From Here You Know Your Motherland

When I was a kid, I used to be scared of going to countryside- where my dad was born. To me, who was born and raised in the city, who has been covered by convenient life facilities, everything in countryside became too simple and inconvenient. I remember how often dad “enticed” me to go to countryside with him every holiday occasion without complaining. When national television showed a documentary about Quan Ho Singing ( Traditional Bac Ninh Folk Song) or a movie series with countryside context, dad would show his incredible enthusiasm. Even though I wasn’t that interested in banian trees, water wells or village gates which was stereotyped as countryside appearance, I still can recall the endless excitement in my dad’s eyes, from the way he pointed his finger on the television’s display when he spot a similar country lane, country gate and ferry port, where dad used to follow his siblings playing on riverside…

The image of motherland to me back then, was weirdly clearest whenever I watched TV with dad.

As time passed by, I’ve been growing up and had chances to travel around Vietnam. After many trips around the country, I decided to create for myself a trip to my dad’s native land. Without any instruction except some vague memories which captured the ferry port and rice field leading to the wood house that my grandfather built many years ago.

My uncle and aunt were completely surprised seeing the niece who hadn’t visited them for years suddenly appeared at their door, “wow, you know the way to get here!” , I didn’t know if it was a compliment or reprimand and it was probably no big deal being able to find the way to my uncle’s house especially for such a “traveller” like me. But still, there was a mixture of happiness and proud slightly coming up to me.

I found myself like a kid in 20-year-old body, following my cousins to the rice field in the sunset, finding the lost buffalo, slopping about in the mud to pick up the lotus and excitingly taste the typical bittersweet flavor of fresh lotus seeds or just simply cycling along the village’s path towards horizon where sky’s color was slowly transforming to such an amazing mixture of orange and violet. .. 20 years old and I found myself exploring countryside with all of the joy and excitement, enjoying the very open atmosphere and the elegant smell of summer rice flying with the wind.

Tradition and traditional values are maybe strange definition to us- who was born and raised in the city, but one day, you will be totally surprised discovering there is always a tradition part inside each of us. It was born when you were born, fulfilled by our experiences and bit by bit reflexing to the way we think, the way we enjoy life and the way we create the world….

The memory of my dad showing me images of his countryside and telling me his childhood stories, his affection toward tradition and his native land, all that somehow struck me to find my way to the countryside where he was born. I remember Van Cao- one of the most famous musician wrote in his song called “ The first spring”:

… From here, you know your mother land…

#blog #story #zoproject #tradition #family #English