Story of Day 3
March 17, 2020
In this place, we were living in a bubble filled with love and laughter. But that bubble was constantly punctured by the chaotic reality outside.
That morning when I awoke, the first thing I read was the “EMERGENCY NOTICE FROM THE VIETNAM MINISTRY OF HEALTH” about the eight flights that had carried Covid-19 carriers. Hastily, I shared that notice with the Village because more than half of the flights had arrived from overseas. Luckily nobody in the Village had been on any of those flights. But that notice once again inflamed the fear in me.
Our foreign friends at the Village continuously received unsettling news. The previous night, Anne-Laure had heard that her country – France – would be going into lockdown for at least a month. Anne-Laure realized that her grandmother would have to be alone for an unknown period of time, and here she was, stuck in Vietnam and not sure how to get home. Meanwhile in Australia the government was requiring everybody who returned from outside the country to self-quarantine for 14 days. This decree forced our Australian friends to reconsider their stays at the Village.
That day, we had more Open Space sessions, but the stream of changes brought turmoil to the Village. At the end of the day we sensed the need to acknowledge and share the turmoils; and so a conversation was called with the question: “What are your thoughts and feelings now regarding the Coronavirus and your participation in the Learning Village?”
“Yesterday I was also very worried because I read the news that Austria is closing its borders, and today the airport as well,” David shared. “But today I am not worried anymore. My government texted me that I should come back, but that just triggered my rebellious attitude: never follow your government!” Everyone burst out laughing, including David. But then his laughter turned to tears. Like me, he had come to the Village with his wife, but he is Austrian and his wife – Aiko – is Japanese. With the situation of nations closing borders like now, who knew what would happen to him and Aiko. “I want stay with my love and I want to stay in the village,” he sobbed, “I really want to see as many faces as possible from all around the world for as long as possible. Thank you!”
I felt so sad for David and Aiko then. At the same time I was thankful that I was in Vietnam, my home country. No matter what, my wife and I could still go home easily, while the homeward road of our foreign friends would probably be filled with obstacles. “I didn’t sleep at all last night, not for one second,” Anne-Laure said, “I’m just in a huge confusion about what to do, where to go, and what is wise.” But not for a moment did she regret her decision to be here. “It is such a privilege to be here together. So yeah, I’m full of love, joy and gratitude for the village, and the people who made it possible.”
After the conversation, we walked to the sea together. At the edge of the water, we stood shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. From Mohit’s speaker came the song Soham (I Am The Sun):
“I am the sun, warm in your heart
I am the moon, light in the dark
…
I am the sea, deep in your soul
I am here wherever you go”
Listening to the song, my tears kept falling. I did not know why I was crying, just that there was a deep sadness within me. Under our feet the waves pulled the sand, so we gradually sank. Suddenly a big wave rolled in, splashing all of us. People blurted out surprised screams, and with that laughter came. The tears still fell, no longer from sadness, but rather empathy, connection, and love. The bubble was mended, and just a bit fuller.
In this place, we were living in a bubble filled with love and laughter. But that bubble was constantly punctured by the chaotic reality outside.
That morning when I awoke, the first thing I read was the “EMERGENCY NOTICE FROM THE VIETNAM MINISTRY OF HEALTH” about the eight flights that had carried Covid-19 carriers. Hastily, I shared that notice with the Village because more than half of the flights had arrived from overseas. Luckily nobody in the Village had been on any of those flights. But that notice once again inflamed the fear in me.
Our foreign friends at the Village continuously received unsettling news. The previous night, Anne-Laure had heard that her country – France – would be going into lockdown for at least a month. Anne-Laure realized that her grandmother would have to be alone for an unknown period of time, and here she was, stuck in Vietnam and not sure how to get home. Meanwhile in Australia the government was requiring everybody who returned from outside the country to self-quarantine for 14 days. This decree forced our Australian friends to reconsider their stays at the Village.
That day, we had more Open Space sessions, but the stream of changes brought turmoil to the Village. At the end of the day we sensed the need to acknowledge and share the turmoils; and so a conversation was called with the question: “What are your thoughts and feelings now regarding the Coronavirus and your participation in the Learning Village?”
“Yesterday I was also very worried because I read the news that Austria is closing its borders, and today the airport as well,” David shared. “But today I am not worried anymore. My government texted me that I should come back, but that just triggered my rebellious attitude: never follow your government!” Everyone burst out laughing, including David. But then his laughter turned to tears. Like me, he had come to the Village with his wife, but he is Austrian and his wife – Aiko – is Japanese. With the situation of nations closing borders like now, who knew what would happen to him and Aiko. “I want stay with my love and I want to stay in the village,” he sobbed, “I really want to see as many faces as possible from all around the world for as long as possible. Thank you!”
I felt so sad for David and Aiko then. At the same time I was thankful that I was in Vietnam, my home country. No matter what, my wife and I could still go home easily, while the homeward road of our foreign friends would probably be filled with obstacles. “I didn’t sleep at all last night, not for one second,” Anne-Laure said, “I’m just in a huge confusion about what to do, where to go, and what is wise.” But not for a moment did she regret her decision to be here. “It is such a privilege to be here together. So yeah, I’m full of love, joy and gratitude for the village, and the people who made it possible.”
After the conversation, we walked to the sea together. At the edge of the water, we stood shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. From Mohit’s speaker came the song Soham (I Am The Sun):
“I am the sun, warm in your heart
I am the moon, light in the dark
…
I am the sea, deep in your soul
I am here wherever you go”
Listening to the song, my tears kept falling. I did not know why I was crying, just that there was a deep sadness within me. Under our feet the waves pulled the sand, so we gradually sank. Suddenly a big wave rolled in, splashing all of us. People blurted out surprised screams, and with that laughter came. The tears still fell, no longer from sadness, but rather empathy, connection, and love. The bubble was mended, and just a bit fuller.
Open Space Sessions
- Round 1:
- How to live with your calling? (Linh)
- How would we self-organize around our needs for tomorrow? (Daryl)
- What is 4FP on earth? (Aiko)
- Round 2:
- What is the community we are being called into beyond the village? (Mel)
- What is our relationship with beauty? What is our relationship with trash?
- Energetic Learning Vilage: What is wanting to happen? (Sonika)
- How can plant medicine invite us into living our most precious wild lives? (Jane)
- Round 3:
- How does faith manifest in your life? (Brendon)
- What’s next for Knowmads Hanoi? (Lana)
- Spirit song (Jen)
- Facilitating online workshop webinar (Luong)
- What are we learning in this village about living in self-organization? (Steve, Nara, Mel..)
- Feeding the fish – love your trash – cleaning the beach.