a metaphor. I see you as a strong and brave woman representing the power that women can have in the world. Like you, women all over the world have a responsibility to take stand and fight for what they believe in, to live out their dreams, and to seek freedom and peace. Kim, you inspire me to fight for what I believe and even in the toughest of moments, never to give up.”

Today, Kim has formed an organization called the KIM Foundation which supports children affected by war all over the world. She has turned the nightmare she survived as a child into compassion in order to do her part to heal the world. To learn more about the KIM Foundation, go to http://www.kimfoundation.com.

Until next time…

Yêu (love in Vietnamese),
Sarina

Day 9: Final Blog!

This group of boys had fun jamming on the plastic flutes.

Today, my last full day in Vietnam, was a very special day. We visited the peace village in Hanoi. The Peace Village was originally founded to help children and young adults who suffer from agent orange birth defects. Today, it serves more as a center/housing facility for disabled children. Before coming to Vietnam my classmates and I all worked together to purchase items for the children. We bought: Soccer balls, foot balls, basket balls, bubbles, art supplies, temporary tattoos, and I bought instruments. We arrived at the Peace Village and began to interact with the kids immidiately. It was challenging at times because they did not speak english, but overall it was a blast!

This girl spent the afternoon at her “special” desk coloring and blowing her train whistle

The best part of it all was I got to share my music. I had the opportunity to get my hands on a piano and I played and sang a few songs. I even sang Robbie Schaefer’s song “LalaLove!” By the end of that song, I had the whole room up on their feet dancing around singing Lalalove. This example, along with many others, just goes to show that although there are MANY barriers between the children and I, music was the one thing that brought us together. Music has a power that speech doesn’t, and I think human beings are not always aware of it. Today was a day that will stick with me for the rest of my life, and I am so glad I get to share it with all of you.

Love,

Sarina

Day 8: Cuong

Today I met 10 year old Cuong who is in the fourth grade. He LOVES to play soccer because he is the best on his team. When I heard that soccer is something that he is passionate about, I instantly paused our interview and ran to my room. I came back a few minutes later with a fresh soccer ball just for Cuong. He was the happiest boy on the block! He gave me a big hug and was beyond exciting to start playing with it. I asked him what his dream was and he told me, “When I’m older my dream is to be just like my dad.”

Yêu (love in Vietnamese),

Sarina

Day 7: Dang Nhat Minh

Mr. Minh is on the far right

Today I got the privilege to meet the famous Vietnamese film director Dang Nhat Minh during a private screening of his movie “Don’t Burn.” His film is based on the diary of a Vietcong Nurse who was based on the battle field. I had the opportunity to ask him a few questions and, when I asked him what he LOVED he said, “I love to have a peaceful life and I love the value of family.” I then asked him, when children and young adults see this film, what would you like them to take away from it. He told me that there aren’t many films like this in the world. He wants it to make the viewers emotional,  and for them to really think. But, overall, he said that he just made the film; he doesn’t want to teach, just share. The answer comes from the viewer, “What you get out of it…. well, that is my message”

Day 5-6: Tien

Tien and her classmates

Today I went to the Mekong Delta High School. We brought the students soccer balls, a street hockey set, and a couple of footballs. It was such an amazing experience to play sports and socialize with the Vietnamese students. The students and their school look so different from what I see in Santa Barbara, but I have learned that we are all so similar when we take away appearances.

I had the chance to talk one on one with Tiên; she is 15 years old. When I asked her what she LOVED she said, “I love the countryside because it is beautiful, peaceful, and very open.” When Tiên is older she would like to be a teacher because she loves  children and wants to be their inspiration.

Yêu (“Love” in Vietnamese),

Sarina

Day 4: Ly

While standing in front of a Cao Dai Temple (the temple where Kim Phuc and her family hid before it got bombed) a little boy crept up behind us with hopes to sell the stack of lottery tickets in his hand. His name is Ly. At first glance, Ly looked as if he was 8 or 9 years old; I later learned that he is in fact 12. He is in the fourth grade because he started school late. When I asked Ly what he LOVED he said, ” I love to fly my kite! It is beautiful and I feel like I can fly with it.” The smile and passion in his eyes inspired me to ask him about his dream in life. He told me that he wasn’t dreaming yet but he’d like to in the future.

Yêu (“Love” in Vietnamese),

Sarina

Day 3: Camille Cheng

While walking along the busy streets of HoChiMinh City, I really bonded with Camille Cheng. She is 9 years old and is in the fourth grade. Although Camille does not live in Vietnam, her mother was a refugee during the Vietnam war. Annie, her mother, escaped on a boat and landed on an island near Indonesia. When I asked Camille about what she LOVED, she said “I love, love, love dogs! I have two wiener dogs and I have so much fun with them… especially when we play ball in my backyard. I not only love dogs but I love all animals. I want to be a vet when I am older, and help all the sick animals. “

Yêu (“Love” in Vietnamese),

Sarina

Day 2: Lucy Nhuong

Today I met 68 year old Lucy Nhuong. She works at Museum Louvre in Paris, France. Lucy lived in Vietnam until the Vietnam war ended.  She and her family left the country on a boat hoping to find a new place to live and prosper.  Their long journey was finally over, and they ended up in France. When I asked Lucy what she LOVED she said, ” I love to cook for myself and my family. The best part about cooking is to see all the satisfied faces at the end of the meal!”

Until tomorrow,

Love,

Sarina

Day 1: Hau

Today I met Hau in the bustling city of Saigon. Hau is 48 years old and has lived in Saigon all his life. He is a tour guide with a dream to travel the world. When I asked Hau what he LOVED he told me, ” I love to travel and meet all different types of people. Traveling is my way of learning about new cultures, new people, and ultimately myself. “

Until tomorrow!

Love,

Sarina

World Peace

A never-ending supply of Nutella

1,349,722 more Sarinas. 

Watch this space for Sarina’s Heart Blog. And if you add her to your genie list . . . well, we told ya so . . .

My name is Sarina, and I live in the beautiful town of Santa Barbara, California. This March, I will be making the long journey to Vietnam with six classmates from my middle school, and I am beyond excited. We will be traveling from the north and moving to the south of the country, learning about the culture, the people, and the Vietnam War. We’ll meet Vietnam war survivors and their families, children affected by and living with Agent Orange, and everyday folks.

I have been inspired by music from a very young age, and it is something that I will have with me for the rest of my life. I first worked with OneVoice while preparing for my Bat-Mitzvah, and now I am continuing that involvement while in Vietnam. So now for the fun part: I will be keeping a blog — Sarina’s Heart Blog — on each day of my 10-day journey. I plan to meet someone and ask his/her name, age, grade in school/occupation, and one thing he/she loves or feels passionate about. I will also be teaching music to children and adults born with Agent Orange birth defects.

I am certain this trip will open up my eyes to the world, and let me experience things I would never get to otherwise. In the future my dream is to travel and bring music to children who are less fortunate than me. This is the first step, and I hope you can join me on this wonderful adventure!

Love,

Sarina