Judges’ comments:

 

“Nice b & w image Vietnamese street vendor.

 

Notes courage of Vietnamese and straying off the path most taken.”

 

Story:

 

The Spirit of Vietnam

 

Simple black and white photo of a street food vendor in Hội An selling her specialty dish of Grilled Beef with Fresh Herbs and Rice Paper. Although not much this photo captures my whole experience in Vietnam over the last 10 weeks.

 

This was my first attempt at street food on the trip and in addition to it being very, very, very delicious food, it opened my eyes to the simple pleasures that come with hardwork and struggle that the Vietnamese people face every day. The Vietnamese people do not have much. They do not have stacks of money, they do not have the designer brands, they do not have safe drinking water but what they do have is a kind-hearted spirit which is dedicated to family and bringing people together. Through everything that has happened in the past, for the Vietnamese to come through stronger than ever, it is a testament to there courage, strength and unity.

 

I see people posting photos of landmarks and brands being exposed for the Western culture all around Vietnam, but once you stop and appreciate the little things in life you learn that straying off the path most often taken is much more exciting and captivating. Not only was the trip a break from normal routine for me but an awakening to the cultural experiences to be had in other countries around the world.

 

The purpose of my trip to Vietnam was to experience the authentic culture and get back to my Vietnamese roots, and this photo and moment, was the start of my journey in finding and appreciating the various cultural experiences a country has to offer.