Palawan in my mind before traveling was nothing. At first, I chose Cebu. However I read some reviews on Internet that Cebu was just like small Manila. Therefore I booked the flights to Puerto Princesa immediately.My first impression at the airport is that the tricycle driver told me about Viet village here. Then I wanted to go there to see how Vietnamese people living.
After one-week trip from Bali to Manila without traditional food, I was so excited as seeing Chao long here. Thought that I would meet Vietnamese there with our delicious taste but I was disappointed. It was so sweet like Pilipino taste and Pho was hard, not soft like normal.
The next day, we went to Viet vile by tricycle. It is only 15 km from the airport. I met 3 Vietnamese there and heard their stories. A 50-year-old man told me that he was from Nha Trang. He went to America illegally by boat in 1988 then was robbed by Pilipino pirates. He has lived in Viet vile with his son until now.
– Are you Pilipino now?
– It’s better to live illegally in the Philippines.
My silly question made him so embarrassed.
There were around two thousand Vietnamese people living here after moving to America like him before. They built this village and had some restaurants with original Vietnamese flavour. Pilipinos also opened the chain of Chaolong, which they thought Chao was different type if rice, Long meant the length, not like rice soup in Vietnam.
However most of them moved to live in Canada and America. There are only five people now. One of them is the Pilipino soldier wife since the war of America and Vietnam, working in Viet vile restaurant. Another is a writer who ran away from Vietnam because writing something illegally and chased by police. Two young guys, only 17 years old were arrested by Pilipino police officer because they caught fish in their land. They are waiting for being leased from both 2 countries’ government.
They are having difficult life here but always smile and be optimistic like Pilipino.
Jenny's journey to overcome the fear 