I do not tell you this only to fill space on the page.\u00a0 I tell you this because today I went on a fieldtrip with my Vietnam Environment class and it was one unlike any other.\u00a0 Fieldtrips I have taken, especially in my primary years, were very disconnected to my life as it was in that moment.\u00a0 Museums revealed pictures of the past and plays or concerts told stories that at times, seemed sensationalized for a desired emotional response.\u00a0 Today I visted the Nhieu Loc Thi Nghe Canal Upgrading Project and two industrial \u201cparks\u201d in Ho Chi Minh.\u00a0 This trip placed me in direct view of environmental problems and concerns for the Vietnamese people, particularly water and air quality.<\/p>\n
In Vietnam, the subject of the environment is broad, with essentially more problems than successful solutions.\u00a0 For example, the Nhieu Loc Thi Nghe Canal Upgrading Project began in 1998 and is still in progress 14 years later.\u00a0 The purpose of the project is to improve the landscape surrounding the canal, improve the social condition of canal inhabitants, provide sewage treatment systems, and prevent flooding in the area. What was seen today is one appreciated achievement, and that is the increase of green space along the canal.\u00a0 The water in the canal is still drastically polluted, smells, and many slum migrants need to be relocated to a cleaner area with a sewage system.\u00a0 But, there is even an issue with this.\u00a0 Despite 5 story apartment building projects, many of the slum families choose to sell their new apartments and move back into slums along the canal.\u00a0 By doing this they are able to run small and consistent businesses on their shack front, instead of no business on the 5th<\/sup> floor of an apartment complex.<\/p>\n Another environmental problem I observed was at the Tan Binh Industrial Park, an area of the city with the worst concentration of air pollution.\u00a0 Beyond the pollution was the intermix of industrial buildings with domestic community homes and businesses.\u00a0 The households themselves were only separated by a line of trees which in no way could prevent the air pollution from reaching the lungs of the inhabitants.\u00a0 A possible solution?\u00a0 Relocate industries to the Hiep Phuoc Industrial Area on the south side of Ho Chi Minh, away from residences.\u00a0 But even this is a problem because that land had been developed over a natural wet land.\u00a0 I guess that was a give and take situation.<\/p>\n Today I was given the opportunity to be in a moment of history, rather than observe it through pictures or performance. \u00a0It was hard for me to view the environmental conditions here because I am so used to what I can now call the luxury of proper waste water treatment in Chicago. \u00a0Today I felt small, unable to “fix” anything. \u00a0I want others to hold the same common “luxuries” I have. \u00a0It was an exceptional field trip and I think it was an important one to share.<\/p>\n More environmental field trips and stories to come.<\/p>\n Chao,<\/p>\n Stephanie<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Everyone, please take a moment to agree or disagree, but weren\u2019t field trip days the best days of school?\u00a0 Field trips are meant to supplement a learned topic for a class, like visiting a museum or attending a performance etc., but really they are an excuse to get out of class and have some fun, … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/goglobal\/files\/2012\/09\/DSC00596-300x168.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/goglobal\/files\/2012\/09\/DSC00602-300x168.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/goglobal\/files\/2012\/09\/DSC006071-300x168.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/goglobal\/files\/2012\/09\/DSC00611-300x168.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/goglobal\/files\/2012\/09\/DSC00624-300x168.jpg\")