The last Friday of the month, when the We Are the World Blogfest blogs are posted, snuck up on me. So here’s my post the last day of the month. #WATWB was started by Damyanti Biswas to highlight a news story that “shows love, humanity, and brotherhood.”
My blog today is about an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown when he went to Hanoi in September 2016. You can view it here https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6n6gmz (You’ll have to put up with some short commercials. If you have trouble with the link, go to https://www.dailymotion.com/us and search on “Anthony Bourdain Hanoi.”)
Though I urge you to watch the entire episode, there are two places in the show that I found particularly emotional and timely to our world today.
The first starts approximately 27 minutes into the video when President Obama meets Bourdain at a noodle shop where, over noodle soup and beers, they discuss food, politics, family, and the hopes and dreams of all people.
At one point, Bourdain asks Obama: As a father of a young girl, is it all going to be okay?
Obama’s response: Yeah. Progress is not a straight line. There are going to be moments where things are terrible. But I think, having said that, things are going to work out.”
Soon after that, the scene changes to Bourdain sitting with a young woman and her family. (I believe she’s a journalist.) They’re discussing the Vietnam War.
The woman says: It’s good to remember (the war) so we don’t make the same mistake. Some people choose to be angry, to hold a grudge. But some choose to let go. It’s called ‘the peace inside ourselves.’
Here, she tries to hold back tears, then continues: I think it’s important we know about history. And make sure it never happens again. I met a lot of war veterans. And surprisingly, many of them don’t have anger. That is amazing. I learn so much from them.
As Obama said to Bourdain: We make peace with our enemies.
I’ll miss Anthony Bourdain’s remarkable program that showed and taught viewers so much, bringing us to corners of cities and countries that few of us would ever have otherwise experienced. He made the world smaller for us and introduced us to amazing people from all walks of life. He brought us all closer to understanding that, really, we’re all pretty much the same: that we all wish for a peaceful, honorable life for ourselves, our family, and our community.
You’re welcome to join the blogfest and “speak for peace.” Blogs are posted the last day of each month. Read the details here along with links to other #WATWB blogs.
What is your good news?
Linda Covella, Author 
This sounds like a wonderful project. Unfortunately, right now I am pressed for time, so have to watch the video later. But I love the concept of WATWB. I never watched Bourdain much and didn’t really know much about him until after his death. But I so miss Obama, and love the excerpt of his advice above.
Elizabeth, if you can sometime, I highly recommend watching it. Or if you can find the series “Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown” (Netflix?) it’s so worth watching. CNN played them all after his death, so I was able to record and watch them. Yes, I miss Obama, too. Every time I see him, it only emphasizes what we had and what we’re dealing with now. 😦 Thanks for reading and your comment.