Xa Me vs Street Kids

The trip to the South unexpectedly provided me with a very eye opening reality in regards to Xa Me. While I expected to have fun and not worry about the responsibilities back home in Hanoi, I couldn’t help but thing about Xa Me and the children there. In my previous blogs, I have harshly criticized the organization for its lack of structure among many things but after the Southern trip things have changed slightly. The truth of the matter is that while the conditions at Xa Me are not ideal by an stretch of the imagination, it is nevertheless an organization that provides these children with the basic essential necessities, i.e. shelter, food, and the opportunity of education. For Vietnam and given the situation these children are in with their families being able to provide for them, Xa Me is very important and I am coming to realize that point.

Often times while in the Old Quarters, I am approached by a young child no more than 10 years old asking me to purchase chewing gums or other small items. Of course it is extremely difficult not to feel sympathetic and one’s natural course of action is to purchase whatever the child is selling because the cost is miniscule. For me in particular, I am reminded of my children at Xa Me and how without a place to stay life would be extremely difficult. However, often times when I am with Hanu or other Vietnamese they warn me against purchasing anything. They say that you will only attract more children and you simply can’t help them all. In the South, the prevalence of these “street children” increased significantly and they seem to roam the street offering you lottery tickets. While being constantly bombarded by children in the South, I began to see Xa Me in a slightly more positive life and the conditions did not seem so bad anymore. The most important thing is that my children at Xa Me do not have to endure the struggles and hardship of “street children” which would most likely be there reality if not for a Xa Me. In this train of thoughts, I catch myself viewing the situation with Xa Me from a very American perspective rather than one that is more applicable and local. I feel that I hold Xa Me to a very American standard way of living where the facilities should be better, the care more adequate, or even the meals more diverse. In this perspective, of course things will not seem as adequate as it should, but with something to now juxtapose it with, things change dramatically. The children who are forced to wander the streets begging the strangers to buy their goods always seem exhausted and the youthful naivety and joy that they ought to have has been replaced. Many of these children know much about the harshness of life at such a young age, which is never good. They know what it is like to have to not have sufficient food and are constantly worrying about where their next meal is going to be. At least at Xa Me, the children are provided with food and while the quality and variety is not particularly impressive, it is more than the street children have.

The children at Xa Me also have the opportunity to go to school and have an education which is very significant in social mobility and improving living standards. From what I can tell, the street children work nearly all day tirelessly wandering the streets. At Xa Me, the children go to school everyday and even have a special tutor that comes during the week to help. Many of the children also really like school and seizes the opportunity they have. I was particularly excited this week when some of the children bragged to me about their high scores in school. Further, when children tease each other about receiving low marks, the targeted child becomes pretty defensive and angry. In reality, the opportunity to go to school and not having to work is a luxury in Vietnam.