This British woman has had a passion for art since childhood. The more she learns, the more she is fascinated by the cultural colors and heritage of Vietnam through each trip and each encounter in this land.
In the 1990s, Vietnam was a country undergoing rapid economic transformation. But it was still an unfamiliar name on the tourist map. Why did you decide to come to Vietnam nearly 30 years ago?
- I was quite young when Vietnam was going through the war, and had only known the country through war stories. I grew up supporting Vietnam. Something compelled me to book a two-week tour of Vietnam in 1995, something I can’t really explain.
I fell in love with Vietnam even before I set foot here. I remember the moment I was waiting for a connecting flight at Bangkok airport (Thailand) years ago, seeing the name Hanoi on the announcement board, I felt extremely excited before the flight. When I landed at the airport, I was picked up by a yellow taxi, seeing herds of buffalos roaming everywhere. What a beautiful scene! I had the opportunity to visit many places, immerse myself in local life...
The day I boarded the plane back to England, I was sure of one thing: “I want to live in Vietnam”.
What kind of country was Vietnam in the 90s in your eyes?
- In 1995, like other international visitors here, I was quite curious. I think at that time, Vietnam had just opened up, the infrastructure of the tourism industry was still in its infancy. On flights in Vietnam, the passengers were mainly foreigners. But that was a plus in the eyes of tourists, when you got to explore a new country, where you did not know much about it in advance.
From a visitor, how did you gradually become attached to Vietnam through cultural and heritage discoveries?
- Culture is what makes Vietnam unique. Because I wanted to learn about traditional Vietnamese culture, I joined FVH as a regular member to interact with the expat community living and working in Hanoi. Now, in my role as Chairman, I inherit the legacy of my predecessor John Reilly - who has been tirelessly spreading stories about Vietnamese culture and heritage for more than 20 years since 1999.
I am proud to be a part of this journey. Especially when more and more young Vietnamese people join us in activities such as learning about traditional crafts, promoting culture, learning knowledge... We always try to organize walking tours, special exchange programs to help members have a deeper insight into the relics, heritage, and traditional culture of Vietnam.
Besides the cultural story, what particularly impressed you about Vietnam?
- The speed of development in Vietnam is really fast - that's why I decided to come back to this country continuously since my first trip. I was really worried that if I didn't come for a period of time, like just 6 months, Vietnam would change a lot. Because I thought if I missed even a year, everything would change so rapidly that it would be difficult to catch up.
Someone said to me, “Oh, I remember Vietnam didn’t have this in 2006.” I would say, “Oh my gosh, you know, 2006 was 10 years after I first came here and a lot has changed since then.”
Vietnam’s extraordinary speed of change comes from the energy of the Vietnamese people. I think what has never changed is the determination and spirit of the Vietnamese people. That spirit is deeply ingrained in Vietnamese culture, and even today’s youth continue to carry on that spirit. I think the Vietnamese people can overcome great challenges with their innate ingenuity. The Vietnamese are very smart. Necessity is the mother of invention, and the Vietnamese always find a way to solve problems.
Having been attached to Vietnam since the 1990s, and having started living in Hanoi since 2009, you must have had a long time to contemplate this country, whether through important events or daily life. Can you tell us about the most memorable moments?
- I can say that I was lucky to be in Vietnam during difficult times for the country. I was here in 2002 when SARS spread around the world, in 2019 when COVID-19 broke out, and most recently, Typhoon Yagi. I witnessed the effective leadership of the Vietnamese government during important periods.
As a foreigner, I found the communication to be really good. When Typhoon Yagi was about to hit, I received a lot of text messages, announcements over loudspeakers, regular updates on the media and all Vietnamese people shared information. I think the Vietnamese government is really great at planning for natural disasters. I was really impressed by the coordination between the authorities in preventing and responding to the typhoon and ensuring clear information to the people.
And you can see the aftermath of the storm. But I see that the Vietnamese people never stop trying, and they will continue to rebuild their lives with this great spirit. Because they have been doing it so far.
I think the Vietnamese people have a constant determination, with a resilient spirit, strong energy and motivation. I must say, the smiles never fade from the faces of the Vietnamese people. Even when going through difficulties, they always find joy to smile and keep moving forward.
Thanks for sharing!
Stella Ciorra is a British citizen who has been involved in Vietnam for nearly 30 years. She works in many fields such as event organization, editing and culture. Stella joined the Friends of Vietnam Heritage (FVH) in 2011 as a member and is currently the President. FVH is a non-profit organization founded in Hanoi by citizens from many countries, with the aim of preserving and researching Vietnamese culture. FVH regularly organizes walking tours around Hanoi to introduce the city's heritage and organizes seminars and workshops on Vietnamese cultural heritage such as pottery, do paper, art, etc.
