Impressions from our Vietnam & Cambodia community trip ‘23

Reflecting on a transformative two-week journey through Vietnam and Cambodia. 

We gained a deeper understanding of the legacies of colonialism and complexities of civil war and American involvement in Vietnam. We saw first hand the power of nationalism, the development challenges a post-colonial nation faces, and how people seek to overcome such challenges while also normalizing relations with past enemies. 

In Cambodia, our focus shifted to post-genocide resilience and the pursuit of justice. Together, we learned about intergenerational trauma and how people in the region creatively work towards healing.

There is a lot to learn from this region, and lessons that may be useful for our understanding of traumatic events we are witnessing in other parts of the world right now.