Us and Them

If you haven't heard the lyrics of Pink Floyd's Us and Them, check it out right now. Powerful stuff about the Vietnam War that exposes the horrors and truths, but in song.

I titled this post "Us and Them" because today we visited the Jade Emperor Temple in Saigon for our morning class. It was a beautiful temple, and since Barak Obama visited two years ago, has become a popular tourist destination.

Tourism in sacred places to me is a double-edged sword. I think it is so valuable to learn about different cultures and visit different places around the world, but I think it is so important to be an outsider looking in, and be so aware of your surroundings.

I say this because I felt so invasive when I entered this sacred Temple. No, I was not being rude, and was doing my best not to disturb the practices of the monks and the followers of this Buddhist and Taoist religion, but I think my presence was enough. I felt as though I was disturbing a sacred place and a sacred ceremony just for my own benefit. Granted, it probably wasn't that bad, and I was not disrupting anything, but it just seemed to me I was a foreigner in a very special place to many people.

I am glad I get the opportunity to visit many pagodas, temples, and churches while I am in Vietnam. I think being so cognoscente of my surroundings is the key to learning about different cultures. Imposing my own opinions and actions in a place that is not my own is erroneous. No, I am not saying I do that, but I have seen more often than not the lack of respect for extremely significant places by people who are just visiting, and have little to no importance to them, and I think thats why the most amazing places of the world are closing; people carry a strong disrespect and obliviousness for the importance of a place, and they think they can touch, dress, and act in any way they please. Culture to me is so significant, and the etiquette needs to be restored if we want to keep exploring and visiting the world.

Besides the discomfort I felt for intruding on a sacred temple, the Jade Emperor Temple was an extremely beautiful and peaceful place to visit. Besides all of the pigeons and birds that surrounded it, the area was quiet aside from the monks singing, and the smell of incense filled the temple. Vietnam's greatest treasures lie inside its deep buddhist and christian roots, along with its rich culture that is a result of it. I am grateful to be able to explore and study Vietnam's religious domains, and it's beauty and culture is unique, as the country was influenced by so many religions, cultures, and people. Being able to learn and see all of the facets of the Vietnamese culture is one part of my time here that I will take away with me forever.