Summary
This historical area represents a series of tunnels that were dug by Việt Cộng guerrillas during the American war in Vietnam. Located about 1.5 hours' drive northwest of Saigon, the historical site is a major tourist destination for both Western and Vietnamese tourists. It also represents a chance to examine how history gets portrayed and packaged for foreign and domestic tourists. In preparation for this trip, students read critical scholarly research that considers the impact that the economic incentive to 'sell war' to tourists has in the production of memory around war. Students reflected on this tourist experience and what it means to turn war into a tourist experience.
Posts
Trap Trap Trap Trap Trap (9/23/2014) - What the fuck is a Vietnam? According to Swedish academic, Victor Alneng, Vietnam is a lot of things. She is yesterday’s news, a tourist destination, a unique culture, but most importantly, “Vietnam is a country, not a war.” (Alneng, 462) After having been in Vietnam for 3 weeks studying abroad, I can agree that Vietnam […]
What the F*** Is a Cu Chi? (9/23/2014) - If you read any Vietnam travel book, one of the first attractions always listed is the Cu Chi Tunnels. Before I came to Vietnam, I was like “cool, tunnels! Sure, I’ll visit them since my book tells me it’s one of the top tourist attractions”! Then I learned the history of the tunnels and read […]
Vietnam War, Brought to you by Disney: The Problems of Commodifying War (9/21/2014) - When I went to the Cu Chi Tunnels, I was warned about what to expect. This still does not prepare for what I was about to see. The Cu Chi Tunnels did its best to clean itself from the war and make it into fun for the whole family. There were features that made sense […]
Don’t go chasing waterfalls? (9/21/2014) - This is a series of posts from my three month studies and travels across Vietnam. Basing out of Hồ Chí Minh City, I’ll spend a few weeks traveling, learning tiếng Việt, and exploring a nation on the opposite side of the world from home. The following is a sort of journal entry, reflecting both my experiences as […]