My Memorable Trek with Mountain Dee

Traveling to Vietnam this summer with the CBT Vietnam team was full of new experiences and memories I'll cherish for a lifetime. One memory I look back upon with great fondness was trekking up to "Mountain Dee's" home. Earlier that morning, I had finished photo documenting the last few homes in the main village, and rushed back to the village to deliver a lesson on financing. After an afternoon of teaching wrapped up, we all began to discuss where we were going to sleep for the night.  

Chris looked at me and said "Kyle, I think you should trek home with Mountain Dee and spend the evening at her house." 

I looked back at him blankly as I ran everything through my head. My feet hurt from trekking all morning, my mind was worn out from improvising the lesson the night before, and my hunger was creeping up faster than a flash flood in Arizona. I trusted Chris, and I knew if he said it was a "must do" experience, who was I to turn it up?  

The view as we reached the ridge of the mountain.

Fifteen minutes later, Mountain Dee and I were trekking up the mountain that the Lao Chai village was at the base of. Thirty minutes into the hike, we were past all the rice patties, and the land grew too steep for any building or crops. Although neither of us spoke a mutual language, we communicated through gestures and laughter. The trail turned from two foot wide concrete into a wide dirt path. The path was more similar to a river bed from all the water erosion, and at times we were climbing over boulders bigger than cars in what felt like a canyon from the towering dirt banks on either side of the walkable terrain.

Finally, we climbed over the ridge of the mountain, and began to traverse to Mountain Dee's home. We arrived as the sunset, and went inside to begin cooking. With a large Tiger beer by my side, Mountain Dee's daughter in law, Pen, began to teach me how to make spring rolls. By the time I had tried all the dishes, I can confidently say it was the best meal I had in Vietnam! Pen explained how her cooking was a fusion from all of the different villages she visits while guiding tourists on treks.  

Mountain Dee with her granddaughter and daughter in law Pen.

I was humbled to be welcomed into their home, and I silently observed as they all spoke in Black Hmong, their native tongue. After we had all eaten a bowl of food, Pen's husband went to his cupboard where he grabbed a medium sized water bottle full of rice wine. He then spoke the only three words of English I heard him say during my whole visit. 

"You, me, finish!" 

A few friendly glasses of the local rice wine warmed my stomach, and before I knew it I was waking up in my bed the next morning. Mountain Dee was excited I woke when the sun rose so she could take me on the longer route back to Lao Chai. We traversed through her families rice patties, into their neighbors, and were soon deep in bamboo groves. We walked past people hard at work with their Ox planting the rice for the fast approaching season.  

Trekking down through Mountain Dee's family's rice pastures.

Lao Chai has a hidden gem that sets them apart from the other surrounding villages, an astounding waterfall. Although it is off the beaten path, it was well worth the trek. My favorite part was Mountain Dee wanted to be in every photo and was so excited to pose.  

Mountain Dee posing in front of Lao Chai's hidden gem.

Before I knew it my little retreat was over and Mountain Dee and I looped back into the village. The next day as I shared my knowledge during another lesson, I couldn’t help but continue to smile as I looked up at the mountain we had climbed the day before. The connection Mountain Dee and I shared, although less than 10 words were exchanged, was powerful enough to leave me at a lack of words. I looked over at Chris, and I could see the twinkle in his eye. He knew I was humbled and he didn’t have to say a word.   

Việt Nam sẽ luôn luôn trong trái tim tôi: Vietnam will always be in my heart.