Buzz
Chai Pi sits quietly at the luxurious Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa in Sapa. She wears the traditional attire of the H'mong people, a blend of dark blue fabric with brightly embroidered patterns, standing apart from the tourist crowd.
Born and raised in Sapa - a tourist town on the highlands of Northern Vietnam, home to several ethnic minorities. This place draws visitors eager to escape Hanoi for its fresh air or mountain climbing adventures.
The Black H'mong
Chai Pi belongs to the Black H'mong ethnic group - one of the smaller groups within the H'mong community, residing in the mountainous regions of China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
'For the past seven or eight years, most have turned to tourism guiding. This reflects how Sapa has transformed over the last decade. I too hope to work and earn some money to support my family.'
Chai Pi made the bold decision to transition from working in her family's fields to becoming a tour guide back in 2006. She remarked, 'I truly enjoy this profession. It allows me to meet new people and learn foreign languages. I have a basic understanding of French, Spanish, and Japanese, but my fluency lies in English.'
The English proficiency of this Black H'mong girl is astonishing to those who have never had formal education like her. Chai Pi's everyday conversations in English flow naturally. She laughs, jokes, explains - all in English learned through interactions with tourists.
Life in the village
In Lao Chai village, the education system remains somewhat outdated. English isn't taught in elementary schools, and even secondary education is scarce among ethnic minorities in Sapa. 'For ethnic people, many girls miss out on schooling.
Only boys are permitted to attend. Girls stay home to tend to farming, sewing, cooking, family care, and numerous other tasks,' she explained.
On the way to the village, we passed by a house crafted from wooden planks with a dirt floor. Outside the house were two pigs, three ducks, and two dogs. At first glance, the house may seem low-maintenance, but ethnic girls are always occupied with household chores. Chai Pi recounted, 'Girls work in the fields, while boys inherit the land. When boys get married, their parents will divide the land among them.'
Chai Pi's journey, much like a movie soundtrack, sweeps us across rice fields, over streams, through quaint villages, ending in a restful pause at a mountain base after days of exploration. The adventure resumes towards civilization's embrace.
Following our exploration, Chai Pi skillfully negotiated the rental of two motorbikes, whisking us back to the village. Her traditional attire juxtaposed against the modern backdrop of a motorbike ride and an internet café stop in Sa Pa left a lasting impression.
A H'mong Pioneer on Facebook
Upon reaching an internet café, Chai Pi gleefully dives into her Facebook, her laughter echoing as she checks messages and scrolls through friend updates.
'I ventured into Facebook in 2007, becoming the first Black H'mong in Sa Pa to join,' she proudly shares. 'Facebook fascinates me as it bridges the gap to my friends, allowing us to share moments and conversations.'
Despite Chai Pi's demanding job limiting her social outings, Facebook has become her and her friends' digital meeting place, especially as internet cafés flourish in tourist spots, facilitating easy communication.
Peering over the shoulder of a H'mong girl, I glimpsed her Facebook page, a digital window adorned with YouTube links, messages in Vietnamese and English from past tourists. Beyond social media, her world expands through the movies she adores.
'Home Alone' always brings a smile to her face, finding humor in the young protagonist's charm and the imagined hassle of tidying a large home. 'A big family in a small home, that's my reality,' she says with a laugh.
Maintaining connections with travelers fuels her dream of venturing abroad. I'm confident Chai Pi will turn her dreams into reality.
Chai Pi's moments of tradition, like the ethnic attire she wears, blend with dreams of quieter places. 'I've visited Hanoi, but the crowds and pollution overwhelm. Maybe I'll settle in a stone house or return to farm life and a large family,' she muses.
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Source: Mytour Travel Guide – (According to CNNGO/Labor)
MytourJune 9, 2015
