A baby is expected. A trip is expected. News is expected. Forgetfulness is expected. An invitation is expected… But memories are not expected. They just come.
Giannina Braschi
In regards to the ANZAC Spirit prize, I believe there is nothing I can truly say to encompass the entirety of this experience. The feelings and gratitude I have felt are something that I simply cannot put into words.
This experience has opened my eyes to the brutality and destruction of war, the countless lives lost, lives as bright and vibrant as mine, lives lost too soon. I look at all of the names on memorials and I see countless sons, daughters, fathers, brothers, cousins, sisters, and friends who died, I imagine the grief of their mothers, fathers and anyone who cared about them because I know mine is immense.
But from the merciless seed of war, may hope blossom, the hope I have now, that an event like the Vietnam War will not occur to any country, the hope we can learn from history, the hope for a bright future void of war, the hope that life will flourish and continue to flourish until it can no longer. The service at Long Tan was an experience like no other, you could almost see the ANZAC soldiers of D company waiting there for 3 hours. 3 long hours. Hours of being fired at, hours braving the storm of bullets from the Viet Cong. It is in times like this that I am most grateful to those who have served my country, so I can live a good life, a pure life, an educated life and a life void of war.
Now that the trip is over I have had a lot of time to reflect on the great places and people I have been able to spend 14 incredible days getting to know. I look upon my memories I have made in Vietnam with a certain fondness that many things don’t fall under, these 14 days have made me appreciate every single person, including those on this trip, and I would like to express my gratitude to Aaron, Adam, Lara, Rebecca, Dennis and Tracey for making one of the most memorable trips of my life possible. I would like to thank Dennis in more depth for his insights, of which I cannot find the descriptive word to express my gratitude for, said insights, all of which bring life and depth to these stories and bring knowledge and heart into every situation, I would also like to thank Dennis for his service at Long Tan, a service that moved me and explained to me what it means to pay respect to ANZAC soldiers.
To my fellow Awardees if you happen to be reading this, I would like to express my gratitude towards Stephen, Lilah, Gabrielle, Emma, Mehar,
Miriam, Zali, Rhys, Tori, Alby, Max, Isabella, Megan, Luke, Zoe, Ella, Owen, Matilda and Maria, I cannot put into words what all of you guys mean to me as an individual, you have helped me grow and in turn helped me become who I am today. I believe I am a better person from the kindness you have expressed to me and each other. I genuinely wish the best for you and your families which I believe also possess the same amount of kindness if not more than what I've seen throughout this trip. I appreciate you all with all of the fondness I have, and I truly believe that in time every one of you will accomplish and fulfil your dreams, Whether it be a famous actor, a politician, a doctor, a historian, a farmer or anything in between.
Despite how I feel, like many other things in a human's life, the tour in Vietnam is over. And with this final message, this part of my life will have ended in its entirety. It is times like these that I find life the most beautiful yet confusing, how it keeps moving but I as an individual may stand still, reminiscing in the past, whilst the present passes me by. I find myself stuck in memories for brief periods, but as time marches on so do I. For my memories are not who I am, they are what make me who I am. And as the sun rises so do I, I rise to a hopeful future, I rise to a peaceful future and I rise to a future void of hate, bigotry and war. That day may not be today but I am hopeful that with the care and kindness I have seen on this trip, one day, I may rise to a world in which peace is inalienable.
Despite everything, the sun will still set on the seas of Ha Long Bay and the busy streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City it will still set in the heart of Adelaide, it will still set in the trenches of France and Germany and it will still set in the rainforests of South America and the Sahara Desert. As this world marches on I will still have the memories I have made, I look back upon them, the times I have laughed, the times I learned, and the times I was speechless. I look back on every memory of this trip and I smile, and the memories smile back at me.
Awesome
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