Vietnamese Culture Camp Makes A Wonderful Weekend

I have just returned from a wonderful weekend in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado! This was the Vietnamese Heritage Camp at Snow Mountain Ranch. Our whole family had an incredible time and this is our view on the event.

We went up on Thursday evening to allow us time to get settled and find out the where and when of things. We had dinner at the Buckboard Grill which is right there at the ranch. The menu was your basic grill food … nothing to brag about but good.

Friday was a day for all the families to have time together. Most of us went on a wagon ride which the kids thought was great fun. They took us to the original settlement homestead where the kids saw first hand how the early settlers of the west lived. After the wagon ride our family divided with Mark taking Cody on the pony ride and the petting farm, and I and Kyra on an hour horseback ride through the beautiful woods. We then went back to the Rawley Room (where registration and workshops were held) to find many families were arriving. A total of 42 families came from California, New York, Colorado, Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan. While registration was in full swing some of the families made “lacquer” boxes. Everyone created some wonderful boxes. The opening ceremony introduced everyone that organized this years event with a loud round of applause going to Marcia Baird who was the director of this year’s camp, along with a standing ovation for the camp counselors. Many thanks were given to all of the volunteers who helped to make this camp a success. We then broke into groups for volunteer training. Everyone that attends the camp (adults) has a volunteer position at the camp to help in some way whether it was as clean-up crew or the dragon parade, everyone pitches in.

Saturday was the big day. We started the day with a group photograph at 8:30 AM which was followed by the start of the workshops. All of the kids went with their camp councilors divided by their grade in school. Their day was spent in one of 6 areas. The middle school kids went on a Challenge course with the Snow Mountain staff where they learned team building skills. The younger kids were off to build a dragon, learn Vietnamese songs, hear folk tales, plant “rice”, make dragon masks, learn a little of the language, or have HeART Talks. HeART Talks is a wonderful program that uses art as a form of expressing feelings and thoughts regarding adoption, culture, family, and more.

The adults were off to their own programs.Trish Maskew talked of the issues involved in bring a new child into a family, whether the child was an infant or older. Jeanie Sumrall-Ajero shared her experiences and photographs while she was living and teaching in Vietnam. There was an open discussion with Jessica Medinger and her adoptive mother about being adopted and being an adoptive parent. Sister Sen Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam and left as one of the “boat people” shared slides and talked about the religion and philosophies of Vietnam and how these have melded together to make the Vietnamese who they are and why. Cherie Clark was there for an informal discussion on IMH issues as well as a book signing. Then, of course, Kathy Jorin joined this wonderful group to share her expertise in a Vietnamese Cooking class which left our cabin smelling delicious!

Saturday evening was very special. We had a blast! After dinner the children dressed in their best Vietnamese outfits for the Dragon Parade. Each class had made their own dragon that they were able to show off with the company of dragon dancers from Queens Vietnamese Modern Church youth group. We were then treated to a show that was introduced by Cam Tren. There were songs, a fan dance, a skit that acted out the games Vietnamese children play, plus another dragon dance. The encore was performed by our own children! They sang the song they had learned during one of their workshops in Vietnamese! What a fabulous closing to the day.

Sunday brought kite flying for the children. They made and decorated their own kites to fly in the picnic area. The adults were treated to an incredible presentation by LeAnn Thieman. She told her story of her involvement in Operation Babylift. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

The weekend was over so quickly! What a fantastic weekend! If you were there you know what I mean, if you weren’t there…come next year and experience it for yourself! They have already set the date for next year so start planning now. It will be August 9, 10, 11, 2001. I highly recommend that everyone attend. It is a unique opportunity for you and your children to share a weekend filled with everything Vietnamese.